LIFE AS FEMI OTEDOLA'S DAUGHTER- FLORENCE IFEOLUWA OTDEDOLA (DJ CUPPY)

Indeed, most children of wealthy pedigree dream of being left a fortune, but Florence Ifeoluwa Otedola, the beautiful daughter of Femi Otedola, the famous oil billionaire and chairman of Forte Oil, dreams of making a fortune. Florence, popularly known as DJ Cuppy, is enviably inured to the rudiments of successful enterprise and persistently seeks to push new enterprise past all the barriers to success. A London-based DJ, Cuppy, as Ifeoluwa is also known, has been the DJ of choice at many high profile events and concerts in the last seven months.
Beyond being an heiress to a multi-billion dollars empire, Ifeoluwa, 21, is also a female in a male-dominated sector. A graduate of Law from the Kings College, London, Ifeoluwa was recently appointed Tourism Ambassador for Nigeria by the Minister for Culture and Tourism, Chief Edem Duke. She has just been admitted to pursue her Master's degree in a highbrow university in New York City, United States of America.
In this exclusive interview with The ELITES' CHIEF REPORTER, Ifeoluwa talks about her growing-up years, her father, her passion for her pursuit and her love for the Nigerian youths. 

Can you give us a peep into your growing up years? 
I had a very eventful childhood. I had the most amazing time of my life. I was a bit stubborn most of the time. My parents have always been wonderful and they are loving as well. So, they kept me on

my toes and challenged me to excel in whatever I do. They made me do a lot of creative things. They encouraged me to develop interest in Arts and Music. I think that explains the kind of person I

am now. As a child, I was very rebellious and this must have the reason why I decided to be a DJ. So, I had a very colourful childhood. 

Your mother is known to have been very influential in your upbringing and grooming. What impact did she have on you? 
My mother has been influential in my upbringing and she has really made a great impact on my life. She has a very endearing personality and I find her very admirable in the sense that she always manages to juggle her roles as a wife, mother and business entrepreneur so perfectly. Honestly, I love and respect her for that. I can talk to my mother about anything. She relates with me as a friend and she encourages me to do well for myself, do well for other people and be the best in whatever I do. 

What about your father? What is it about him that most Nigerians do not know?
My father is someone I have always looked up to all my life. I have always known him to be very hard working and passionate about his business. He is very kind-hearted and humane. I am constantly hoping that I will end up being half like like him, even if I am not anywhere close to who he is. My father is always challenging himself. I think this is very important because this will make one not to get too comfortable wherever one finds oneself. 
My father is a very loving person and he is very creative. He is very passionate about his business and he loves what he does. Being involved in the oil industry can be very demanding and it places some restrictions on one's social inclinations. But my father is very sociable and he loves interacting with people. And he always has inspiring words for anyone he comes across. 

You had a Marie Antoinette's French  Victorian themed party to celebrate your birthday and graduation. What informed that decision? 

I am so inspired by Marie Antoinette. She represented the 18th Century French Movement. She was the queen of France, she was young, fearless, full of responsibilities towards her people and she was rebellious. I think I can identify with her personality and what she stood for. I think that is what I am as well.

You have become the toast of many high profile parties in recent times, how well do you get paid for your service?
Certainly. It is a job and I have to get paid for my services because everything runs at a cost. I am running a business. It is very important for me to remind myself that it is a business and I am determined to grow it into an enviable height. Although, it is a creative craft, it is a job that comes with a lot of costs. So, I expect to get paid for it. 

One can observe that you have been featuring at most 50th birthday parties in recent times. You featured at the 50th birthday parties of Segun Agbaje, Adeola Bali and Sola Coker, which were all held in London. How are you able to coordinate the choice of music for the gathering?
I make sure I play what my clients want to enjoy. For the 50th birthday parties, I do research and dig to archives to come up with music from the 70's and the 80's. I make sure I do my research well and I am always well-prepared. As far as I am concerned, an empty dance floor will mean I am not doing my job well. 

What informs your passion for young people, especially, the Nigerian youths?
I am very passionate about young people, especially young Nigerians because I see myself as a part of them. I am a product of the Nigerian society. I feel blessed to have the kind of moral supports I have enjoyed from my parents and the people around me. This has encouraged me to see that other young people need moral supports. To whom much is given, much is expected. So, it is only fair that I can be willing to be an advocate for young people. 

Talking about advocacy and passion for young people. Is there any plan on your part to re-orientate or mentor young people? 
I would love to mentor young people. But I think that is something that can only come about after I figure it out myself. Beside being DJ Cuppy and having what I am luckily doing and conducting, I will love to mentor other young people, give them moral support and pieces of advice where necessary. I will strive to conduct myself in such a way that other young people will look up to me and and emulate me. That being said, I am still 21 and I am still on a journey myself. I am looking forward to the future and looking forward to what I want to achieve. 

You have a very charming personae. How are you able to ward off overtures from guys?
I am very focused on my work. When I am doing my DJ job, it is like there is no one else in the room. It is about being principled in a way that people will want to relate with you because of the intellectual substance in you, not for the physical outlook or pedigree. I have always loved to meet people. But right now, my priority is my work. 

You have always led a sheltered and regimented life, but now you have decided opened up and become outgoing. This has sort of given many people an insight into your background. How have you been able to juggle your personal life with your work? 
It was not so easy to juggle my personal life with my work. But I have been able to adjust very well. I am very much aware that everything I do has an impact on those around me. I am very careful to make sure that when I am conducting things or making comments about issues, I think about other people. There is a thin line between what you do and who you care about. So, it is very important that I align with these two factors. I believe what adds to what I am talking about is that my father is very passionate about what I do as well. Also, things can overlap, but at the end of the day, my work speaks for itself. 

So, what do you do for leisure when you are not doing DJ work or studying? 
Well, is there much time left after that?  But I love being with friends. I enjoy hanging out with friends. Of course, I love spending time with my family as well.