Mandy Brown Onibanjo: I sang Taxi Driver song at 16

What happened to your music career after the ‘Taxi Driver’ song back in the 80s? I was only 16 whe I sang Taxi Driver song. I was taken out of church when I was between 14 and 15 years old to do a Gospel Record and all of a sudden, my contract was changed to do like a secular music. I was a gospel singer back then.

I sing gospel and suddenly someone wanted me to do this big thing, ‘Taxi Driver’. So, I just took the opportunity and did the song. Did the Taxi Driver song get the popularity you wanted or the Record label owner wanted? I was only 16.



What would I want back then, except to exhibit my dance moves and sing and be happy. There was no foresight of what is to come or what it will be like. I was just doing the job and touring.

I was being mentored by people that were much older than me. As a 16-year old, I was just young going with the flow. I was just going through the motions Considering how young you were at that time, how did the popularity, fame change the trajectory of your life? It was a whirlwind.

Suddenly, from a church girl to doing secular music, my face was everywhere. The director that was to promote my music in those days, did an amazing job. He splashed my face everywhere when the music came out.

Even at that, I was well protected. After every performance, they shut me in my hotel room my bible and books. And they gave me laid out plan of next stops for performances.

Well protected by your parents or your manager? My manager and my parents because they could not have anything that would jeopardise my morals. So, they were supportive of everything that needed to be done to keep me well protected because I was quit passionate about singing. It was so much of a shock to the system.

That is why after that, I left to London because after all the fame, it seemed like I didn’t know who I was and what I was supposed to be. So, I went back to school, to learn and to grow. Did the fame bring any negative sides with it back then? The press manufactured a lot of stories with pictures of where I was, which were not true because I was never there.

I was too young and I was always locked up in a hotel. I was not allowed to go anywhere. My morality was kept in check.

I was not allowed to go partying or club. Are you coming back to music or is there something loading? There is nothing loading. I sing in church.

I sing praise and worship in the United Kingdom but I am so proud of the Nigerian music industry and places where musicians like Wizkid, Davido have brought us to. I am so excited the way African music is getting out there. If I can do this kind of music again, it will be mind blowing experience with this explosion of social media and having to sing with someone like Wizkid or Davido at the background.

It will really be amazing opportunity but if the question is if I am working on something like that, the answer is no. Can Osmosis happen? You never know. I have an amazing voice now.

Who knows what can happen tomorrow. Things have changed from back when you were 16. What advice do you have for parents, who have young children who are talented that are afraid of losing them to the world of fame? I have four children.

My eldest is 31. my youngest is 21 years old. I think that you have the responsibility to raise your child as a parent and by the time they are adults, 18, 19 years, if you trust God that you have done the right job with them, let them go.

Let them fly. Let them do what they want to do. It’s not about control.

I am not a parent, who has ever believed in control. I believe in prayers. If you pray for your child and you have raised your child well, let them fly and have no judgement.

God will be in control. He will watch over them After ‘Taxi Driver’ did you sing any other hit song? I did some work for House On The Rock, Pastor Paul Adefarasin. I don’t know if he has ever released his internal church collection.

I was more focused on setting up business, raising childen and I sort of left music and focused back on church. I released a second album with Phase Two Records but it only went into cassette. It wasn’t produced.

I am all here for opportunities and whatever God brings. Some would like to know if you are of Nigerian origin? I was raised in Lagos. I am Igbo.

My dad is from Asaba but my mother is white. My mother moved to Nigeria when she was 23. I was born in Delta but raised in Lagos.

How would you feel if you hear Taxi Driver song on radio like now? I bow my head in embarrassement. It was great at its time and music has gone so far now. I am so proud of our Nigerian artistes, who have crossed many borders with their music.

Many young Nigerian musicians are remixing some the Nigerian oldies. If an opportunity comes to remake Taxi Driver, which music star would you like to feature? Only Davido because he went to school with my daughter. I also love Rema.

I love his spirit. I was watching him on CNN the other day and he was all about family and taking care of them. Did you write the Taxi Driver songs? Taxi Driver was a song by Bobby Benson.

I wrote the answer to Taxi Driver. We did the remix of the song. I still have the spirit of writing songs but mostly gospel songs.

.