Last Week sons and daughters of Ekiti State came together at the City People Events Centre in Lagos, to celebrate the album launch of one of their sons whose father was the first indigenous musician to ever record an album in the history of Ekiti State. There is no gainsaying in the fact that this state of Honour and Integrity has over the years produced different people who have made remarkable success in their chosen profession. Amongst those in attendance were some Royal fathers and mothers, top business moguls, fashion icons, Indigenous Ekiti Musicians, etc. The event was a beehive of activities and an opportunity for Ekiti indigenes to relieve memories of their musical past as Honourable Lekan Ishola Adepoju the celebrant took them on a musical odyssey. AJIKE, City People Music Columnist was there to have a heart to heart interview with HRM Lekan Ishola Adepoju about his album launch and his father’s musical legacy.
Please Let us meet you
My name is HRM Lekan Ishola Adepoju a traditional musician from Ekiti State
When did your father Ishola Adepoju begin his musical career?
He started in the 40’s and he was the first traditional musician in Ekiti state to ever release an album in the year 1957 and also the first Policeman in the history of Nigeria to ever go into active music and he complemented this track record with an album he released in 1973 titled Police Day. He worked as a SP at Dodan Barracks in Lagos State for many years before retiring.
Can the Police day album be found in any record store?
The police day record is yet to be released to the public.
Under which Record label did your father release his music and what plan is been put in place to keep your fathers music legacy?
The two major record labels that released my father’s works were EMI and Balaya records and many of the record labels have gone into complete extinction. Our lawyers have written different letters to Balaya’s children on retrieving my father’s job which has been signed over 40 years. We just won the case with Balaya record and in totality my father has produced 49 records but we have been able to lay our hands on just 25 with plans to reproduce them. Among the 25 records we have already produced 3 which can be found in the record stores in the cities.
My father also had some of his works released under Alade records which was owned by King Sunny Ade and he had two popular tracks titled “ Iku Awolowo and Arugbo S’Oge Ri”. They were released under Alade records before KSA metamorphosed into Master Disc Records.
How would you describe the way musicians in those days sign agreements.
In those days musicians were not educated so they signed agreements without reading them. They were more interested in the fame and partying than the copyright laws. Though most of those agreements signed has gotten lost.
Who among Nigeria’s famous musicians were your fathers contemporary?
The ones I remember are IK Dairo, Ayinla Omowura, Haruna Ishola, etc the likes of KSA, Ebenezer Obey, Elemure Ogunyemi were younger to him. My father also had some of his works under Alade Records that belong to KSA he released popular songs titled “ Iku Awolowo” and “Arugbo S’ oge Ri” shortly before KSA changed to Master Disc.
Please tell us more about your fathers playing days how did the people of Ekiti see his music?
In those days many people enjoyed his music because of the messages in his songs. People moved from one village to the other and walked as far as 30 miles distance to watch him play some even climbed on trees to watch his performance as musicians didn’t perform on stages those days.
From your profile you studied Criminology at Ajasin Adekunle University in Ondo State how come you didn’t go for the white collar job but rather you chose music as a profession?
Let me tell you how my music passion started. I wasn’t so close to my father while growing up and I hardly attend any of his social engagements. But there was this very day that we had Ileya event and I approached one of his band boys that I would love to sing and I was barely 18 years old. They gave me the microphone and people started dancing when they heard me sing. Immediately I saw my dad I ran away and that act became very constant. Many years later when my dad became bedridden 1999 and I started helping him with many of his engagements so this was how it all started.
You have a Chieftaincy title. Who installed you and which year was this?
I was given three chieftaincy titles ie Apase, Apesin and Adelepase. The late traditional music icon Dr Elemuren Ogunyemi gave me the title Apase and the installation took place at the palace of the then Deji of Akure. The reason I was given Apase was because of my father who should have been so installed with the position because of his musical prowess when he was alive. Apesin was given to me by the indigenous people of Akure.
How would you access your kind of music and how generally acceptable is it.
I play traditional music. One of the best and fondest memories I ever had was when I travelled to South Africa and the people welcomed us and enjoyed our traditional music without even understanding the lyrics and language. Don’t forget when Awilo came to Nigeria our people enjoyed the songs and we didn’t also understand the language. It is amazing that many people enjoy beat and rhythm a lot even without understanding the message in the song. Traditional music is enjoyed outside our shores.
What do you think the Ekiti State government can do to promote indigenous music?
It is often said that a prophet has no honor in his home. In both Ekiti and Ondo State the governments don’t promote the local and indigenous musicians at all but during elections we are usually packed inside various vehicles like goats and thoroughly used and dumped afterwards. The most heartbreaking is when they get into power they source out for other popular musicians that are not from this roots and who sing mainly hip pop music they spend heavily on them sometimes as much as N4 million while leaving those of us back home to wallow in serious pain and dejection of a profession. This is why you notice that many of today’s youths that should be rising up to play indigenous music now follow the bandwagon playing meaningless songs that doesn’t project our values and heritage. There is a programme in Ekiti State known as Ma Re during such events they go far to other states to look for musicians that are not indigenous to us. If they give me shows my band boys of total of 22 will be empowered and also encouraged.
Today City People is launching my album and Dr Seye Kehinde chairman City People who is not from Ekiti State has brought me down all the way to Lagos to promote my music and help me launch my 12th album. Our government should encourage more cultural shows and create better platforms for the indigenous musicians to thrive and display their musical prowess. I am positive by doing this there will be more interest among the youths.
Please do you play any musical instruments?
I play different types of drums ie Omele, Bata, Sakara , etc I thought most of my band boys how to play the drums.
How many wives and children does your father have?
My father had 4 wives and 21 children.
What is your dad’s relationship with Dr Elemure Ogunyemi?
Dr Elemure got inspired by listening to my dad’s music. He later met with my dad that he wanted his blessing to be able to continue from where he stopped. My dad also supported his musical career. He also dedicated a song to my dad. Together I also did a collaboration with him which is the first of its kind in Ekiti State.
How many albums have you released till date and which do you think is your best in your album?
Till date I have 11 albums and the most widely accepted is” Omo Ni igbeyin Ola” a child is the heir apparent and in the song I was trying to explain to my fans that if a woman is patient in the husbands house it is the children from such union that will help project the effort of such union. Take for instance if my mother didn’t stay with my dad I may have become a destitute and not follow my father’s footstep by helping to project his course today. The song till date has sold about a 100,000. I have other songs in my repertoire titled South Africa to London, Tribute to Ishola Adepoju, Asiko Laiye though it was earlier composed by Ishola Adepoju, my song tribute to Elemure sold 30,000 the week it was released.
Today it is a known fact that many of our indigenous music is not gaining the interest of the youths and its seems to be fading away with more imported songs how have you been able to cope with these changing time?
I was the first person in my age that started singing our traditional music in Ekiti State. I had an experience one day when a very young boy of less than 15 years started shouting my name on the road “ Mummy see” Omo Ni igbeyin Ola” see Oni ko biko. The boy got so attracted to me. Even when his grandfather was to be buried he insisted that I must be the one to be called upon because the boy started falling ill. I believe the youths are not total right off some of them still listen to our traditional music. Some of today’s youth also infuse local dialects in their music and I believe if we can flow with such trend we will be widely accepted.
Under which record label do you have your music?
I am under temidire records and he has some other musicians though not in Ekiti under his record label.
How many of these music icons are still alive in Ekiti?
One of the few is one Babafemi Ariyo the other ones there are not popular.
Where do you see your music in the next five years?
Only God has the answer to that question but it is my wish that I will become a prominent musician that will be known by all for my promotion of our indigenous.
