Pa Christopher Abiodun Ajilo is one of the veterans whose, music ruled the airwaves in the 50s to 80s. In this interview with SEYI SOKOYA, the saxophonist and Eko O gba Gbere crooner, speaks about life and his next mission.
You will be 88-years-old tomorrow, December 26. How do you feel and what are those things you plan to achieve in life?
I thank God for everything and the gift of life. There is no surprise my children can give me. Now, my happiness is to sleep and wake up safely. I have two biological children. The first child, Yemisi is in Texas, while the second, Korede is in Lagos. I am not the type that keeps women around. That’s why I don’t have too many children, though others may be happy with keeping women around themselves. I have given my children the proper training they needed. At the age of nine, I lost my father, but that did not mean I should neglect my children. My mum trained me well; she always warned me–Omo ma koja aye e (meaning don’t go beyond your boundary). So, that has always been my policy in life. Money, fame don’t mean much to me.
You said you don’t like keeping women, but it is on record that you had more than one wife?
I didn’t marry two wives at a time. I just thank God for everything that has happened to me in life. My first child, Gbenro from a Ghanaian lady, died at 14. I lost him as a result of an incident when he went for a sport practice at the National Stadium; he fell on a high jump and that was the beginning of the end of my joy for my first male child. He stayed at LUTH for 14 months before he died. Since then, I have taken solace in God. I took my time before I met my daughter’s mother. When it comes to the female gender, I am always a careful man. I never liked to see a lady being maltreated; I always sympathise with them. That was how I was able to have my second wife.
So, what happened to your Ghanaian wife?
We married in the Ghanaian way. I was already a musician then, though the lady I ought to have married was English. We had been in courtship for many years. When I was returning to Nigeria, as a musician, I knew in those days what happened to husbands who just got back to the town, the problem of settling down. All the news I was getting was not encouraging. We both planned to settle soon (after achieving my mission to come back home), which was to train some musicians and start a band of my own. I had been training young Nigerians in England, I celebrated my birthday in 1952 in her family house in the UK, before I left in December by MB Apapa Main boat to Lagos. We communicated with each other often. But I had a problem as a young Nigerian coming in. In fact, people thought I was coming to replace the late Bobby Benson, but I am not such a person.
How was your relationship with Bobby Benson before he died?
We were close. In fact, he wanted me to play with his band, but I could not, because I had a mission to set up a music organisation. Most importantly, I didn’t want any conflict. He even discussed it with my mother to convince me to join his band. I eventually formed my own band, despite the pressure. I told my mother that what I could do was to form a group together with him. This was how we came about Bensajil.
But you were seen as rivals then?
As I said earlier, we were close. The problem of who was the best band at that time was the issue. He just wanted me to join his band. On August 1, 1955, because of his problem, I refused to be a resident artiste in any of the hotels or night clubs in Lagos. I was just touring the country until I had an accident in Akure. I had no injury, but immediately my detractors heard about it, they started spreading a rumour that I was dead. So, this was what my fiancée, Joyce heard. She heard the rumour at a popular bar in Roebuck, Tottenham, London, where Nigerians and other West-Africas relaxed and socialised. It seemed someone told her at the bar, because there was no telephone then. And since then, I have not herd her any more. Much later, I came out of the issue and got back on my feet and we started working together at a Hotel in Balogun Square for weeks. Eddy Okonta was the trumpeter then in Benson’s band. We just chose one or two of his members to form the group. We discussed as brothers and they knew me that I am a principled man.
What do you think stands you out among your peers then?
My atitude was not to make money, but to make a good name. More importantly, I wanted to make good music. I was doing well in the industry and the union, but never wanted to be the head of the organisation; until when the Federal Government decided to have a industrial unions-from the Nigerian Union of Musician: Performing Musician Association of Nigeria (PMAN).
As one of the pioneers of PMAN. How will you describe the association?
The body is still vibrant, but it has faced several challenges with its leadership. Bobby Benson was the president, but he left when he had a conflict with other musicians for breading the rules and regulation. The issue became tensed, when he was picking band members of other musicians. This was what led to his exit from the union. Victor Olaiya was the social secretary, when the union decided we are having Independence celebration and the union decided to write to the government to go against the initial plan to invite foreign artistes. The union informed the government to use indigenous musicians. They accepted and insisted that the national band should consist of at least musicians who can read music. Victor Olaiya not was interested, because he was also popular with his highlife music but, couldn’t read music. So, he was against it. He stood for individual bands having the opportunity to relate with the independence celebration committee to have the contract. Honestly, it was a welcome development that we started the association. It was like a joke when we started. The president of the association (Eddy Okonta) was good and I was delighted to be his deputy.
You popular song, Eko O gba Gbere has become philosophical, How did you come about the song?
Mama mi ti so fun mi tele tele…wipe eko gba gbere, eko o gba gbere rara ooo. I got the inspiration of the song from my mum’s consistent advice to always be a good child and remember the home I came from. At a point, I felt that I should not be a beneficiary of the candid advice. This was why I had to make it general as a way to preach morals and also express how beautiful the metropolitan city is. I love Lagos and I enjoyed my early life there. It is not about getting rewards or being compensated with this work, because as a matter of fact, I am not the only artistes that have sung about Lagos.
You claim to have started your music career abroad. How was the experience?
I started music professionally abroad, because I was taught music in my secondary school days. I became a professional musician and an instrumentalist after several trainings and workshops abroad. Though my sojourn abroad was not a rosy one; the amazing description of overseas spurred my decision to travel abroad. It was a successful journey after going from one African country to the other. My dream came true, when I got abroad. I catered for myself and worked hard to become a music instructor. Though, I have taught a lot of people in the industry, my goal now is to impact more lives as a music educator.
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