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Alhaji WASIU AS-SIDEEQ (Baba N’waka)
Talk about an Islamic singer whose songs and messages cuts across all age grades and lovers of good music, most especially in the Southern part of Nigeria, the name Alhaji Wasiu Kayode Sideeq comes among the top. He is an icon known for using his brand of Islamic music to propagate the message of Islam.
Many people regard him as the man who brought the modern touch to Islamic gospel music. The man who is popularly known as Baba N’waka operates with his band group under the name called El-Hadi Wasiu Kayode Sideeq & His Islamic Charity Organization.
He is the immediate past president of Islamic Musicians Association of Nigeria, a position he held for 8 years. Under him, the association grew in strength. He is a leader par excellence who is loved by many of his followers.
Alhaji Wasiu Sideeq has been around in the music industry for over 3 decades churning out numerous great songs which remains ever-green in the heart of his large fans and many Muslims. He has released well over 30 albums and part of them include his debut, Sharia Is The Answer, in 1988, Egberun Meta, Womise, Pase Ayo, Ta lakobi Olorun, Eru Olorun Eleyinju Anu, and Consider Me, among a host of others.
His genre of music speaks to the consciousness of his audience. He has succeeded in using his music to address many religious, economic, moral and societal issues.
Every album released by Baba N’Waka is always a hit and is topping the Islamic music charts. He has remained a formidable force and master of the art. The Egba born musician has indeed carved a niche for himself among his contemporaries, having his music cut across both young and old.
The great singer was among the top Islamic gospel singers who graced the 8th Ramadan Lecture of Ruqayat Gawat 2 Sundays ago. His presence added glamour to the event especially when he mounted the stage to perform and sing in honour of the host.
City People had a chat with this popular Islamic icon last week and he told us about his brand of music and why it is unique. Below are excerpts:
What are his remarks about the event?
“It is a well packaged programme. You know Ruka Gawat is one of the front runners as far as Islamic music is concerned. In terms of packaging her events well, she has no equal. So she is my music daughter, I have to be here for her. Despite the fact that I have about 3 to 4 other events today, I have to make sure that I attend her programme”.
How will he describe the leadership of ISMAN of today?
“The association is being run by the able president of Alhaji Mumeen Damilola popularly known as Esinogbamilaye. I’m the immediate past president of the association. It’s his tenure and he is really trying his best. You know , you can’t do it all. You know, you do some and you leave some. For me, I will score him over 70 percent. It is during his tenure that membership of the association spread to the North which was not the case during my own tenure. Alhamdulillah! ISMAN is progressing on a daily basis”.
His brand of Islamic Music is top notch, how was he able to develop it and keep it up there?
“I thank Almighty Allah. What you are asking is beyond me. There’s no power, wisdom or trick except Allah. He is the brain behind my musical prowess. I give thanks and adoration to him”.
We recall back in the days when Baba N’Waka talked about his journey into Islamic gospel music. It was not rosy for him at the start but he was able to pull through despites the many odds before him.
He was motivated by his father who was a ‘were’ musician during his heydays in Asoore village, Ado Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State.
He therefore talked about how being born in Mushin and eventually moving to Agege impacted his life and music.
“I was born and grew up in Mushin but I left Mushin for Agege when I was in form 4. I will say it’s predestined to be so, because if I didn’t move from Mushin the time I moved, maybe I would have been a Fuji singer instead. I will sum it up that my being an Islamic musician is predestined by the Almighty Allah. In addition, it all started when I was in secondary school.”
On his journey to stardom, he said;
“It was very rough. I ventured into the Islamic music industry in the 80s with the activities of Muslim Students Society of Nigeria. On weekends, we went for Islamic activities like music competitions, Islamic public speaking and the likes. In fact, I was the vocalist of our branch then and from there, I developed the talent in me. I can count the number of Islamic singers I met on the ground when I began my career, they were about three. A brother in Islam, Ismail Adeju, advised me to form my own band which I did. He said I should follow in the footsteps of Alhaji Abdulahi Akinbode, who is the chief missioner of NASFAT today. He called his own band, Voice of Islamic Ummah, while I named my own band, Voice of Islamic Charity, just to follow in his footsteps. I joined various Islamic groups before I gained admission to study mass communication at Ogun State Polytechnic. In 1988, I did my first album all by myself and I gave the master tape to Leader Records. On the day I launched the album, I did not see a single guest, not to talk of having an audience. I wept bitterly but someone advised me that the downfall of a man is not the end of his life.”
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