I am from Ondo State. I am the eldest among five siblings. I started using my body as a musical instrument when I was a baby. I was in choir where I played drums. Because of the passion I had for playing drums, I started making music with my body. I was with Tunde Kuboye’s Jazz 38 when I stared playing professionally. Naturally, I make music with my body.
Musical background
I have not gone for a musical training in any school but right from my childhood, I have been into music. From primary, secondary and to university level, I have been playing drum sets. I have diploma in Theatre Arts from Lagos State University. I was with Jazz 38 for four years. I got professional training from PSW owned by Chuck Mike, an American. I worked with NPC Marketing Production Concept, I also worked with a South African company. I got training from then to face the crowd. But the musical aspect of my life was just naturally engineered by the church.
My body and music
It is a creative thing and I love something different from other instrumentalists. We have drummers, keyboardists, saxophonists, etc that handle different musical instruments but I just decided that it will be very natural and different compared to all other types of music, to make music with my body. The courage is just natural and nobody taught or gave me idea. It is just God’s inspiration. It is just to create a new thing entirely from other angle of music. It is a new genre of music in Nigeria. The people see it as art that relieves their nerves and elevates their spirit, and makes them happy also. When they see me slap my mouth and make sounds from my body, it directs their minds and also captivates them. The funniest part of it is that whoever hears it must enjoy it. Even when I did one for the President of Lincoln University, he said what he saw was amazing and that what baffled him was the audience ability to chorus along. To crown it up, I did the American national anthem and it was great.
Skill required
You have to be very creative and have spontaneous instincts. You have to be naturally rhythmic. I believe that very soon, people would emulate it and I do not want to discourage anybody. I am even ready to teach people because I want to leave a legacy.
Challenges
My major challenge is lack of shows. Sometimes you are not called for shows because they feel that you are not well known yet. People want to see the normal thing they are accustomed to. I also have the challenge of how to penetrate the market. To get a sponsor is a problem because people want to invest their money where they are sure that they would recoup what they have invested. My art is not music perse but a performing art. I am a performer and not a singer. Those that reckon with my kind of art are those who understand it.
Aside body beat
I am a stylist and beautician. I had a big saloon but because of the situation in the country, and the task of maintaining the art, I left one for the other. I will re-establish the business because Nigeria is not a place where you would depend on one business. I need something to fall back on in case there are no shows.
How far I can go
I have chosen my art as a profession. Pastors would say that it is a calling, it is my calling and if I don’t do it, God would ask me what I did with the talent He gave me. Despite the fact that there is no fulfillment right now, I will not be discouraged because I am doing what I love to do. I want to spread it worldwide.
Great expectations
I want to be known in and outside Nigeria. I want the world to accept my art. I want to represent Nigeria and other African countries internationally. I know that before a tree grows, it has to establish its root. Lagbaja once told me many years ago that I should go and establish my own band after seeing what I did with the late Kokoro. So, I know that sky would not be my limit.
