MEET FUJI MUSIC STAR, SHEFIU ALAO'S YOUNGER BROTHER WHO IS A MUSIC MARKETER

If you are a fan of Abeokuta, Ogun State born and based Fuji music star, Alhaji Shefiu Alao Adekunle (Baba Oko), how much do you know about him? Did you know that the talented artiste otherwise known as Agbara Orin's first ever manager at the fledgling beginning of his career was his elder brother, Alhaji (Chief) Samsondeen Adekunle better known as Olori Ebi? Of course, Olori Ebi is today more like a godfather to the entire Shefiu Alao's Fuji Cardozo Band. And did you know that for years on end, Baba Oko's "Stage Cashier" (Asiwo) has been his younger brother, Alhaji Saheed Adekunle?

Anyway, those are not the news items in this piece. Rather, this is the news. Do you know that 'Ba Rafia as Shefiu Alao is also called youngest brother, Ibraheem Idowu Adekunle, is a fast-rising music marketer? Yes, the young man otherwise called I.D is the CEO of Noble A3 Entertainment and he is frantically making in-roads into the core areas of music marketing in Nigeria.

For one, I.D who has a vibrant music store at Ago'ba area of Abeokuta is the brain behind the resurgent sales of Shefiu Alao's live play videos circulating in the market of recent. And he has also marketed a few albums released by his big brother in recent times most of which were dedicated to some personalities in Ogun State and he has, according to report, began to widen his scope beyond the Gateway State.

So when next you see Shefiu Alao put a lot of energy and artistic finesse into his performance on stage, let it be known to you that music is not just an art to him, it is a serious business in which he is carrying his brothers along.

Why I Crossed From Secular To Islamic Hip Hop—Fast Rising Act, Lawizzy

Believe it or not, there is arguably no genre of music that is not being exploited and adapted by Islamic artistes today. Just check it out: from Fuji style to Apala to High Life to Juju and to ever flourishing Hip Hop, you can call them out and they would answer you, “I’m present (sir)!” Meanwhile, they are still not resting on their oars by expanding the frontiers as they keep up their efforts to take Islamic music to the zenith of entertainment in Nigeria and beyond.

Hence, one of the young and very enterprising guys representing Islamic music in the Hip Hop circle is talented Gbadegesin Lawal Oladipupo a.k.a. Lawizzy. It would interest you to know that Lawizzy started out as a secular Hip Hop artiste before switching to Islamic Hip Hop. What was the motivation for that? You must be wondering.
“Well, I decided to take up the challenge when I tweeted at a radio station here in Nigeria, not to mention the name, that they should play me an Islamic song one Friday like that and I was told they don’t have the standard they can play,” he said to Saheed Ojubanire Online in an interview recently.

And what step did he take immediately? “When I asked my uncle who works with the Tv station and he said they don’t play Yoruba Muslim songs, so I took up the challenge, and when I did my first single, it was a hit (don’t add back to back please, remember he said his first single. Lol). I now rethink that, as Muslim, whatever talent Almighty Allah has bestowed you with, it’s better to use it in His cause.”

Well, that’s how he switched to Islamic Hip Hop, but how did music per se, start for him as a secular artiste? “It all started in 1999 but I quit for a while for school. But when I won MTN Music Award as a secular Hip Hop artiste during my NYSC in Niger State, that brought me back fully. Meanwhile, I was still doing music underground during the time I said I quit for school. The MTN event where I won the award back then was tagged “NYSC got Talent” and I was given a two year record deal in Kano. But due to the insurgency then, I couldn’t go.

“Meanwhile, I did a birthday song for Niger State governor then, Muazu Aliyu and apart from the song getting massive air play, I was interviewed on most of the radio stations in the state,” he recounted.

Lawizzy who also has a fashion line he recently changed its name from Lawizzy Apparel to Loop Lagos, has since switching to Islamic Hip Hop released four singles, “Noble Prophet”, “Allah Is The One”, “Thank You Allah” and “Azkhar”. And his next single, the fifth, due for release this January and promises to be a hit is titled: “Praise Be To Allah” featuring IshauYau.

You can reach Lawizzy on twitter and Instagram @Officiallawizzy.

EXCLUSIVE: FUJI MUSIC STAR, SHEFIU ALAO OPENS UP ON WHY HE NOW CALLS SELF “AGBARA ORIN”

Some weeks back, the news was broken to you on this blog that Abeokuta, Ogun State based Fuji music star, Alhaji Shefiu Alao Adekunle a.k.a. Baba Oko has adopted a new nick-name of “Agbara Orin”. And like it was further revealed to you on this blog, the nick-name which the talented artiste has already titled one of his forth-coming 2-in-1 album with, is bound to generate some controversies as Fuji music industry already has some stars not only laying claims to being “Agbara” or “Ase” (Orin) but same has already heightened the bad blood between the two Fuji music brands, one of whom resides in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, and the other in Omole, Lagos State.

Meanwhile, Saheed Ojubanire Online paid a visit to Baba Oko’s beautiful abode off Quarry Road, Abeokuta, Ogun State, few days back to find out why he apparently want to join the fray by adopting same nick-name of “Agbara Orin” and he took his time to shed more light on the matter. Hear him: “What do they call Orin (music)? The voice is what is called Orin. And when we talk about Agbara Orin (the Power of Music), you are only emphasizing the importance of good voice to music. Meaning that good voice is the Power of Music (Agbara Orin) and this is something everyone knows I am abundantly blessed with, that is good voice. For instance, the Fuji music creator, late Sikiru Ayinde Barrister once said in his music that whoever tries to imitate him would never be able to imitate all the varying musical tones of his voice (jomi jomi ko lohun mi l’enu).”

And singing a part of the late Barrister’s song where he extolled the beauty of the different tone of his voice to emphasize his point, Shefiu Alao went thus: “… toba wunmi, wun o lo mono, toba wunmi, wun o lo treble, toba wunmi, wun ofi base gbe e, emi lo ‘Lohun fun Ayinde o” (… if I like, I can sing in mono, if I like I can sing in treble, and if I like I can choose base, I’m fully endowed with all the pitches of voice).” And expatiating on that musical dexterity, Shefiu Alao contended that it is only someone who can switch fluidly in-between the 3 varying pitches in his music that truly has the Power of Music (Agbara Orin). “Meanwhile, since the demise of Barrister, I am arguably the only Fuji artiste that can boast of possessing the 3 pitches in my voice. Yes, other Fuji artistes out there are talented in their different ways, but they are all ‘one way’ when it comes to the pitches of the voice,” he argued.

“For the sake of emphasis, the only Fuji artiste also blessed with the varying pitches was Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister and since his demise, I make bold to say I am the only one who can boast of that and I say that with all conviction. For instance, I can decide to sound exactly like late Orlando Owoh or Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde Marshal or any other artiste for that matter. But how many Fuji artistes can do that, just ask them. So I have good music as well as all the varying pitches of human voice. That is an edge none of them can catch up with. And that is what is truly called the Power of Music (Agbara Orin).”

And wait for this, to cap everything up, hear what Shefiu Alao asserted: “if truly there is anyone deserving to be crowned the King of Music, there is none deserving it like a singer who has the varying pitches of the voice. And who has that in Fuji music today? It is only Shefiu Alao. And let me also shock you with this, there is an old musical console called ‘Linear’ or ‘Ahuja Echoe’, and I say it with all conviction that if put on that machine to sing, you can hardly find any Fuji artiste who can cope except Shefiu Alao and the reason for that is simple. The engineers would find it extremely difficult to set the tone of their (other Fuji artistes) voice on it. But if I sing on it and you listen to the live recording, you’ll marvel at it. So aside from being a talented, deep and philosophical artiste, Shefiu Alao is an artiste for all seasons,” he contended.

And frankly and fairly, Shefiu Alao, Agbara Orin, seems to have a very valid point. Or what do you think?

*YORUBA ACTOR TRAILS JOURNALIST FOR 3 YEARS OVER “NEGATIVE STORY”

+HOW MR. LATIN, SHEFIU ALAO & OTHERS PREVENTED FISTICUFF BETWEEN THEM

Camera ready. Tape rolling. Action! … Cut, cut, cut. Definitely, it is not what you are thinking as this is surely not a fictional story from a movie scene. But rather, it is a true life story which had its origin from a movie scene. Confusing? It ought to be but it would soon be clear. Like they do in the movies, the two main dramatis personae in the story you are about to read are an Abeokuta, Ogun State based Yoruba actor who has a typecasting of a Police Officer and a young broadcaster cum journalist based in the same city and has dialectical version of the city’s nomenclature as part of his popular name. And there is another act that played a minor role of what they call “waka pass” in the final episode of the story but played a pivotal role of relaying the whole story to Saheed Ojubanire Online as our impeccable source.

Now, this is the story. Sometime in 2013, according to our source, the journalist was at his friend’s place relaxing before going home after a stressful day. Meanwhile, some ND students of Mass Communication from Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), Abeokuta, were watching a Yoruba movie (title withheld) produced and directed by the actor in question. The journalist was deep asleep when one of the students woke him up suddenly and challenged the journalist who was in the habit of writing blunders in Nigerian movies on the social media, that he would never report a glaring blunder like they have just seen. But if it was from the production of those English speaking Nigerian producers, he would post it. And what was the blunder in the said movie? Here it is. Some Police Officers went to arrest someone in a scene and they displayed a “MAPOLY” course form as a Police search warrant!

Meanwhile, to worsen the matter, it was reported that the camera was said to have been zoomed on the course form, nay, search warrant that it was easy for the viewers to see what it truly was. That was a bad shot. And come to think of it, the content of a search warrant never needed to be seen by the audience in the first instance, it should have simply be handed to the culprit to open and see by himself. Worse still, no member of the crew saw the avoidable blunder till the movie hit the screens of the viewers. And those were some of the factors said to have been considered by the journalist before going ahead to blast the entire crew of the movie, mentioning their names, for a shoddy job. So, that became his sin with the Yoruba actor cum director of the movie. Hence, the journalist, according to the feelers we got, started receiving threat messages and calls that the actor said whenever he saw the journalist he would beat, molest and embarrass him.

But for 3 years, the actor never had the opportunity of running into the journalist he had designed a “mental search warrant” for. However, few days back, the journalist was said to have followed a senior colleague to a movie location in an area called Elega in the Abeokuta suburbs and lo and behold, they ran into the actor who had been praying to meet his prey, the journalist. Seeing the journalist for the first time, according to our “waka pass” source, the actor started boiling and spitting venom like a cobra whose tail had just been trampled upon. It then took the timely intervention of star comic actor, Otunba Bolaji Amusan better known as Mr. Latin, Fuji music star, Alhaji Shefiu Alao Adekunle a.k.a. Agbara Orin, Odunlade Adekola and Muyiwa Ademola who calmed the frayed nerves of the actor who was spoiling to exchange blows with the journalist.

The actor was said to have argued that the journalist should have looked for his number and call him to beg him when he was told he (the actor) was on his (journalist) trail. But what for? He was then quoted to have called the journalist names such as being useless, arrogant, and unprofessional element that should be taught a lesson of his life. And what if the likes of Mr. Latin who had seen the worst and best of the media bashing in their successful careers were not at the scene to mediate, would he have created a scene?

Anyway, that would have made a bigger story for this blog. Thanks to our “waka pass” character at the scene.

FUJI MUSIC LEGEND, K1 SHUNS FORMER MANAGER'S DAD BURIAL PARTY

+ ALLEGED REASON WHY HE STAYED AWAY DESPITE BAND'S MEN PRESENCE

The venue was Marina Car Park on the Island. And one thing was easy for everyone to see. And that is, what was about to take place at the place promised to be graced by highly placed personalities, the types who wear expensive lace. The marquees were of high class and the tables and chairs underneath were invitingly decorated. The event vendors were dutifully poised at their strategic positions around the perimeter of the venue. And security operatives were at alert. So, the stage was fully set for the event to begin.

What was the event about to take place all about? You must be wondering. Now, let's break it down. If you are a long term fan of Fuji music legend, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal better called K1, you should know his former manager called S.Kekenke. Yes, the one whose picture was printed alongside K1's on the leaflet of K1's ground-breaking album, Talazo '84 released accordingly in 1984. If your calculation is right, that is 32 years down the line. Meanwhile, S.Kekenke was the one having his dad final burial party at the event. It was Sunday, 17th January, 2016.

Expectedly, K1's reserved table was identiable at a frontal part of the floor. So, many were excited that K1 was going to attend the event and that, to them, signaled more fun than just the grandeur of the venue and the salivation preceding the serving of the food of which aroma had taken over the atmosphere already. And don't get it twisted, K1 was not being expected to perform as an artiste but expected as a brother and friend to his former manager.

However, the need for K1's performance after he must have shown up at the event could not be fully ruled out. Ask why? The artiste billed for the party was K1's sing-alike but also very talented in his own right, Alhaji Ramoni Akanni a.k.a. Raymon King (RK1) and considering what happened when S.Kekenke had his mum’s burial party few years back, RK1 and K1 may end up doing a short joint on the stage after what they call, a popular demand, must have been registered by guests. At S.Kekenke mum's burial party back then, their collaboration on stage was what was later titled: "Like Father, Like Son" by a marketer who put the live performance in video CDs for Fuji music lovers to buy. Reports have it that the CD recorded huge sales and contributed immensely to Ramoni Akanni's relevance in Lagos social circle as different from the hitherto Ogbomosho, Oyo State, already dominated domain by him.

Hence, it was not a surprise to find video camera men from Dam Jay films having their equipment to record, already set up at appropriate points within the venue. Meanwhile, a good number of K1's big fans also made their ways to the event. Apparently, apart from most of them also being fans of RK1, and being favourably disposed to S.Kekenke, they must have thought they were also honouring K1 expected to be their REAL host of sort, at the event.

But that never came to be as the likes of Otunba Lekan Osifeso, Olawale Andors, Lanre Akanni Lamex, Mayor Akinpelu, Pastor Fasawe, Toyin Kolade, the Fadaka Group from Cotonou, and a host of others silently kept expectation for K1 alive till the expectation died a natural death and refused to be resurrected by a last minute arrival of the Arabambi 1. Surprisingly enough, none of the core members of K1's band like his P.A., KC, Lead Drummer, Ayinla Oluperi, Stage Manager, Gani Clinton and many others could tell categorically whether K1 was coming or not. They were not just sure, but they also kept hope alive when they still could.

While K1's absence did not really take anything away from the well organized party as RK1 was more than enough to hold the ground with his own compositions of classical Fuji, but many thought it was a great let down from the part of K1 towards S.Kekenke. Though, S.Kekenke may no longer be K1's manager and they might have had issues at some points, they still remain brothers. And K1 should have seen a moral obligation to show his support by showing up, especially with the evidence provided by the presence of key members of his band that they were not having a show somewhere else.

Meanwhile, when Saheed Ojubanire Online snooped around for underlying reason(s) for K1's absence, one major dig was a flimsy allegation by people who should know. And that is that, when S.Kekenke had his mum's burial some years back and K1 was there, he (K1) never envisaged he was going to be required to do a short collaboration on stage with RK1, more so that the video was going to be put on sale for people to watch in their homes. That, they said, did not go down well with K1. As a matter of fact, a source within the fold squealed that K1 personally called for stoppage of further production of the CD when demand for it was getting higher than expected in the market. And K1, if the allegation is true, may just be preventing a repeat of the "Like Father, Like Son" scenario. But the BIG question is, did he need to?

Over to you, K1.

FOREMOST ISLAMIC ARTISTE, WASIU AS-SIDEEQ TRAVASES EUROPE AND AMERICA ON MUSIC TOUR

Do you know how far Islamic music from Nigeria has travelled? Just in case you don't know, there is almost nowhere around the world other genres of music from this clime have been that Islamic music is not touching. From Europe to America and even the Asian countries, many of Islamic music stars from Nigeria have spread the gospel of their music to their fans in the diaspora.

As you read this, the indisputable modernizer and one of the main precursors of Islamic music in Nigeria, El-Hadji Wasiu Kayode As-Sideeq also fondly referred to as Baba n Waka is again, internationalizing Islamic music like he did when he went on a music tour across the United States of America some years back.

This time around, the roundly talented singer who left the shores of Nigeria on the 28th of December, 2015, began his music tour in Europe. According to what he revealed to Saheed Ojubanire Online some hours ago, he is currently in Barcelona, Spain, and would soon be going to Eindhoven, Holland, for another show. And from there, he would move to Las Vegas in the United States, to be part of a birthday party of a man he calls his mentor.

Meanwhile, in Spain, Baba n Waka was hosted by members of Abe Igi Aanu Club of Barcelona on 1st of January, 2016, at their annual end of the year party where he dazzled everyone with his immense talent as evident in a video clip he sent to Saheed Ojubanire Online to view.

So who says Islamic music is not making waves around the world? Let such a person have a rethink.

POPULAR FUJI ARTISTE, RAMONI AKANNI, SET FOR NEW ALBUM RELEASE

It is 2016.It not news. It is still the first week of the year. It is not news. But this should be news for the fans of popular classical Fuji artiste, Alhaji Ramoni Akanni a.k.a. Raymon King (RK1). And what is it? The talented Ogbomosho, Oyo State born entertainer is set to release a new album.

Mind you, RK1 may be one of the Fuji artistes who sound like the King of Fuji music, Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde Marshal (K1) but that he is the most exceptional of the lot is not in dispute. How? RK1 has over the years blended his own distinguishable style into the classical Fuji sub genre created by K1 to originate a discernible brand of classical Fuji that can only come from the repertoire of RK1.

In case you are in doubt of the veracity of the claim above, you only need to take one of two possible steps. One, try and be at any of the many shows that RK1 is booked to be on the bandstand across the South-Western states of the federation. Two, and this should be more convenient for those who are too busy to go in search of the live performances, just wait for the new album about to be released by the well- travelled musician and see what he has put together for your listening delight.

The new album is billed to be released any time soon and one thing is sure. If you pick a copy, you'll most likely look forward to his next album. It is as simple as that.