Everybody calls him Kaka. But his real name is Chief Jamiu Abiodun Ayinde Kakawa. He is from the popular Kakawa family in Lagos Island. On Tuesday 11th April, 2023 he turned 65 and celebrated it with a Ramadan lecture, attended by a lot of Muslim clerics, family and friends like.
Ramon Salawe, Kikelomo Adeyemi, Abiodun Bakare, Lenboye, Sunny Ali, Alesh Onilegbale, Taiwo Hassan aka Ogogo, Abbey Lanre, Seye Kehinde, Publisher of City People Magazine among other.
The Chief Imam of Ojikutu Mosque Ebute-Meta, Al-Imam Hassan Olowo was the Chief Imam of the day. He advised the celebrant to be more religious and that he should not miss his daily prayers, 5 times everyday and how practising Islam favourable. He talked about how God (Allah) always shows mercy to those that love him.
He talked about how the celebrant has been generous to the people around him and even those that are far away from him.
He said being generous has made him to be popular and standout in every aspect of his life. But what the Imam harped on is that Chief Jamiu Abiodun Ayinde Kakawa, who is popularly known as Kaka should be steadfast in his relationship with God. It is by God’s grace that he is still alive. So, he should make sure his five times daily prayers should remain constant and unchanged.
After the event, the Publisher of City People Magazine, SEYE KEHINDE, the Head of City People TV, SUNDAY ADIGUN, Photographer, JIMI SANNI ABDULRASHEED and Online Reporter ABIODUN OLUSOLA had an interview with this great man. Below are excerpts of the interview.
Let me first congratulate you on your 65th birthday, how do you feel?
I feel fulfilled, and overwhelmed, and I thank God for keeping me alive till today, 65 multiplied by 365 days is not a joke. I really appreciate God almighty for the long journey, being alive and healthy. I give God the glory. Many have died though they were given birth to on the same day with me and some are still alive and healthy, and I thank God that he made me to witness my 65 years of age, it has been God and I thank thee.
What is the secret behind your looking younger like the Imam said previously?
Thank you very much, I don’t have any secret but the Lord. But one thing I always keep in my mind is that, when coming to this earth I did not bring anything and whatever I struggled for on earth will not be taken with me when I am going back to my creator. So, why can’t I give myself peace of mind with the little that I have, I don’t like running from one place to another because I want something. Anything given to me is okay by me, my tenants can testify to that, because I don’t and never disturbs them for their house payment when its due. We relate with each other like family and I thank God for that. That’s the only thing I could say is my secret, because I don’t always keep things in mind, I will settle things immediately it happens and whatever happens from morning till night will be forgotten once I sleep and wake up the next day. Because it has become a thing of the past, so, I keep looking forward to the next thing. If I could not solve any problem, I will rather forget it than to keep it in mind. That is the secret of me being alive and enjoying God’s grace.
I have well trained children that give me peace of mind, and most of the boys around me that have travelled abroad not because I am their father but because of the good relationship I keep with them and most of them are my tenants and they have been good tenants and children to me.
Among my friends, I was the first person to live in a three bedroom flat. Not that I am boasting but I am showing my gratitude to God almighty. Wasiu Ayinde stayed here, Musiliu Obanikoro, Fatai Animashaun, we have stayed together here. Likewise, some of the theatre veterans like Yinka Quadri, Taiwo Hassan have been here as well. I didn’t ask them to pay anything and I am not a practitioner but I am just an Honourary member of TAMPAN (Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria). There was a time I was their Location Manager due to the influence I have with people. If they need to use some location or house I will meet with the owner on their behalf and they grant them the use of the house, but they will give acknowledgement to the owner of the property they used. I thank God for today and everything has been good with God.
Your name “Kaka” is well known to everybody, how did you build that name?
Thank you very much, mostly especially I thank God. I built the name with God’s grace. I can tell you this authoritatively that I am the first Public Relation Manager of Wasiu Ayinde the K1. Now during that time, myself, Mogaji, Alhaji Ojomu were running the affairs of the band, but thank God for today that Wasiu Ayinde is still waxing strong. Its from there I got my popularity because I am the man of here and there. Till this moment we still have that cordial relationship with each other. Sometime, when my mother cooked before we get home, if Wasiu gets home before me, he will eat the food likewise, his own mother.
How did you get the name “Kaka”, is it a family name?
It is an abbreviation of my name “Kakawa”. My full name is Jamiu Abiodun Kakawa. May be the Kakawa is long that’s the reason they are calling me “Kaka”. Moreover, don’t forget Kaka is the surname of another family. They are from Epe, Ijebu Igbo. For example, the former Deputy of Ogun State, Gbenga Kaka is from Ijebu Igbo, Kaka Morufu is a designer, he designed clothes for late Moshud Abiola, Kaka Morufu is from Epe. Mine is Kakawa Jamiu Abiodun.
Are you related to the Kaka of Kakawa?
By the special grace of almighty God, I am the next Kakawa of Lagos, because we are one of the members of Lagos State council of Obas and Chiefs. I am the Kakawa of Lagos for the family. We are only waiting for Oba Akinolu to give us the appointed date to crown me.
That Kakawa street in Lagos, are you related to it?
Yes, that is where our ancestral home was based. So, we are one of the chieftaincy holders in Lagos State.
Kaka was also known as one of the pioneer member of popular caucus called Odun Ifa, what is your role and what part did you play?
Thank you very much, although, I and Yinka Qadri have known each other right from Lagos as Omo Baba Oni Towel. We have a group that we do go out together, attend clubs and parties together. But thank God, Quadri started theatre and I relocated to this house in 1982. The house beside us here it was Ara Osan that was living there, it was Ara Osan Lalude, Ogogo among others. There was a day my wife told them to stay with us when it rained then, and they said hope your husband will not mind. She said no, so when I got back home after work, I met them and greeted all of them and went inside. Later, my wife entered my room and said I should join them in the sitting room and I said to her you know I went to work since morning I need to rest. Moreover, my wife went to get beer for them on my behalf, later I joined them. From there, anytime I came back from work, I will join them to discuss and play together.
Then, Abija and others did a television show Opa Aje and I could see that Yinka Quadri is a Lagos citizen by birth, so, we decided to do our own. I met with some people and they supported us, but we inventually did not realise the movie.
So from there I was made the Location Manager. All of us were together and that is how we established Odun Ifa group. By God’s grace Yinka Quadri is still the President, the Vice President is Taiwo Hassan, while Abbey Lanre is the Secretary, I am just an elder in the group. Till date we are still standing strong.
Why don’t you want to be a full time theatre veteran?
Thank you, I don’t really have that time to be an actor because I am a man of many parts, that is the reason you see all these people here because I have touched their lives in one way or the other. Everything is not about money, my wife has gotten used to seeing people here every morning waiting for me to help them with one thing or another. Most especially those National, immediately I call MC Oluomo and talk to him the problem they came for will solved. I thank God for that, it is not my power. Some will need a guarantor or a personality for a job employment, if they see me there it will be done easily. Thank God, all of them appreciate my good deeds. If you are to look at what happened here today with all the expenses, I did not spend a dime on it, everything was taken care of by these people.
First of all, we hold a traditional title but I don’t dispute the fact I practice all religons. If it is Muslim or Christians that was to make use of the space in the front of my house I will give them the chance. I will seek for forgiveness from God in Islam, because in this religion is an association. The only believe I have is that “Good behaviour” is my stand. Be good to everybody so that they can say good about you. Most people don’t know this, I used to have early morning prayer with my wife and children. It is not necessary I go to the mosque to pray, but the prayer I am supposes to do I do it with my family.
What do you have to say to your well wishers out there?
Thank God for those that support me, early death will not visit their household, and God will always be with you. The only thing I will say is that, everything you do on earth has its own reward. If you do bad, you will reap it, and if you as well do good, you will surely reap it.
God is not biased, it is your hand you will use to ask for what you want, either you do good or bad, you will surely see it yourself. My prayer to everyone is that God should grant us long life and nothing bad should happen to us and our children, our entire family. Thanks to those that came to celebrate me.
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