Just Like Yesterday
By Osamudiamen Ogbonmwan
As we ( a few journalists and friends) waited in the cool atmosphere of the White House, an Ikeja Lagos-based events centre for the one and only King of Juju music, Sunday Adegeye, popular as Sunny Ade or KSA, my mind went back to exactly one year ago, when at the same venue we had gathered for a similar purpose as we did that Tuesday evening: to celebrate the KSA's birthday his 60th.
It was some minutes past 6pm and still the celebrant wasn't around but none of us was worried because the King kept calling one of the organisers to keep him abreast of his progress to the venue. Reason? The ever- present Lagos traffic gridlock.
It was about 40 minutes later before KSA stepped into the hall dressed in a brown outfit with a matching black cowboy hat and a sleek black shoes. A few of his associates followed suit.
“I can’t believe that it is a year now since we all came together to celebrate my 59th birthday. It's just like yesterday. Now, we are here again to celebrate my 60th. Indeed, God is good,” said KSA by way of flagging off the event.
“You can say that again,” I whispered to myself.
Indeed, it is really amazing how time flies. Was it not just the other day that I danced with the King here? Wasn’t it also just the other day that I also told him about our first meeting some 20 years ago?
Throwing me off my reverie, one of the organisers came onto the stage to officially welcome the King, referring to the event as he did so as an "August occasion in the month of September."
That said, KSA, who was in a very cheerful mood, seized the opportunity to go down memory lane regarding how he stumbled into music.
“Now that I get to think of it,” he started “ it seem to me that it all started only yesterday when I was growing up. At the tender age of five, I remember always dancing to all kinds of music. This was mostly due to the fact that Mum was a member of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church where we sing mostly. At the age of 10, I could sing any type of song. I loved music generally..."
As he spoke, all eyes rested on him, never wanting to miss any part of KSA's unique history, which could only come once in a very long while.
"...My Dad died when I was very young. My Mum on the other hand didn’t give me much room to get spoilt (Thank God for that). Because I loved music so much, I had to join a musical group called Sunday Ariyo group in Osun State when I was just 15 years old. Later, I left and joined the Idowu Owoeyo group. You might be shocked to know that my mother never knew I was involved in all this. I did it behind her and I was very smallish then. It even affected my being allowed to play with the band in public. I was only good to both bands at rehearsals. They thought I was only whiling away time.”
KSA became emotional when he disclosed that although he was very good at his studies, but somehow his desire for music took the best of him in 1963 when he was to go to college. KSA: “... I had to run down to Lagos to fulfil my desire, when it was time for me to go to college. I needed to be a musician. No one in my family knew about it. It was my first time in Lagos and I became a stranger in a strange land.”
Though a stranger in Lagos, KSA revealed that he was armed with an address gotten from one of his former bosses, to Moses Olaiya’s popularly known as Baubahala home on the Island.
For three years he learnt the arts and rudiments of playing and making music from the master until August 1966 when he finally decided to go solo. But there was a problem: how to tell the boss that he wanted to leave him. To get around this, KSA sought support from his boss, best friend and like magic the boss gave his blessing and to boot, his boss’ friend gave him some old instruments which he used in setting up his own band.
At the old western coliseum on the Island – before it was demolished – the young Sunny Ade excelled in his choosen genre of music Juju. His first official outing was in December of that same year 1966.
After months of successful outings, Sunny Ade decided to return to his family, since he was aware that they were still searching for him. He told his family what he was into and according to him, another round of blessings ensued.
“...That was how it all started and ofcourse, the press have been very supportive. They were the ones who made me the King of world beat. Anywhere I go today, I am well known.
"Even the foreign press have done a lot about me. I thank you all,” an emotionally charged KSA said.
He did not forget to remind all present that though he was born in Nigeria, he remains a citizen of the world.
Also, he disclosed that his first album sold only 13 copies, but now his works, he says with relish, are always off the shelves soon after release.
KSA spoke a little about his acting, saying, “I am available to any producer if he/she wants me to appear in his movie, provided I get to see the script on time with my lawyers and if the money is good. I love appearing in movies."
That night KSA danced with all his might to his evergreen songs and did not forget to invite the audience to his special 60th birthday bash which was scheduled for September 22.
The celebration, he said, wasn’t for his birthday alone, but also to mark his 45 years on stage and also to celebrate the 40th anniversary of his band.
“Any regrets so far?,” I asked the King.
His reply: “Yes, my dear, the greatest regret I have till date is that my father did not live long enough to witness what I have become and also, it would have been regretful if my Mum had stopped me at a tender age from doing what I knew I know how to do best. See, it’s just like yesterday when it all began.”
“But do you ever see yourself retiring from music?” Someone else chlipped in.
“If Fatai Rolling Dollar at 79 is still singing and growing stronger, I don’t think I am going to do anything less,” he replied, with boots of laughter from the guests as an approval of his stance