We’re proud of our community of talented customers, and since we mentioned talent, one of our stars shines particularly bright. Olugbade (Olu) is not only a keen driver, but also a talented musician. In fact, if you’d ask him, he’d put it the other way around.
Olu’s first love is the trumpet, and he chose rideshare driving as a means to earn money without having to put his music career aside.
Olu started his music career singing in a choir and playing trumpet in a brigade band in Nigeria. He moved to Australia because he wanted more for himself and his family but he also had the fear of letting his music go. As he noted, “a lot of great musicians who leave Africa have to let go of their music to earn money.”
Though he had studied accounting, Olu realised he couldn’t be locked into a day job. He needed one that had the flexibility to allow him to go on tours around Australia and play in his favorite bands.
Thinking back, Olu states that to become an Uber driver was something that had never crossed his mind until he heard about Splend from a friend who played in his band. He looked into it and he liked the idea of driving part-time – he was also particularly excited to learn that he could work towards owning his car without a big down payment. Alongside that, he appreciates Splend’s “professionalism, support, and flexibility.” Especially if he encounters any problem or challenge, he knows Spend is there to help.
Olu has now been an Uber driver for almost three years. He continues to grow his band – he called it Alárìíyá, meaning “party people,” and has started to write his own songs. His genre? Funky afro-jazz, incorporating lyrics in English, as well as his native language.
If you’re ever lucky to meet Olu, you’ll know his car is kept clean and in tip-top shape – he jokes that people always comment on how new his car looks and how he keeps it so clean all the time.
Where I come from, the look of the car tells who you are.
His advice for fellow drivers is to “be yourself, develop good habits, and a solid work ethic.”
Hard not to agree with his words, and looking at how far he’s come, he surely practices what he preaches. We wish him the best of luck on the road, and we hope his positivity and drive will continue to inspire us for a long time to come.
Check out Olu’s story on Vimeo:
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About Splend
We enable people to make money by driving for on-demand apps such as Uber.
We’re more than a car subscription provider. In addition to new-model cars and all the essentials to start earning money with Uber as quickly as possible, our customers enjoy driver training and dedicated support, as well as customer benefits such as partner discounts and exclusive events.
For more information about Splend, make an appointment and drop by to your local Splend Hub, email us, or say hello on 1800 775 363.
