At home with Abuja’s Six-Foot-Plus

Why do you define yourself as mayor of Abuja? It is starting from a song I did. I said, why not; I have paid my dies in hard currency in this city. I say so because the dues have been heavy. You know what it is to spear head something and be part of something […]

Why do you define yourself as mayor of Abuja?

It is starting from a song I did. I said, why not; I have paid my dies in hard currency in this city.

I say so because the dues have been heavy. You know what it is to spear head something and be part of something that has now blossomed into a very vibrant and far bigger than you. When we started there was really nothing happening here. Festivals would come and pass with no form of entertainment or excitement from the music industry here.

Back then lots of people used to travel and you could count on one hand how many events were available to attend. But now the reverse is the case as there are so many activities almost on a daily basis. Abuja has really evolved and has a lot more to offer now to residents. I was a major part of this evolution. This notwithstanding, there is still a lot to do as regards appreciation of the arts and entertainment.

On whose part?

On the part of the audience mostly; because patronage for event is heavier when the event is coming from out of town than when it is locally organised.

What do you think is responsible for this?

I think it is a hydra-headed problem. As the saying goes, the prophet is not respected in his home.

But this is not the situation in Lagos…

I agree because even in Ajegunle the crowd sold them. Such artistes may not be popular nationally, but their immediate environment gives them room and support to breath and grow. Even the market in Alaba has provisions for such artistes as there are marketers who focus primarily on promoting such people.

Would you say the class of people here is responsible?

Probably that, along with the mentality of the people. It is not like there is no appreciation from the people but it pales in comparison by far to what Lagos artistes get from Lagos.

This has driven a good number of artistes who started off from here and other parts of the country to move on to Lagos. If Lagos accepts it, everybody automatically does. So, I see the majority as slaves to that mentality. If it is hot it must have come from Lagos.

What was the story behind, Anwuli?

(Laughing) It was a blend of fact and fiction. I just built a story around something that happened which did exactly happen the way it is in the song. There was some money chopping at some point. I did it and many people who heard it could relate with it because they had similar experiences. Many Anwulis had a bone or two to pick with me. I met some Anwulis who were angry, pleased. It was a mixed grill of sorts of with even children calling me Anwuli.

Some identify me by my songs like when I did ‘E don do me’ I hear people call me that all over the place. Even mothers try to replicate to me what they saw on my video and make comments. It was been a wonderful experience because it all shows tat they accept me.

You were quiet in a while before ‘e don do me’ came on board?

I had started work in 2007 which I finished the same year and in early 2009, I started the video before I was involved in an accident on March 4. That was a setback; I had a cut on my head that had to be stitched. On 30th of the same month I lost my sister. So I had to take time off to get back to myself.

Before ‘E don do me’, what were doing?

I was working on the music basically.

Why have you chosen to remain in Abuja in spite of the challenges you have talked about?

Actually, I had planned to do the Lagos route too; I was in Lagos from December 2007 to October 2008. I came back because there were some prospective so-called sponsors that I had to meet up with. But as it turned out, they were so-called.

I had dealt with such people while in Lagos and —like the usual saying, your music is always nice and they ask you to call so they see what they can do about it. But you know how it goes, they never manage to do anything asides being in endless meeting and suddenly being unable to take calls.

I am doing my own thing now and enjoy it. Being in Abuja for me now, is a rite of passage. Right now I am going through my restructuring phase. Everything still oils down to the finances since I have been away for a while, it is more like starting all over.

I would say I am an unusual artiste because I mind my business, don’t go out late and don’t go anywhere unless I have to. I also invest my time harnessing my hobby which is making greeting cards.

Why no Nollywood?

Initially, I didn’t want to because the educated actor is sort of a puritan which explains why many who studied drama or theatre don’t go into acting in Nollywood. I think I have reached the point where I felt I was ready for it now (You know how it is when you set milestones for yourself seeing yourself doing something at a particular point in time), even though there is a decline in the industry. Practitioners are complaining of low patronage.

For now it is still music, but I am also working on my greeting cards production line.

Lately, there have been rumours of your having disagreements with Etislat. Is it true?

Yes, it is. They had an event last year in Kaduna, the 9Jam’n Music Concert. I kept getting calls from people saying I was a part of the show. I had o clue and was hearing first through such calls. So, I was thinking they would get in touch at some point but nobody did.

Then they had another one in Abuja some weeks later and my name was also mentioned as one of the artists to perform and still no one had gotten in touch with me.

Since I didn’t know who to contact on the issue, on the day of the event my manager accosted the organisers. He would have been thrown out but for the fact that he went with a couple of policemen. When he asked them why they did that, there was a total lack of regard on their part after saying that they had tried to get in touch with and I responded saying I wasn’t going to be in town. That was so untrue because nobody contacted me. All efforts at a peaceful and quiet resolution failed; that is why we are in court right now. It is also the reason I am going public on the issue so the Nigerian people will know how some of these companies treat artistes.

It is not my battle alone anymore, because artistes are generally being disregarded and treated shabbily. Nobody is trying to be a trouble maker, but our rights will not be trampled upon.