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Tells City People His Success Story In Music
He is currently making waves in Music. When you talk about popular gospel musicians who perform back to back these days at weddings or burial ceremonies, you can’t help but mention Olamilekan Adenugba, who is well known as ‘Ola Best’.
Recently, City People’s Salisu Nurudeen (Head Of Video Editing Department) and Photo Journalist, Emmanuel Alegbeleye, had a one-on-one interview with him, and he talked about his life and music career. Below are excerpts.
Your music is everywhere right now. Tell us how you feel now about the progress you have made so far.
Well, I feel great. It is only by the grace of God, not by my power. It was God who blessed my song that made it everywhere, so I give God all the glory.
Tell us about your background.
I had my primary and secondary education at Queenmaris College, Lagos State. I then proceeded to Tai-Solarin University of Education, Ijebu-Ode, in Ogun State.
How did you become a musician?
I started music officially 11 years ago, and it has been 11 years since I started my band.
Did you train under anyone?
Yes, I started from Church, I was born in the church and have been in Choir all my life.
My dad was the Choirmaster of my home church, Christ Apostolic Redeemed Church in Ikotun, Lagos. People called it Baba Adenugba church because it is my grandfather’s church.
Who advised you to go into music?
I was a talking drummer before. I knew I could sing, but I never thought of being a full-time musician. I drummed on desks when I was in primary school, and then I became a percussionist (talking drummer). I have played talking drums for a lot of musicians, both Gospel and Fuji musicians.
Later, I joined an opera group where I sang and played the talking drum while my team members acted. After that, I switched fully to music, and my popular track is Kosogun Ye.
Because I followed a lot of musicians, when I started music, it really helped me a lot. I can perform at different parties or shows without any problem. And I can perform on the stage beyond singing Gospel.
Did your parents support you when you started?
It was really a crazy day. The first time my dad heard I was playing a talking drum he was so disappointed, saying that you who came from a wealthy family want to be playing with drums.
My dad stays in Lagos, and I was living in Ijebu-Ode at the time. But we give God all the glory, I gave him my word that I was not going to do anything that would not make him proud. I didn’t join bad gangs, I don’t smoke or things like that, and he believes my word and stands by me and I thank God for where we are today.
Which particular event brought you to the limelight?
Well there is no particular party that brought me to the limelight, it’s a gradual process, from the church to events and you know how social media is nowadays, you can’t predict. It just happened as God wants it.
In a month, you perform how many shows?
Haaaa, I can’t even count it. You know I do Gospel, I do Owambe. And at times, I perform at lounges. Maybe some of my fans want to do a birthday at the lounge. I know how to entertain people, too. But everything is still inside the Gospel, so in a month, I do like 20 shows.
How do you juggle music & family?
God has been helping me because I got married a long time ago when I was in school. It’s not easy, but everything is in God’s hands.
Tell us about your recent tour.
I went for a tour recently and I just came back home. There is no place like my home. I didn’t know God has blessed me this much until I travelled out when I saw how people love my music and how they attend my shows, my ministry, and I am like Jesus, is this how you are, you’ve been so good to me.
Tell us about your music that went viral “Jackie Jackie”
Most of the songs that go viral, we don’t usually plan them. They’re not something planned. I just love the guy that uses Ekiti dialect to talk about his Dog, the name of the Dog is Jackie Jackie so he normally uses it to sing and I am a fan of his, and whoever I am a fan of my team is a fan of the person as well. So there was this particular day I asked them to energise more on the stage and they were over doing it, and I just said “Isan ti poju” calm down Jackie Jackie and that was how it came to life, so it wasn’t something we planned.
How would you describe your music style?
Definitely, gospel, although I’m blessed to be a musician with dynamism, and this helps me sing many genre of music. But gospel music is prioritised. I do gospel for a living.
What inspired your journey into gospel music?
God and God alone. I write songs a lot, and it is divine because I just want to communicate with Him and hear from Him, and I perfectly do this through music. All through my days, I live in God, and he helped me to balance things. I am trying to be a good father, a musician and a good celebrity, a responsible one.
What makes you different from other musicians?
Well, God has helped me to raise people, I am a lover of talent, and whenever i see a talent and God gives me the power to support, I do support them. Even when other people decide to look down on upcoming talents, I don’t look down on them. I have helped a lot of talent.
What has stardom changed about you?
It has changed many things, but specifically, it has built my faith that God can help me more and lift up as many as possible. It has helped me to keep being humble because I’ll always see those better than me, and besides, nothing lasts forever.
-Salisu Nurudeen
07034236041
