Joeboy reveals childhood memory that inspired him to open his foundation

On January 21, 2025, 6:02 PM

Nigerian singer Joeboy has recounted how his inability to pay school fees as a child inspired him to open his foundation to pay the school fees of children in a similar position.

Speaking to media personality Isi Ijewere on the Backstage Banter with Isi show, the singer recalled how often he used to get sent home for owing school fees and how embarrassing it became for him.

“When I was younger, I used to owe school fees a lot and it used to get embarrassing.

When I was in jss3 , the secretary that used to come names of those owing fees came and before she even began announcing, the whole class said my name ‘Akinfewa joseph’. It pained me!”

As a result of the embarrassment, young Joeboy refused to return to that school and changed institutions.

It hurt me so much and I went back home and told my parents that I was never going back to that school again. I didn’t care, I pulled myself out that I wasn’t going anywhere.

However, the childhood experience made room for something greater; it inspired him to ensure that other children did not suffer the same embarrassment he did.

That gave me the dream to do something, which was to help people who can’t afford to pay their school fees so I just opened a foundation; the young legend foundation.

I opened it two months ago and we’ve been paying people’s school fees, so my inner child is very excited about that.

It’s crazy what something like that can do to someone mentally.

I mean it’s not the child’s fault that they can’t pay their fees right? But people made it seem like it was my fault and it was embarrassing and it paid me that time.”

Story By Pulse Nigeria