He is one artiste who has made a big name for himself. His name Telemi is a big one in Music, especially in the Gospel sector. He has been around for about 40 years. Recently, CityPeople got him to talk about his career and success story.
We got him to tell us what’s new about him.”My name has changed. My names are Timi Orokoya Telemi, which used to be Timi Osukoya. (Telemi then). The change in name occurred about 9 years ago due to personal spiritual revelation and convictions.”
How has the journey been? “The journey has been glorious, fun, rewarding wobble, tasking and almost uncertain at a point but glory be to God for today’s very visible results. The almost 4 decades have been tough but I am here today to tell my very good stories. I have worked through the valleys of shadows of death, through fire and deep oceans but God was and still in the journey with me.”
At what stage is his career now? “Not yet at the peak, but almost. That is the way I will put it now. I have mentored and raised generals in the creative industry. I have also led the musicians association in so many capacities. Presently, I am still very much involved in the assignment but I do more mentoring and giving back to the industry and ministry in the way of organizing Creative Revival conferences, seminars and workshops to improve and change some negative orientations of the present and coming music ministers. Having both audio and visual studios, music academy, artistes management stuff.”
How did he get into music? “Hmmm…from a party and Club DiscJokey to active musician…. ”
“It is a very long story but let me just paraphrase it. My early days in secondary school had been helped by my elder brother Evang. Bisi Osukoya, whose love for music added up for me. In 1977 when I left secondary school, my late father, Chief Jacob Omole Osukoya sent me to Lagos to stay with his younger brother, Chief Samuel Oladosu Osukoya. I call him my second father. Baba was the principal founder of the Methodist Church Nigeria, Sogunle. His activities inspired me and gave me that enabling environment to develop my God-given talent in the choir. I have been in the choir since 1978. In 1984 there was this Christian music competition organized by Skylark Record, a subsidiary of Punch Nigeria Limited, where I led the vocals of the church choir to the second position on the 25th of February, 1984, at the National Arts Theatre, Iganmu Lagos, which made it my first time on a very big national stage in my assignment.
The journey to prominence started from here and we went to the studio to record the songs we rendered at the competition and we came up with GBANJO on May 12 of the same year. GBANJO had in it that hit track titled SILEKUN AYO MI which was later remixed by late Dr. Sonny Orisuns. With the help and push from different friends and members of my church then, Methodist Church Sogunle, I started to discover myself better which led to taking my musical group, called Timi Osukoya and the Musical Neighbors to the studio on the 6th of March, 1987. We came up with the album titled TEELEMI 3 years later.
As a DJ I had an undiluted passion for music right from my teenage but I got hooked on gospel music because of my desire to pass the good news about Jesus Christ to the world. I saw music as a very strong weapon to achieve this.”
Why Gospel music? Why didn’t he go into secular music? “Very well, as I said previously, I was a DJ with a very deep love for music. I studied the lives and activities of those Hollywood artistes before I spine their works. I have read journals like RIGHT ON, BLACK BEATS and several others to gather information about those great artistes. My first demo was a secular work produced by Majek Fashek in 1983. I remember buying Fela Anikulapo’s album titled IKOYI BLINDNESS which almost cost me my secondary school education when my father got to know. The moment I got involved in the church choir my orientation and passions were redirected towards gospel music. I discovered more decency, discipline and accomplishments for myself in gospel music.”
How does he see the Gospel music sector today? “Gospel music has drastically moved forward both positively and negatively compared to what it used to be when I started. By the grace of God I was 39 years old in the assignment on the 25th of February 2023, by God’s grace I have become a voice and an authority in this sector.”
“There had been a lot of introductions and infusions into gospel music, some are helpful while others are destructive. It is very painful and sour in my heart when I listen or rather watch some messages and mode of presentations on social media and even the churches. Gospel means a message, that must be loaded with soul-inspiring words of peace and love for the downcast to be restored. It is an unusual music genre the people need to give lives, joy, hope to the hopeless, such music must be living. We hear more noises these days because the commercial viability has watered down the spiritual authority of our gospel songs. Every music minister aims at fame and name without a due process. Over 70% of our songs today are commercial projects because they were intended and programmed to appeal to the people’s wants and not to properly minister to their needs. Our assignment as minstrels is to give what they need and not what they want, unlike the secular. In most orderly cases, if you are moved or motivated by the crowd or audience you may not deliver the message of God for that gathering, that would have been an effort in futility
This question can take a book from me. Very painful that we cannot feel the impact on gospel musicians in this troubled and confused country of Nigeria. Every one of us is jumping on social media, in almost towards same direction and pattern and no messages to the people and government for a redress.
Here this, some may wish to stone me for this submission, but how can you demand for a fee to minister in a Revival or other church activities to proclaim the dead and risen Christ? You get into negotiations and when their offers couldn’t meet your demand, you decline or turned down the invitation. If God has truly called you he will feed you and your entire family but most of us are never waiting for God to do the needful in our lives. God has been so faithful to me in this assignment and no lack or need will ever make me demand or negotiate to render my kingdom service to anyone. With or without honorarium my barn will be full, this has been my belief.
In production and rhythm, give it to the modern-day musicians though the sound weight is missing. Today’s production is stressless and allows creativity in diverse forms. Because the youths are more involved in the assignment we couldn’t differentiate between a club and gospel concert venues. The lightings and ambiance are too close, plus the gym and others. I suggest moderation and sacredness if we must deliver as Christian musicians. If David sang and the evil spirit in King Saul came out of him, we too need to operate under such anointing for God’s presence in our ministrations. Let’s give less attention to money and materialism and focus on achieving greatness in the assignment for the kingdom. I also believe there are ways we could discuss with our hosts in the areas of logistics and they will understand, some can even do more than we are demanding.”
“One particular observation I cannot but mention in the area of skill development is talking drum. In the past, you have to come from that family of AYAN before you could play the instrument and also follow some traditional rules guiding the instrument but now our youths learn and play it very excellently. Generally, this generation is not doing badly if well guided and ready to be mentored and led by Holy Spirit. They must be rooted in the word of God and be attending bible believing churches for growth and fellowship. If they are steady, patient and never in an unguided haste to attain greater heights, they will be better and greater.
Let me drop this for your consumption and probably for others as you deem fit that I produced the first album of Pasuma that brought him to the limelight-RECOGNITION. Why am I saying this? Because I once read in one of your publications that the credit was given to someone else. Alhaji Wasiu Alabi and Sarolaj can give details. Story and full details for another day.”
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