Wednesday, June 5, 2024, started on a good note for a notable Ibadan-based Juju maestro, UNCLE TOYE AJAGUN, who spoke to GBENRO ADESINA about his music career and the state of Nigeria—but the day ended on a sad note. Shortly after the interview, Ajagun received one of the most heartbreaking news of his life as he was informed that his son, Oyetayo Akanni Ajagun, who was receiving treatment in an undisclosed Lagos hospital died that day and he has been buried. He told me later on a telephone chat that he was feeling awkward during the interview but did not imagine that an incident of such magnitude had happened. Picture credit: Samuel Adesina. The excerpt:
Q: What can you say about then and now in Nigeria?
A: Let us thank God. We just have to go with the world. If one refuses to accept what life has offered, such a person will fade away.
Q: Can you tell us about your growing up?
A: I am from Abeokuta. I hail from the compound of Ajagunjeun in Keesi. My father and mother came from that compound. I didn’t have the opportunity to live in Abeokuta because I lost my father when I was 10 years old. My father died at the age of 100. He gave birth to me at his old age. I have a younger brother. After that, when my father died, my maternal grandfather took me to a village called Meran, very close to Agbado Ijaye in Lagos State. I started my primary school there. I attended Meran United Primary School. I completed primary school at the United Primary School. The year I finished my primary school, my maternal grandfather died. I lost my mother when I was in primary two. I finished primary school in 1952 and followed my sister to Mushin in Lagos. Therefore, I spent my youth in Mushin before I relocated to Ibadan. I started my music career in Mushin.
Q: Are you saying that you did not go to secondary school before venturing into music?
A: I furthered my education. I went to Ansar-ud-deen Secondary Commercial Secondary School in Mushin but I was not privileged to finish. I did not spend two terms before leaving because I didn’t have any helper. I didn’t have anybody to sponsor me in secondary school. I had to learn house painting for three years. My master was getting contracts in different parts of Lagos. Whenever he gets work in Apapa Wharf, I used to walk from Mushin to Apapa Wharf to meet him and work for him. Whenever my master was happy, he would give me three kobo as transport fare. The transport fare from Apapa to Mushin is five kobo. So, we have to beg the driver to carry us for three kobo. We didn’t pay the full transport fare, therefore, we had to squat so that the checker would not count us among the passengers and get the driver into trouble.
Q: So, it means you didn’t complete your education because of lack of funds?
A: Yes. I had lost my father and mother and my senior who took me to Mushin just got married. She didn’t have money to send me to school.
Q: How many years did you practice as a house painter?
A: After my freedom, those who knew me with my boss were giving me some jobs. If they give a job to my master at Apapa, they will give me another one at Surulere. Nevertheless, I developed an interest in singing and drumming since the time I was learning house painting. At the time I was learning painting, I would sing all the songs in a newly released album within two days. This made my master to say that my livelihood would not come from house painting. Truly, he prophesied rightly. I got into music through Apola King, Idowu Animashaun. He was playing guitar for a band then called The Bango Pillar Orchestra in Mushin which has its office at No 52, Ogunmokun Street, Mushin, Lagos. He used to pass in front of my house. One day, I called and begged him to allow me to follow him to where he was going with his guitar. I also wanted to sing. He agreed and said that I should prepare for him to the place in three days, which he did. While they were rehearsing, he asked me if I could sing and I said that I could be a backup singer. He asked about the drum I could beat and I pointed to two “Konga drums” joined together that I’d like to know how to drum it. He asked me if I had drummed it before and I told him no but I could drum it. I used my mouth to make the sound of the drum. Within a month, he was surprised at what I was beating, asking me if the teacher teaching me was from heaven. Within three months, I have mastered the drum and being compared with drummers playing with big bands. That was how I started. I started with “Konga drum”. Then my master was Augustine Ajiboye. Idowu Animashaun is next to him in the hierarchy. That was how I started my music career.
Q: Why did you relocate to Ibadan from Lagos?
A: As I told you, Animashaun and I were with The Bango. Augustine Ajiboye and some of us left The Bango and established a band called The Savannah Brothers’ Band. Later, Animashaun asked us to leave the Savannah Brothers and establish our band. We established The Lisabi Brothers led by Idowu Animashaun. While in Mushin, we were traveling everywhere to play. In 1966, Animashaun suggested that we should relocate to Abeokuta and we did. We lived in Abeokuta till 1970. While in Abeokuta, we were coming to play in Ibadan and we later found out that we were more accepted in Ibadan than in Abeokuta. Due to this, Animashaun suggested again that we should relocate to Ibadan. That was how we relocated to Ibadan in 1970.
Q: How did you start in Ibadan?
A: The first place we stayed in Ibadan was Foko around Oke Ado. We lived with Ishola Ogunsola (I Sho Pepper). Three months later, our boss, Animashaun got a room somewhere. Later, we, his followers, started getting rooms for ourselves. We were taking our music to the Northern part of the country. In 1971, I decided to establish my band. I have tried. I served Idowu Animasahun from 1962 to 1970 which was eight years. How many juniors can serve their masters for eight years? When I told the boss, Animashaun, it pained him but he couldn’t do anything. He agreed that I should be on my own. When I left him, I did not establish my band just like that. I went back to Mushin to look for instruments from friends and those that could help me. In 1973, I started my band, Olumo Sound Makers.
Q: Did you have enough instruments or borrowed to complement what you had?
A: No, there was no room to rent instruments then. If you want to have your band then, you must have your instrument, at least the basic ones to start your band. That was how I started in 1973. In 1975, I did my first record. It is titled, “Da Temi lare” but my fans changed the title to “Iya-ya-ri-ya” I thank God that within a month of producing this record, God used it to remove the cloth of poverty from me. People rushed it. They bought it and I made money from it. I did the second and third records. My third record is “Magbe Magbe”. God blessed me with “Magbe Magbe”. “Magbe Magbe” took me to London and America.
Q: How did you get the words in “Magbe Magbe”, particularly the love words?
A: You see, the moment God decides to answer you, nothing can stop Him. I was on stage in Oke Ado then and “Magbe Magbe” came to my brain. When I was in Mushin, during the Muslim fasting, the able people, and elderly ones used to gather at Ojuwoye for wrestling. One person can beat six people and this person would be celebrated. One day, somebody raised his leg and said “Magbe Magbe o, ese yi di Tyre ko se gbe, Magbe Magbe” (Don’t carry my leg that I raised up. It is a Tyre that cannot be carried). The first person who attempted to carry the leg was flung away with the leg. As I said, one evening, I was on a stage, and the lyric, “Magbe Magbe” came to my brain and I raised it. My guitarist backed me up with a tune that I liked and I asked him not to stop playing the tune. He continued to repeat it and I continued to repeat Magbe Magbe for a while without having another lyric to add. God is a wonder. Some other lyrics came to me on the stage. My maternal grandfather, anytime he sat under the tree then, he used to sing some songs to entertain himself and his friends. He will be singing, “Safuratu, Safuratu, o de bebe korogun e bu sekun”. “Ara a lagbado, ode o le lode kuro ninu igbo, ara a lagbado” As I was repeating the “Magbe Magbe” lyric, “Safuratu” lyric came to my brain and I added it. As we were singing this song, it was like God sent some angels to support me. About 90 percent of those in the hotel started dancing. At the time I wanted to stop, people resisted me and asked me to continue singing because they were enjoying it. Immediately we were done, I took my pen and paper and wrote the lyrics down. I replaced Safuratu with Ololufe mi. I just added all of them together and God accepted it.
Q: Which countries have you traveled to perform?
A: I have been to London, Switzerland, and America.
Q: How has the culture of Ibadan affected your music?
A: Ibadan is a Yorubaland. What is obtainable in Ake is obtainable in Oko, says the Egbas. There is no difference in Yorubaland apart from dialect. I thank God that He made Ibadan my home. I have a house here. I married in Ibadan and have all my children.
Q: When did you marry?
A: I had my first child in 1974
Q: Are you a monogamist?
A: It is against the culture to count people’s children. Well, I have two wives.
Q: What genre is your song?
A: Juju.
Q: What are the themes of your songs?
A: For instance, in 1979, I released a record that it is difficult for two masters to stay in a boat. I sang that we should pray that Nigeria would not be destroyed. That record was used for the 1979 election. That is the kind of my message.
Q: Are you saying that things are so bad in Nigeria because Nigerians have not prayed enough?
A: The Nigerian problem is selfishness and corruption. Our country is good but we don’t have good leaders. We don’t have leaders with good intentions. Nigerian leaders can be likened to the head of a family who cannot manage his home, and who fails to provide food for the family and take good care of the wife and children. Our leaders know the right thing to do, but they will not do it. I first traveled abroad in 1978, when I came back to Nigeria, I was cursing all our rulers. I said that these people are travelling abroad and they see how things are working there and they will come back and destroy our country. Then, the money meant for 2000 people will be packed by one person. Now, the money meant for two million people is packed by one leader. My prayer is that God will change their hearts. Without God changing them, no way out. Before, garri of six kobo was enough to feed a family, but now, it is not possible. Garri is now very expensive. Sadly our religious leaders who are among these people are equally bad.
Q: Are you saying that religion has no meaningful impact on religious leaders?
A: For instance, how many church members can send their children to the universities established by these churches? These churches used church contributions to establish schools that their members couldn’t afford. Good enough, we will not take anything out of this world when we die. Let us continue to pray that Nigeria will be good.
Q: What is the title of the record you produced two years ago?
A: Reminder.
Q: Do you still intend to release another record?
A: If God spears my life, I will release another one.
Q: What are your future projects?
A: What project will I start thinking about now at 79? I was born on March 5, 1945. I will be 80 next year. What I am left with is to be able to have food and other basic things of life and pray to God that I should not fall sick and be waiting for when God will call me. Once I have food, I am fine.
Q: Now, can you say that you can afford what pleases you to eat?
A: I thank God, “Garri’ and “Elubo” are still available”.
Q: What is your best food?
A: ‘Eba” and “Amala”.
Q; What about pounded yam?
A: Once in a while. I’ve not eaten it in the last six months.
Q: You can’t afford yam to make it?
A: No. It is not about it.
Q: Q: Are you still playing at events?
A: I am still playing. People still invite me to play for them if they have events.
Q: When last did you play at an event?
A: Three months ago at Ijebu-Jesa.
Q: Which of your music was most rewarded?
A: All of them but “Magbe Magbe” is the first.
Q: What is your biggest achievement?
A: I married. I have children and all my children are graduates.
Q: What are the challenges you have faced and how did you overcome them?
A: Let us leave that. Let us thank God.
Q: What advice do you have for aspiring musicians and what do you feel about the songs of these days?
A: God understands everything. I don’t believe that the youngsters are singing rubbish. I am from Abeokuta. There is a masquerade in Abeokuta that doesn’t sound like other masquerades. People don’t understand this masquerade but its director understands him. The modern music can be likened to this masquerade. The people of this generation are enjoying the music produced by the current musicians and dancing to it. What I will say is that people should be serious with their work. I pray that our composition will be unique and have some wisdom that people can learn from. Now, music is about drums. That is what this generation wants.
Q: What impact does music have on the nation?
A: The impact is many. Ebenezer Obey advised us to take farming seriously. We didn’t listen and we are paying for it.
Q: What do you do in your free time?
A: I played table tennis when I was younger and I still play it. I am a football lover. I go to the stadium to watch football.
Q: What is your major regret?
A: My major regret is that I did not further my education beyond primary six. Although, I started form one but did not complete it due to a lack of funds. If I am well educated, I may not have been a singer.
Q: What would you have been?
A: When I was younger, I wanted to be a writer. I also aspired to be a pilot. I have never thought of becoming a lawyer or a doctor. Two things I love, writing books like D. O. Fagunwa and being a pilot. We read books written by D. O. Fagunwa, like “Ogboju Ode Ninu Igbo Olodumare”. In the music industry, I am grateful to God for how far He took me. I am fulfilled in it. When I had a misunderstanding with Bolarinwa Abioro, TYC, I didn’t have the opportunity to release records because I had 10 years of undertaking with him. I haven’t used more than two years. I was just serving him. He was the one making it on my record. I was not getting anything. He was the one who gave King Sunny Ade a lot of trouble and they fought for so long. He did the same thing to Animashaun and the Omo odes. I didn’t have the opportunity to produce records for eight years. That was a major setback. It was during that time that P Peter came out. There was a time I was in a meeting of the musicians when some of my colleagues were criticising me about a record that Shina Peter released then. I told them that this style of music is what all of you are coming to. It came to pass.
Q: What can you say about Nigeria now?
A: God will help us. When I was newly married, two Naira would cook a pot of soup. If I was invited to Akure to play, the charge was N300. To fuel three vehicles that I will take to Akure did not cost me up to N100. I was once paid N1,500 to play in Kaduna. Today, if you want to invite a musician, the least you can get is N400,000.
Q: What are your words to your fans?
A: The aspiring musicians should be patient. Singers should sing good songs.
