Afrobeats star FOLA turns heads as he arrives for Unilag project defence in Escalade

• Afrobeats singer FOLA arrived at his Unilag project defence in an Escalade, attracting crowds on campus.

• His appearance sparked debate over his outfit, entrance and celebrity status.

• Fans also praised him for balancing university studies with his growing music career.

Afrobeats singer FOLA, born Folarin Odunlami, became a trending topic after he arrived at the University of Lagos for his final-year project defence in an Escalade, drawing a crowd of students eager to catch a glimpse of the singer on campus.

Videos and photos from the day showed students crowding around him, taking pictures and reacting to his appearance, with many struggling to reconcile the sight of the Afro-R&B star, known for hits like 'Alone' and 'Lost,' walking into a lecture hall for an academic defence rather than a stage.

FOLA is understood to be an Economics student at the university, a detail that resurfaced online after an old chat between him and a coursemate went viral. In the screenshot, the coursemate is seen reminding him about an early morning Economics test while he was away in London, offering rare confirmation of his course of study, something that had not been publicly established before.

Reactions to his project defence entrance have been mixed, with several distinct camps forming around the moment. A number of users criticised his choice of outfit, arguing that turning up dressed casually while peers observed the formal dress expectations typically associated with project defences came across as disrespectful, both to the institution and to fellow students taking the exercise seriously.

Others focused less on the outfit and more on the entrance itself, suggesting that the display was less about convenience and more about status, with some arguing that money affords certain students an ability to bend unspoken rules or expectations that others are held to strictly.

A separate group of commenters framed the entire moment as a deliberate publicity move, accusing the singer of using an otherwise routine academic milestone as an opportunity for online visibility rather than treating it purely as schoolwork.

Not all reactions were critical. Some users defended FOLA, arguing that turning up for one's own project defence, regardless of transportation or dress choice, is still a personal milestone worth acknowledging positively, especially given the added detail that he had been juggling his studies alongside an active international music career.

Despite the range of reactions, there has been no public confirmation of how the defence itself went or what outcome he received, with most of the online conversation remaining focused on his arrival rather than the academic exercise itself.

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