You have carved a niche for yourself in the genre of Juju music. What has been your staying power secret?
For me, music is a ‘calling’. I am gifted to perform music. I realised my ability is in the area of Juju music. It is in Juju music you will find instantaneous and spontaneous compositions. Juju musicians compose many of their music on the spot. We react to fans and situations around us through our band and delivery when we perform. These and other things mark out any true Juju musician. My staying in power is the gift God has given me. It excels. The ability to persevere is given to me by the Spirit of the living God. He has graciously given me people who rally round me at times of distress. Lovers of my music have kept me going.
You came into limelight as a one-band stand musician, but you have suddenly switched to a full band. Why?
You are right, but remember I started Eternal Beats band as a full band with full complement in 1993. I veered into ‘one-man band’ later on for certain reasons. Firstly, the cost of maintaining the full band was high for me at that time. Secondly, the control of the band members on stage and out of stage was a challenge since many of them were my friends and acquaintances. Also, the economy in the early 90s made people opt for smaller bands. Another reason was that I could program the keyboard well and could also do the one-man band well, so it became an economic and strategic matter for me to go into ‘one-man band’ at that time. However, I returned to full time when I realised I couldn’t attain my dreams through one-man band. I wanted my own brand. The Lord gave me the ability to compose my own songs. The type of music which I wanted to perform could not be expressed fully by the ‘keyboard’ shows. I needed to bring in musicians to perform what I had in mind. I switched back to full band so that I could attain professional heights.
What is your general assessment of the brand of music?
Juju has become our music, I mean in the South-West, especially for the Yorubas. Juju music represents us. We own it, so to speak. It forms part of our culture. It is widely accepted and definitely, the evolution of Juju music forms part of the socio-cultural history of our race. Other people have also acknowledged the genre worldwide. At the moment, Juju music is still contending in the market place very well, although, we do not have all the space to ourselves as it was in the past due to the fact that other genre of music sprang up in our social life and dance floors all over. Juju music is still leading the pack because of the quality of instrumentation, musicianship, content of lyrics, theme, stability and maturity of rhythm, etc. So, it is doing well.
How will you rate Juju music among other brands? Is it true that Juju musicians are underrated?
Juju musicians are not underrated. They are admired and loved everywhere. They are respected. Juju music cannot be ignored. In fact, what we find now is that other brands of music are being absorbed into Juju. Study the way instruments are deployed in other genres of music, you will discover they have brought Juju into their brand. This is to make their music appeal to the public. In effect they are playing Juju.
Some people are of the opinion that since the reign of Ebenezer Obey, Sunny Side and Shina Peters, the genre of music has gone into oblivion. Is this true?
Juju music hasn’t gone into oblivion. I believe what happened was that the great Juju musicians you mentioned raised the bar so high that successive rising stars couldn’t match their level. Consider the works of Chief Ebenezer Obey, King Sunny Ade and Sir Shina Peters, especially on the dexterity and charisma. These are musicians that developed and stabilised Juju music. They didn’t start the genre. They worked hard to bring it to an enviable height and in the process, set an enviable standard which now became a problem for the array of musicians. One of the reasons is that many musicians who came up during their time or immediately after them only to copy them. The more you perform their music, the more they became popular and you become an appendage. What that meant was is that no other brand entered the Juju space. Chief Commander and KSA have hundreds of albums to their credit. How do you beat that? These are evergreen songs and superb recordings with excellent promotional infrastructure. I ask you again, how do you beat that? That is the true situation. Juju music had its challenge because of the strength which other genres of music brought into the dance floor and the inability of modern Juju artistes to improve on the records of our torchbearers.
Going by its name Juju, is it true an artiste cannot breakthrough without spiritual backing?
This is absolutely untrue. The Yoruba language does not have the word ‘Juju’ as in charms. The Yoruba word for charms is simply ‘oogun’. Non-Yorubas, especially easterners know charms as ‘juju’. So, when you hear ‘juju’ music, it is not witchcraft, charms or such things. Juju music is a type of music and does not have anything to do with ‘juju’ (charms). They just happen to be the same word in pronunciation. Shining in any endeavour requires some level of spirituality anyway. Humans are spiritual and may deploy spirituality to help in many ways. This is not peculiar to music. However, there are other factors responsible for what you call ‘shining’. How about the quality of the art, connection, personality, education, finance, managerial ability, market forces, etc.
How did music start for you?
I started playing the organ in school and church at the age of 13. I learnt from home. We had the organ in our home in Ifaki. I also learnt from the choir. I moved to Ibadan in 1984. Thereafter, I and my friends formed Tatoo Divine Beats, in 1987. I can say that was the beginning of my music career at the professional level. I left Tatoo by the end of 1992 and started Eternal Beats in 1993.
What has been happening to your career lately?
My career witnessed a great deal of progress. The leap has been steady. The band is now ready for the world. It is known that I am one of the leading lights in Juju music. I am loved by the people and for this, I am grateful to God.
You are contesting for the chairmanship post of the Oyo State chapter of the Performing Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria (PMAN). What is the motivation?
For many years, the association has not done well for musicians or itself. The opportunity came when the association decided on elections which had not happened for years. Musicians of different genres came together and asked me to contest. They know the ability which God had given me. They know I will give PMAN a purposeful leadership so that the goal and objectives of the association can be achieved. We will mobilise musicians throughout the state into a formidable union to ensure unity and progress. Musicians will be assisted to standardise their operations so that each can get a living. We will get the government to support musicians as small scale businesses. This is why I am contesting. Musicians will be able to lift their heads high again.
You are also planning to release another album, what kind of package people expect?
Yes, I am planning to release a five-track album which is entitled: Elevation. The new release will clearly define my leadership status in the music industry. The songs are deep and philosophical just like all my 15 previous releases. The event will hold on December 2, at Mauve 21 Event Centre, Ring Road, Ibadan, Oyo State. However, the new album is highly danceable with quick but steady tempo. Each track is loaded with melodious songs pushed by fantastic rhythms built on solid percussion and instrumentation. The album will reinforce the leadership of Juju music in the entertainment industry. It will positively affect the orientation and general direction of music and return the theme of composition to the path of decency and sanity. Every home will find the album refreshingly different. You can dance to and enjoy good music.
You claimed that you still have a lot to deliver despite your history in the game. What are you trying to prove?
I am really not proving anything. My achievement with other colleagues in the Association of Juju Musicians of Nigeria (AJUM) in Ibadan zone speaks for me. I have never sought any office in PMAN before. This is not about mine or anyone’s ego. It is about rescuing PMAN and repositioning her for greatness. It is about service to musicians and not ruling musicians. No one can rule musicians. You can only lead them.
Aside your latest work, how many albums do you have to your credit?
I have about 15 albums to my credit.
What has been your greatest challenge?
Marketing and distribution is the greatest challenge I have. My fans have difficulty laying their hands on my music. We hope to get over that in a short while. With the acceptance which I enjoy from the public now, distribution and marketing companies will soon rally round to solve the problem and it will be of mutual benefit.
How do you intend to project your brand to the next level?
I intend to intensify work on my music so that my brand can be excellent. I will need the media to help in propagating this new Juju revival. I want my music to impact positively on the society. I will continue to deploy high grade equipment so that the public and my fans may be given the best of production.
If not music what would you have become?
I would have remained a banker. I trained as a banker. I love banking and finance although I love music more. In fact, I will encourage any of my children if they wish to venture into music However, they won’t play music until after their education.
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