Alhaji Taye Adebisi Currency, popular fuji musician and the Special assistant to the Oyo Governor on Entertainment was our guest on our Radio Show, Parrot Xtra/Ayekooto anchored by Olayinka Agboola on Splash 105.5FM, recently. During the interaction, he spoke on the rumor about his collapse on stage in London and how a few of his band boys absconded during a recent overseas’ tour among many salient issues… Excerpts
When considering the journey into stardom as a Fuji musician, how easy was it for you?
If it is easy, accomplishment will come natural for every man, the struggle to succeed shows that success and achievement do not come easy. It wasn’t easy when we started, it hasn’t been easy till now, and we need to continue praying that God Almighty should crown our efforts, man only proposes but God disposes.
Can you tell us how you spend your typical day, from morning till evening?
People often think that as a musician and entertainer all we do is just to sing and entertain, but they forget about our personality, we are humans as well and have a life outside of our profession. We have people who come to us on civil matters outside of entertainment sometimes and we do need to respond. Most of the time, I play table tennis in the mornings.
Some weeks back, you were said to have collapsed on stage while in London. What actually happened?
Lies. That was a purely concocted lie, nothing of such happened, how old am I that will warrant me to slump on stage? Well, I am not shocked and surprised, because I am not the first person to be accused of such, our elders in the industry also suffered the same fate, it is not something new. The speculation came during the time of Ramadan fast, which is always the time I use in observing rest and drawing closer to God; I don’t go for musical shows during the time. I left London for Mecca and then from Mecca I came back to Nigeria, it was during this period I saw the ill-news online. Na lie oooo!
I notice you relate with trends, like when Sisi Quadri died you sympathized with the family, you were also present at a particular gathering organized by MC Oluomo…is Oluomo your friend?
There is a proverb that says ‘Go with the flow!’ Mc Oluomo is a very good friend of mine, and always personally invites me to come and perform at his occasions in Lagos which is a rare privilege. And when I attend, I have to sing his praises.
Your fellow musician, Daddington, said past politicians under PDP highly extorted him and undervalued him, whereas we heard that Akala gave you 99 million during his time, what do you have to say about this?
Uncle Daddington is a senior colleague and related with the late political icon, Baba Lamidi Adedibu during his time. Although I was there too and I did not experience this because I was well packaged and very outspoken. Uncle Daddington’s weakness was that he did not speak out while he was being maltreated. I will say the reason was because he was an elderly person and might not be able to voice out like we younger ones. People went behind me to collect the money meant for me from the late Otunba Adebayo Akala and when I discovered this, I shouted out and my right was restored back to me.
Baba Adedibu once called me to come and work for him and I refused because of the shrewd and fraudulent behavior of some of the people around him. He had to come to my house here in Challenge all by himself to plead with me. This was because of my youthful and radical approach to my business. I did not allow ‘them’ to take away what belonged to me, I think uncle Daddington could not do that.
Also, concerning the 99 million you are talking about, if Gov. Akala is alive today, we wouldn’t be discussing this, I am praising him because it is required to give credit where it is due. Even the present day Gov. Seyi Makinde has done a lot for me, but I won’t be on air to sing his praises now because people will accuse him of being biased. But I will say it here that I have been working for whatever I have received or receiving.
During your recent musical trip to Canada, some of your band members absconded, how did you feel about that?
That is also not a new thing. They did that because they think this country is too hard for them to survive in, so they decided to settle for a greener pasture over there, though in a wrong way. Crew members have done the same to K1, King Sunny Ade, late Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister amongst others, it is not new like I said earlier. But we thank God because their act did not stop the work, the beat still goes on by God’s grace.
The youth of our days are attracted to extravagant life that they can’t afford. They don’t even want to learn skills, many are into drugs. What advice do you have for them?
Everybody knows that I don’t drink, nor do I smoke. A lot of people think the energy we emit on stage is sponsored by strong drinks or Indian hemp, no. As young adults, there will be pressure, inspiration might freeze but it is not compulsory for you to get high on drugs before you get inspired.
Apart from singing and your involvement in politics, what else do you do?
Outside of music and politics, I am also involved in real estate management.
Can you speak of your most embarrassing moment in life?
I can’t really point out my most embarrassing moment, because entertainers are very familiar with embarrassment, we have become thick-skinned. Anyone who wants to rise to the top will pass through the lane of embarrassment. But what I can say is an embarrassment to me is being somewhere and I am not recognized as a musician.
You are an influential political stakeholder and your first son is also a powerful Oyo state legislator, what is your view about politics?
I actually can’t talk or vouch for any other politician aside from my son and Gov. Seyi Makinde because they are the ones I know, and if they are not doing well I will speak out. I am a PDP member and talking about other politicians might be termed as opposing other parties. Meanwhile, all of us always meet, we are like business people advertising their product, there is no enmity in politics. It is an open ground to come in or go out and vice versa.
Nigerians are complaining that musicians are no more singing “social justice songs”. Why?
What I discovered is that if you sing too many social justice songs, you will be guilty. Our predecessors have sang it, we also have tried it, but music is seasonal and if you don’t move with the moment, you will be forgotten, so we can’t just narrow our songs to social justice songs.
