Darey: I could have had kids out of wedlock if I hadn’t gotten married

Dare Art Alade, singer and showbiz entrepreneur better known as Darey, says he could have had kids out of wedlock if he had not married Deola Ayeni, his partner.

Darey walked down the aisle with Deola in 2007. They have been together for 15 years and had two children.

The singer spoke of his marriage and 20-year career in a chat with Chude Jideonwo, the media entrepreneur.

Darey said tying the knot with Deola and having kids was a personal decision he took independently.

“Love is a decision. A lot of people think it is a feeling. You decide to love someone, and you decide to spend your life with someone. It does not happen by accident,” the singer said.

“Even bringing into the world is no mistake. You knew what you were doing before you brought this ‘unwanted’ child into the world. For me, that decision to get married was purely personal.

“It didn’t hinge on anybody’s feelings or anybody’s reality, except for the person in my life. If I had not gotten married, I could have had children out of wedlock. I could have moved out of the country.

“I could have succumbed to the pressure of people who kept telling me, ‘Oh, your talent is not here’. It is not here, but where do I go? Anything could have happened but I have absolutely no regrets.

“Working together with your spouse is not for everyone, but if you have someone you can quickly get along with, finish each other’s sentences, stand each other, then thank you stars. The work environment is different.

“To get things done, you have to understand what role you both play. We cannot both be bosses at the same time. In the scenario that we have both created that works, we figure it out.”

Darey, aged 39, described building his family as one of the achievements he’s most proud of.

“One of my proudest achievements would be my family, and then my businesses,” he stated.

“Putting my head down along with my family and colleagues to do the work, put our money where our mouth is, and make a difference. The third would just be my music. I am blessed to have an interesting career.

“I think I am at a point now where I am looking at building something that can last for eternity, whether it is from a business perspective or my music, but generally breaking new frontiers.

“The next frontier is in tech, but we will be unveiling what kind of tech it is as time goes on.”