KSA INTERVIEW :Any musician without female fans is no musician

What Mama HID did for Nigerian entertainment —KSA

King Sunny Ade has been on the Nigerian music  scene for over five decades. In this interview with JOAN OMIONAWELE at the Tribune House  where he had come to pay his last respect to  the late Chief (Mrs) HID Awolowo, Sunny Ade speaks on his relationship with the deceased, his private life, among other issues. Excerpts

How do you feel upon winning the copyright case in which N500million was awarded to you?

I am most grateful because it is something that we laboured for as we have been on this case for 30 to 40 years. This shows that justice will come for each person at the right time. I am particularly happy, not because the money has come, but because justice has prevailed. I want to use this opportunity to tell Nigerian musicians to keep fighting for their rights and royalties because we have laboured for the entertainment industry.

What will you do with the N500 million when you get it?

(Laughs) Hmmm…Let me get it first. Then I will think about it.

Are you being paid royalties for any of your songs?

Well, I am not a member of the Copyright Society of Nigeria, but they invited me. I am a member of the MCSN and the government just ordered them to release money to us, but no one has been giving me royalties. I pray, sooner or later, they will start giving us what we deserve.

You were at the Tribune House today to pay respect to Mama HID Awolowo, what is your most memorable moment with her?

I have many memorable moments with  mama because she was like a mother to me. She is an unforgettable woman who sought the wellbeing of everybody. And she particularly supported entertainment in Nigeria by supporting our content as Nigerian artistes. She never stopped encouraging us and patronising us. Nigeria as a whole will miss her goodwill.

You announced last year that you are now a man of God, what were those things that you were doing in the  past which you do not do anymore?

I am still a man of God and I have always been. I have always believed in Him because I know He has helped me tremendously and I am under His protection, what I have been doing before is what I am doing now and that is what I will continue to do. I am praying to be closer to God.

What pranks did you play as a young man?

I cannot remember the number of pranks I played, but I remember when I left Abeokuta, I told my parents that I was going to the University of Lagos. I told my mum not to look for me because I wanted to discover my true purpose in life. I believed I was talented then, but I did not know the particular talent [I possessed then]. So I came to Lagos with a man called Idowu Owoeye, but unfortunately, we got stranded in Abeokuta but I managed to find my way to Lagos, because I couldn’t bear to face my mother if I returned to her in Osogbo. So when I got to Lagos, I did so many things. I became a footballer, I designed too, and I was also a mechanic and a spray painter.

So you were once a mechanic?

Yes, I was a motorcycle mechanic and I also sprayed cars for a living back then. I was doing all that before I discovered that music surpassed all other talents [in me], so I went for it. To God be the glory, here we are today. But I confessed what I did and made my children promise that they will never play such pranks on me.

Is any of your children trying to be a musician?

Yes, there are many of them, but I want them to complete their education first, because I did not finish university and I don’t want that for them. When they graduate from school, they can come back to that. I don’t even mind being their manager, if they won’t mind that I’m old, but they are doing fine and showing that music is in their blood, as my 10-year-old son is already singing on stage.

How does KSA relax?

I relax with music basically. Whenever I listen to music, I try to take a nap with the little time I have. I also swim in the evening and play golf, table tennis and lawn tennis. I have facilities for all these in my compound, so I try to exercise my body with these sports whenever I have the time.

Do you have any regrets in life?

No, I won’t say so. I don’t believe I should start telling you I did not study something or graduate from school, but I do not regret it. In the olden days, musicians were seen as dropouts, but now you can see me shaking hands with governors and world leaders. I will not forget when Papa Awolowo shook my hands and told me to sit down with him while Mama Awolowo was calling me “Sunny Mi” and I believe if it wasn’t for music, nobody would know me, but I thank God today because I have no regrets.

You are still a handsome man, how do you cope with the women and female fans in your life?

I thank God because that was how I was created. Any musician that has no female fans is not a musician. It was there even during the time of my ancestors and so shall it be forever, because musicians keep springing up every day and females are there, generation by generation. I see women  as glory of God that have to be admired and taken care of. The moment they admire you and love what you do, believe me, you will be blessed.