•Music Star, DEMOLA OLOTA Tells City People
The moment he sat down for the Round Table Session with the Showbiz Desk of City People, we all knew we were in for a long and interesting interaction with this effervescent musician called Demola Olota. He has a magnetic personality, that attracts people to him. Born with a passion to sing and do music, Demola Olota has been glued to music since his early years and that passion has grown in him till date, thereby standing him out from the rest of his colleagues.
Just before we get to the interesting interview with Demola Olota, let’s let you in on the following interesting facts about the music veteran.
Demola Olota is a protégé of Music Scholar, Professor Laz Ekwueme of the University of Lagos, and graduated top of his class where he studied Music.
For the past 20 years, he has led De Clique Vocals/Band and performed for a diverse range of clientele within and outside Nigeria in government, banking, oil and gas, manufacturing, academic and diplomatic sectors especially the UK high commission as well as the United States, Norwegian, French, and German embassies.
He is a veteran in the music industry, he is well known by top players and has more than 20 years of experience producing and delivering good music as well as performing in weddings and prestigious events. In this session with City People which held at the Media house headquarters in Gbagada, Demola Olota opened up about his journey into music, the interesting story of how he started playing the saxophone, why his music is so unique and many more. Enjoy the excerpt below.
What makes Demola Olota very unique?
Firstly it’s the grace of God. Another thing is me being me. But most importantly, it’s the passion. I am very passionate of what I do. I am very passionate about my music that if I have money, I would first buy musical equipments before anything. The Reverend father whose church I started playing the organ, the founder of St. Finbars College, Do you know what he calls me? I was always at the church door everyday just so I could play the organ, one day he looked at me and yelled, “Get away from my church you this mad music man”.
My father also taught me Integrity. It’s never about the money for me, it’s about integrity. One man that confirmed that for me was Nwoku. I respect that man a lot, even with his Queens English; I am always attracted to people who can speak eloquently. He was invited to the yearly Chike Okoli Heart Foundation Dinner at chevron Muson Centre. During his speech, the man said, “Ladies and Gentlemen, every year, I am always invited by Mr Okoli to this dinner. Last night, I got a call from the presidency that I should come to Abuja. I told them I’m sorry, I have a function, so I won’t be coming to Abuja.
The person who called said, “Haa, it’s the president o”. And I told them; “and so what, I don’t have a federal government contract, so I can decide what I want and where I want to go.”. That speech from the man moved me. From where I was seated, I doffed my hat for him. So you see, you have to have integrity.
As an Organist, how much was your fee?
My salary as an organist when I started in 1990 was 3500. Now it’s over 20 thousand.
What’s your view on young Nigerians trying to become artists?
You can be genuine and legitimate and still live a good life without any blemish, without stealing. That’s why it pains me when you see a lot of people who are desperate for money. If they don’t have 10 Billion, 30 billion in their account, they start doing shady things. That is what is killing a lot of youth now. A lot of them don’t want to go to school to study anymore. They want to join the “30 Billion for the account ooo” gang.
I was playing in a function recently. It was a big party. I played for Akin Taiwo’s Mother-In-Law birthday. The likes of Olu Okeowo and others were there. The moment i was playing into the crowd, he whispered that i should perform “30 billion for the account”. *laughs*.
I tell my boys to play it for them. It’s the rave and they want to dance. But see, that is one of the things that are making us lose value in this country. How can a small child want 30 Billion in his account? One young kid would just come out from nowhere and say he wants to make an album; he wants to be like 2Face. They don’t even know the history, how 2Face started many years ago.
How did your journey into music start?
The journey in my musical life; I think basically, whether you like it or not, you would always find your own path and do your own thing. While I was young, I used to connect “Tweeter” to my walls, run wires to a car cassette player and then power it up using car battery. That was how i used to play music while young. I would lie on the bed and start reading while listening to music.
Then my late dad of blessed memory would come into the room and beat me. He would be like; “is that how to read?”, then he would tear down the whole wire and tweeter. Another experience was this particular day; I was going to my father’s house in Ketu, so I boarded “Molue” and I was humming and singing loudly in the Molue. People in the molue started laughing and guess what? It was when I got to my bus stop that I noticed that someone had paid for my bus fare. My music has gone through thick and thin but i thank God for today. I am very passionate about my music. Music has been in me since I was young. Everything I do, music is always involved.
You’ve got a taste for quality looking at the way you branded your Sax, is there any other branded instrument or item?
I bought a microphone that is expensive. That Microphone cost me over half a million. It’s a cordless mic. Someone asked me why I went to buy such an expensive mic, I just laughed. In my Ministry, I am very passionate about my music. When it comes to quality, I don’t compromise standard.
How did you begin playing the Saxophone?
You know the song “My Way” by Frank Sinatra? I sang it Biodun Sobanjo’s house, Mr Awosika, Uncle Jimmy told me to repeat the song. That was how he gave me that Saxophone. It was that Saxophone that Uncle Jimmy gave me, that made me start playing the Sax.
What is Demola Olota presently up to?
Demola Olota is rebranding. I am trying to clean up and rebrand everything about my music career. There are a lot of musicians today who are living on past glory. I don’t want to be seen like that. Part of my rebranding is that i am going to start a music academy.
How do you think we can curb some of the abnormalities in the music industry?
Firstly, there needs to be a lot of musical education. I think this thing has to do with some society values that have been lost. We have lost our culture. In homes today, everyone wants to speak English. Children can’t even speak their traditional language properly. You’ll see a Yoruba boy who wants to rap like Tupac. What happened to our own Afro music? Go to some music schools, the Music teacher can’t even play one instrument. So we need musical education and cultural input to get back on track.
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