Ariztos is one of the top Nigerian entertainment organizations which specializes in the organization of events such as fashion shows, dances, picnics, parties and concerts. During the past year they have solidified their position at the top with events such as the Independence day bash, various colorful fashion shows and concerts featuring the crown prince of Afrobeat, Femi Kuti amongst others.

Ade “DeyDey” Akingbade is one of the founders of Ariztos and was interviewed by naijaYouth member rhea9914.

Rhea9914: Where in Nigeria did you grow up?

Ariztos: Primarily Lagos. I spent most of my "growing" years in Ikeja

Rhea9914: Which school in naija did you attend?

Ariztos: Ikeja High School.

Rhea9914: How many siblings do you have?

Ariztos: Three. Two brothers and a sister.

Rhea9914: Are your parents and siblings here or in Nigeria?

Ariztos: One of my brothers is here in the U.S with me; he is also the Editor of Ariztos Magazine. I have an older sister and a younger brother back home. My mum visits and stays in the U.S. a lot.

Rhea9914: What was your reason for coming to the U.S.?

Ariztos: The MTV music videos.

Rhea9914: What was the first thing that surprised you when you came to the US?

Ariztos: My first stop was the Bronx, NY so seeing projects in the hood made my jaws drop. Hold up, this aint what the music videos look like!

Rhea9914: Who are the founders of Ariztos - are they related...friends, classmates, cousins etc?:

Ariztos: All of the above. We were all friends long before Ariztos, superstars in our own little niche, we have brothers, cousins and sisters on the team. The company is pretty large now. We have members from Ghana, Gabon, Senegal, America and Nigeria. We've been referred to as the Wu-Tang Clan once. .

Rhea9914: How and why did you decide on the name, Ariztos?

Ariztos: From the name Aristocrats, we coined Ariztos. I also believe when I use to hang out at UNILAG the girls always called me their Ariztos. I'm sure it had to do with my exotic dancing. (laughs)

Rhea9914: What is the goal of Ariztos?

Ariztos: To bring African Entertainment to mainstream America and using this channel to address some of the most critical issues in our continent. African Entertainment in this sense includes but not limited to our music, fashion, movies, poetry, and cultural dance. Some of the critical issues facing Africa are HIV/AIDS, poverty, corruption, social injustices to name a few.

Rhea9914: When was the idea conceived and what did you do to make it a reality?

Ariztos: We used to do a lot of traveling as a group long before Ariztos and on our way back from one of these trips at the airport, we just thought how about doing something in our city. Making it a reality wasn't too hard because we are always of the mindset that there is nothing to it but to do it.
What was the first event you organized and was it a success?

Rhea9914: What was the first event you organized and was it a success?

Ariztos: Our very first Ariztos event was in March 2003. It was a free party at a very upscale dance studio in the heart of Bethesda, Maryland. We had our banner, paid top dollars for the hottest Naija DJ in town, sent out several evites, made tons of personal phone calls. The hall could take up to 800 people. We had free drinks and food and were set to party till 4AM. That day reality looked us in the eye. About 150 people showed up. These were our closest friends, family, curious minds and other entertainment companies in the area. We were a bit shocked but funny enough, the DJ was so impressed with our hustle that he gave us some industry pointers, the next party which was at the same location a month later was jammed packed and the talk of the town.

Rhea9914: Who is your target audience?

Ariztos: Anyone who is interested in Africa

Rhea9914: How do you give back to the Nigerian community?

Ariztos: We volunteer our time and expertise on several initiatives to promote unity among our community. Individually, we are involved in mentorship programs. We’ve work with support various African Student Organizations across the United States and have supported other Nigerian theme organizations such as Nigerian Youth Association based out of Baltimore, Maryland. We are always eager to do more.

Rhea9914: Do you have any community service directed to the less fortunate back home?

Ariztos: There are several. One was featured in ARIZTOS Magazine called PHENIG (Public Health and Education in Nigeria Incorporated). Another one is AWCAA (African Women's Cancer Awareness Association). There are several charities that we support that are established for these exact purposes and we lend our support anyway we can.

Rhea9914: When was the last time you visited Naija?

Ariztos: A couple of years ago.

Rhea9914: What stood out the most to you during the trip?

Ariztos: It was a 10-day trip and our country has made tremendous strides.

Rhea9914: What steps do we have to take as citizens of Nigeria to move the country forward?

Ariztos: Hmmm…this is a loaded question. I'll take it from the perspective of things that I have control over. One of the most important steps is to learn to support one another. To have a strong sense of community and everything else will follow. Great examples can be drawn from the parades staged all over the world in various cities during this last Nigerian Independence Day. For those who were on planet Pluto and didn't hear anything about it they can check out our photo gallery to see some pictures of the New York City Nigerian Independence Day Parade. It was awesome seeing the sense of pride in our people. It’s definitely a step in the right direction.

Rhea9914: Do you have any advice for young Nigerians looking to follow in the steps of the Ariztos?

Ariztos: Be original. Follow-Follow at most makes you second best.

Rhea9914: Finally, which do you prefer, beans, moi-moi, or akara?

Ariztos: Akara….I haven't had that in a while. Oya who's cooking!!!

I want to thank Rhea9914 for conducting this interview and DeyDey for his precious time. Click here to visit the Ariztos website http://www.ariztos.com and see pictures from past events.

Click here to discuss the interview on our forum.