Paso’s Business Model -By Kehinde Oluwatosin B.

Kehinde Oluwatosin B.

Recently, I have been studying the Ansoff’s business matrix, as I intend to make inferences from the matrix vis-a-vis Wasiu Alabi Pasuma’s (Paso here after) music business model that turned him from a rookie musician to a super music personality .

My first encounter with Pasuma was through Bòdá Mòrúfù, I was barely a decade in existence. Bòdá Mòrúfù was the ‘bros’ in local parlance that trafficked all pasuma’s live records and smash it on your listening ear by force.

As I rile in pain at the loudness, rawness, and unrefined nature of Paso’s music, bòdá mòrúfù shake his body in complete ecstasy to the contortions of the African grooves in Paso’s music and jumping at the creativity of the òròbòkíbò lingo.

One of the reasons I was not at home with Paso’s music back then was that Fuji music was not digitized hence two tracks can last over 2 hours ,this can be very boring. Time has changed and Fuji music forms an integral part of the music genre I study .

Of the four elements of the Ansoff’s business strategy, the product development strategy was greatly deployed in Paso’s transformation. The product development strategy involves creating a new product to sell in an existing market.

There was already a market for the Fuji genre of music mainstreamed into public domain by Fuji crooners such as Ayinde barrister,General Ayinla Kollington  and Wasiu Ayinde Marshal ( K1 D Ultimate) who all, happened to be Paso’s predecessors however Paso’s style of Fuji seem new hence Paso differentiated his form of Fuji through deploying many chants (Ajasas) , thicker grooves and more tempo.

Research and development is a very important part of this product development strategy hence Paso later infused western music instruments such as the guitars , pianos into his music hence making it more appealing.

Paso had a torrid time convincing Nigerians with his style of music, the elite class most especially who felt his music was too razz, Paso in his wisdom also deployed a different business strategy by creating a niche market targeting Nigeria’s not too educated class.

The Nigerian elite class never knew the battle was lost before it began, because these non too educated class constitute the larger part of our teeming population.

When Paso became a superstar and every one has bought into his music, he also deployed a market penetration strategy which involves selling existing products in existing market, this product-market strategy is important to wade off competitors and also maintain market share at the matured stage of a product , that is why every where Paso’s live videos is played, you have a crowd.

There is an important lesson to be learned especially by the Nigerian young class who believe intellectualism is foreign ,who also believe that civilization is how Un-Nigerian and uncultured you are. It’s important to note that Paso did not study business,yet deployed varying business strategies at various stages in his music career to transform his music. This has further confirmed my belief that intellectualism is cultural because the ethos of Ogbón, ìmò and òye was already written and engraved in my culture before western education came.

I laugh hysterically when Nigerian ‘Tush’ class tell you Paso is local and razz because it is Fuji but dance to CDQ’s ‘moti mu wèrè yó’ because it’s pop.

Kehinde Oluwatosin B. is a prolific writer and public speaker

Email: Kehindeobabatunde@gmail.com

Twitter : @_tqatq