AS the chairman of FUMAN, what would you say is wrong with the Fuji house?
There’s nothing wrong with the Fuji sector. If everyone chooses to promote their works by giving themselves titles then it’s for the purpose of business and not because there are grudges. There used to be crisis but not anymore because we all are looking for the way forward, trying to move ahead each day. Creating a faction now would be to promote yourself and not for the aim of brewing trouble.
There are rumours that the attack on Pasuma was based on internal rivalry. What are you doing to secure the fuji house as it is?
I don’t think Wasiu Ayinde can send people to attack Pasuma. It could have been a publicity stunt on his part. Pasuma calling himself ‘Oga Nla’ is not to fight Wasiu Ayinde but to promote himself further because his former title limited him; he was even promoting Wasiu without knowing it. They don’t sing or do things the same way and they don’t even have the same fans, so revering him in his music was just free advertisement and I advised him against it.
Advising Pasuma to stand alone seemed like stirring a feud of some sorts. Don’t you think so?
I did not cause any crisis, advising Pasuma was just to help his career. I told him that praising someone else in his songs won’t allow him go beyond where he is because he will keep seeing the person as above him. I wanted him to let people know that he can be on his own and then he decided to call himself ‘Oga Nla’ and there is nothing wrong with that.
Has the feud between Kwam1 and yourself been settled and will you collaborate with him?
I love Kwam1 and I have no grudge against him. If I am being paid to collaborate with him then I must do it.
What is FUMAN doing to encourage upcoming and budding Fuji talents?
I haven’t thought of a simpler way than duets because that’s the best way for people to show their talents. The way we have so many talents on the HipHop scene that is the way it is in Fuji, but if nobody is willing to carry them along then how will they shine? It’s not like before when not many people wanted to sing or act, there is a lot of influx into the industry because of the opportunities that abound.
What is your relationship with other Fuji artistes?
I love every other Fuji artiste. I am their national chairman.
How has becoming the chairman of FUMAN affected you and your music?
It has not affected my music in any way. When you say you’re a professional or a good musician then you should be able to handle any situation, which is how I see it. The occasion I attend determines the type of music I sing and I believe I can handle any occasion whatsoever which is what makes me a professional. Back then when going to Mecca was the trend, people will come back and say they are not singing a certain type of music. You cannot compare my religion with my occupation because it is from the music that I get money to go to Mecca and pray and without the hand of God in my work I won’t be where I am today. In 2006, when I went for Hajj I realized that even the Arabs appreciate me, I was the only artiste that had his picture there.
Are collaborations between old and young artistes meant to create relevance for the older ones or to help the younger ones?
I have done that and I’m still doing it. I did a song with 9ice sometime ago and most recently on this album, I did a song with Lord of Ajasa. When you say relevance, it is not something I am looking for because I am established already. Collaborating with younger artistes is not to put me in the limelight, I love them and I only do it to assist them. Another thing is the HipHop trend which I want to get involved with in a bid to give my fans the best.
You once attributed the problems of the industry to the unprogressive nature of the younger generation, why is that?
For the past 5-6years there haven’t been any new Fuji stars. Artistes are born everyday but none is willing to do Fuji and we don’t know what is wrong, we don’t want it that way but that is what is happening. Maybe it’s because we haven’t been doing much duets, attaching unknown artistes to established ones, which was stopped by Music Association of Nigeria (M.A.N) because it was becoming too much and since then the ban has not been lifted. Video collaborations are allowed but not in audio.
Is the association sticking to it guns?
We have been working on appealing for the ban to be lifted. They are the ones that will sell whatever we do and as an association they are very strong and formidable, they can lock you out of the industry like they did to Muri Thunder for many years. There is nothing bad in what they are doing, because in everything we do, without good management all will be lost. Going against them and doing so many collaborations may even make me lose my own value but we should be allowed to do it few times in a year for us to bring out new talents.
Your type of music attracts a lot of female attention, how do you handle it?
God has given me the wisdom to manage them. It is only wisdom from above that a man can use to handle women.
Fuji musicians are known for having many wives but you have just one, why is that?
Well, God does things the way he chooses. I never purposed to have just one wife but that is how it turned out. I’ve never had a cause to think of marrying another wife. Sometimes when you do things and God is with you, people will think that it is just your wisdom but that is a wrong idea.
If you by chance impregnate a woman, would you accept the child?
If God says yes then who am I to say no? I cannot reject any pregnancy that I know is mine. Like I said before, wisdom is important in everything, God gave it to us and it is important that we use it.
How many children have you been blessed with?
As a Yoruba adage goes; A kin ka omo fun olomo (you can’t help a father count his children). All my children are abroad and they are five in number.
Are you still in touch with Cossy Orjiakor?
She is still a friend. I haven’t seen her in a long time but I know she’s fine.
Are you thinking of doing anything with her soon, like you did then in Apple Juice?
That is if she wants it. I remember back then when she came to Mr. Bayowa and told him that she wants to become a star and he told her about a job he was doing for me and he also told her that she has all that people will use to identify her.
What type of person would you describe her to be?
All that Cossy does is for the stage but in private she is a different person. She is the type of person that doesn’t talk too much but when she is on stage she can do anything because that is what she was paid for. She is a professional.
What inspired the Appreciation album for Mike Adenuga?
An English proverb says, ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’; you have to read the book before you can say anything about it. I have been hearing good things about him and seeing his good works. He has endorsed a lot of musicians including Pasuma who is like a brother to me; changing the life of many artistes in a short period. I thought of doing this because with all he has done I haven’t seen anyone, talking for Fuji artistes, sing an appreciation song for him, though King Sunny Ade did one, but that was long ago. If Mike Adenuga has done for my colleagues then it means he has done for me.
On the album cover, there is a picture of you shaking him, how did you meet him?
I went for an award ceremony where we both were being awarded but in different categories and being a difficult person to see I was seeing him for the first time. When you have the opportunity of meeting him you’ll be surprised by his humility, people sing his praises and not him. Mike Adenuga made me understand the importance of humility.
What was his reaction on seeing you?
He was also seeing me for the first time and from the way he looked at me I knew that he also appreciates me. All he said was ‘Obesere, Oju e ree?’ (Obesere, is this your face?).
With cost of production in mind, what do you hope to gain from making this album?
It cost me a lot of money to record the album but I don’t need to mention it; the album is both analog and digital. I did not make this album with any ulterior motives in mind. I just did it to compliment an exemplary person.
