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‘God has blessed me marvelously at 57’- K1 De Ultimate

+ Why I gave out three of my daughters for marriage at the same time

FUJI king, Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde Anifowoshe, popularly called K1 de Ultimate is still in a happy and joyous mood.  The entertainment giant who clocked 57 on Monday, March 3, 2014, couldn’t forget in a hurry the joy of the day he was born.  According to the successful musician, March 3, 2014, was a very significant day in the history of his life as he was born 57 years ago, and in 1957.  The birthday was celebrated in a fun filled atmosphere at his Ule Ojusagbola, GRA, Ijebu, Ogun State palatial residence.  Not only that, the fuji maestro also gave the hands of three of his beautiful daughters out in marriage.  They are Idayat, Ameenat and Sekinat who got married on March 4, 6 and 9, 2014 respectively.

The house of Oluaye of Fuji, as Wasiu is also known, was like Mecca of sorts as dignitaries from far and near thronged the place to felicitate with the famous entertainer and his entire family.  The joy of K1 actually knew no bounds as he was on hand, ensuring all went well throughout the days the carnival like events lasted.

ENCOMIUM Weekly was there, we had interviews with K1 on life at 57, his daughters’ weddings and much more.  We also had a chat with his daughters and their husbands.

KWAM-1How happy are you celebrating 57?

I am very happy for so many reasons.  First, I was born on March 3, 1957, and I am 57 today.  That alone is a big honour.  Born 1957 and clocking 57, you can understand what I mean.

Looking back 10 years ago, what were the things you’re doing then that you can’t do again?

So many things.  Even the way you react to situations, your utterances and everything you do must be very different because 57 is not just one age by the corner.  It’s a big milestone.  And you wouldn’t like to see yourself as a failure.  If you’re unable to pack yourself together at 57, then you’re as good as a goner.

What would you say is your greatest achievement at 57?

A lot of great achievements.  Basically, the Almighty God has been able to see me through the present situation I am in my musical career.  Anytime I see the younger ones referring to me as Baba, I ask myself, ‘what is it exactly?’  And the guy referring to me as Baba is just 32 which is obvious I have his age mates among my children.  So, if he refers to me as ‘Baba’, basically he knows what he is saying.  To me, that’s the greatest achievement.  Also, if your relevance is still very much potent, it’s a great achievement.  And I enjoy the very best of health.  I am not diabetic, I am not hypertensive.  So many ailments a lot of people may be battling for 10 years, I thank God I am a healthy person.  Except the situation of 2009 when I had to go for the correction of my lungs, which was successful.  I also saw it as a very big achievement because many people had the same thing but they were unable to tell their stories themselves.

What goals did you set for yourself to achieve before 57 that you’re unable to achieve?

Honestly, there is none.  I never dreamt to be governor.  So, I don’t blame myself for not being a governor at 57.  Neither did I dream to be a president. In the last 42 or 43 years, I have been able to find myself where it’s very relevant and good to be pointed at.  Well recognized and loved by the people, old and young.  When I see the tremendous support I enjoy and the good number of followership, they give me joy. I know one can’t ask for anything more than that.  So, there is nothing I haven’t achieved.  The set goals of a serious human being is achievements.  Basically, in my chosen field, I have been able to be at the pinnacle.  I am at the top of my career, I am also at the frontline in the entertainment industry.  I am at the top in the area of age practitioners.  Like I said, as an individual, I am enjoying good health.  Let me tell you the truth, no man can have it all. But I thank God I am blessed.  At least, what I have is more than enough for me to glorify God.  It’s not by anybody’s making. I may not be a billionaire but I am not a beggar.

What’s the best way to attain success and sustain it because not everybody that starts it well is able to go far, what’s the secret?

Definitely, you get to understand every step that you take and judge it yourself.  That will lead you to the next step you’re going to take.  If you take a wrong step, definitely you know you have to correct it in your next move.  If you have taken the right step, you know that you have to sustain it.  So, it is called checks and balances.  You don’t act like a hero or a super human being.  There is no super human being anywhere.  If you’re able to look at every step taken, everything you lay your hands on and you make a critical assessment of them and you identify where you’re to make necessary correction and you do it, you will be a super hero.

Was there any time you took a wrong decision?

If I have to be honest with you and myself, there was no time I ever took a wrong step.  I stood responsible for every action I have ever taken.  It’s my own thing.  If there is anything people look at in me, they may say I am a womanizer. People all over the world who know about entertainment very well would say all entertainers, especially musicians are womanizers.  It’s not news anymore.

Are you one?

I don’t know if I am. But if by the lifestyle of every other artiste the world over, I tell you women are an integral part of entertainment and success.  And let me tell you, a woman will prefer to go with an entertainer than a rich man.

Why?

It’s because everybody wants to be famous.

A lot of people believe K1 is very rich, can you tell us how rich you are?

I don’t know what people mean by being rich.  If living comfortably and setting certain standards for yourself is what people refer to as being rich, then I am glad I am one. In terms of liquid cash, I have a job that could fetch me whatever amount I may need within the short moment.  And on a long term, I have repertoire that can fetch me a lot of returns.  And I am still very much in contention.  Promoters of music still find my door step a place they could invest a huge amount.  So, it continues like that.  Not about the amount I have in my account.  I have set a standard of living for myself and I am enjoying it.

How do you feel giving the hands of three of your daughters out in marriage almost at the same time?

I feel great.  I am happy and fulfilled.  I feel extremely joyful and great. I am so happy because it coincided with an unforgettable date, the date that probably comes once in one’s life time.  3-3-57 can’t come twice. I was born on March 3, 1957, which is 57 years ago.  I gave out three of my daughters’ hands in marriage.  That has been a very fantastic record so far. It’s a thing of joy.  Idayat, who is a councilor at Lagos East Local Government was the first to wed on Tuesday, March 4, 2014 followed by Ameenat on Thursday, March 6.  Then, Sekinat rounded it off on Sunday, March 9, 2014. They are all graduates.  I trained them very well. I am very happy about that.

You planned it that way or it was just a coincidence?

Honestly, it wasn’t planned that way.  We’re only planning one, then the second person said she was ready as well.  Then, the third also said she was ready.  I was expecting the third daughter to say no but she said she was also ready.  May be, they all felt like so far this man has time now, why don’t we do everything at the same time,  And the truth is that if we didn’t do everything now, my busy schedule would overtake them.  I don’t know when next we could have done all the weddings.  Election is coming up in Ekiti very soon, the same thing in Osun.  It’s very obvious that I will be very much busy.  By the time we’re out of that, we’re moving up to very many other states for the campaign for general elections.  I am connected to so many things here and there.  I will also travel out of the country on a musical tour.  I may probably not have chance until maybe the end of 2015.

How many children do you have?

Whatever the number of children I may have, I have a lot of graduates among my children. Whatever it is, I am overjoyed about them because I have been able to do to my children what probably many people don’t expect a musician could have done for his children. I know many of Chief Ebenezer Obey’s children that are well read, I know many of King Sunny Ade’s children that attended good schools and so on.  So, I am glad to be among those musicians that have tried for their children in terms of education.  So, no matter the number of children I have, I thank God I have been able to send them to good schools.  They attend some of the very best schools, home and abroad.  But unfortunately, not that my parents didn’t want to send me to school but I lost my dad when that opportunity could have been there for me. And I can’t blame God for what happened.  It wasn’t my father that was tired of life and killed himself. He never wanted to run away from his responsibilities.  But I thank God, I have been able to do better things for myself.  I have been able to speak to you people in a language that many people feel it’s only when you go to school that you can learn that.  If I do not have a university certificate, the truth of it is that I am okay.  And I am grateful to God for the little I have been able to put together for myself.  Show me your friends, I tell you who you are.

What do you still like about being a musician?

What I like in being a musician is the ability to express myself.

What don’t you like about being a musician?

What I don’t like is people want you to please them and displease yourself.  That happens to very many entertainers.  You can imagine a situation you are late to a party and you’re rushing, and somebody wants to take photographs with you at the venue without minding the number of people waiting for you or whether the celebrant is even getting angry with you or stuffs like that. Or when you have handled the microphone, they still want your attention.  They don’t want to care about all these, all they want is give me that photograph.  But we can’t run away from that.

No doubt, music has done a lot for you, what has it not done for you?

Music has done everything.  I have met people and I have met people. I mean, a lot.  Music has made me meet a lot of people, high and low and they all respect my person.  Sometimes, a governor I have never met before, the moment he hears my name, he would quickly recognize me.  To say the truth, music has opened many doors for me.  Even when I am in the plane, you can imagine somebody comes across and says this is K1, one of our revered artistes, they should let me go.  It has never denied me anything, except that it opens you up as well where probably you think you could do something and go away with it, and somebody just says, K1 how are you?

You’re very close to your mother, what’s the greatest lesson she has taught you?

My mother has taught me a lot of lessons.  If you see us laughing, holding each other that doesn’t stop her from scolding me if I do something wrong.  If I do anything that’ not nice, she has to make an expression.  That’s what I like about my mother.  She may not raise a stick to hit me but she will talk to me in a way that I will feel proud that it’s my mother that’s correcting me. If I can’t listen to her, who else do I listen to?  Very many people might be looking at my hand going into my pocket perhaps to give them something.  When they want to say something derogatory, they may not say it again because they don’t want to see me remove my hand from my pocket.  For my mother, if I have the money and I refuse to give her, it’s a curse on me.  Whatever I do to her now is exactly what my children will do to me. That’s where the law of Karma comes in.

On a final note, will there be any elaborate birthday celebration after this before you clock 60?

I don’t think there is going to be any yearly celebration of my birthday again until I clock 60.  After this year, there won’t be any grand birthday party until I clock 60.  So, I want to spend the remaining time to prepare for my 60th birthday which will be done in a bigger way.

 -TADE ASIFAT

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Written by Encomium

A media, tech and events company.

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