Encomium
TALENTED fuji act, Alhaji Saidi Akorede, popularly known as Osupa has explained why he attended the wedding of the daughter of Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde Anifowoshe, otherwise known as K1 de Ultimate. According to the Ibadan, Oyo born musician, his appearance on Sunday, March 9, 2014, at the event wasn’t a surprise. Rather, he only reciprocated K1’s good gesture. The King of Music also shed light on his rift with Alhaji Waheed Oyediran of Mosebolatan fame and much more when ENCOMIUM Weekly visited him in his Magodo, Lagos residence on Friday, March 14, 2014.
Can you tell us briefly the cause or causes of the crisis between you and Mosebolatan? How did it all start?
Mosebolatan was like a neighbour to me because we used to live in the same area. He was a recording artiste. He was not even a well to do person. He was still struggling to make ends meet. He always visited us. That was when he started telling us about the guy who was recording with us, that was Abass Adesanya of Tempo Recording fame. He was trying to convince us that the guy was not doing the work well, not knowing he was only trying to worm himself into our hearts.
Although, my manager, Baloo told me that Mosebolatan was only looking for a way to penetrate us, I said he should just leave him. He said he wanted to be recording for us but he doesn’t have a recording deck. He said I should give him money to buy one, which I did. That was how he started recording us.
And because of what he told us, we started doing away with the other guy, and we embraced Mosebolatan. Then, Murhi Thunder wasn’t exposed as he is now, he was still my boy. We started giving Mosebolatan Murhi Thunder’s live cassettes to be playing at events.
Later, they settled the rift between us and Tempo Recording owner, Abass Adesanya. We agreed that Mosebolatan should be recording Murhi Thunder while Tempo should be with us. But something happened. He said other artistes have representatives among Music Advertising Association of Nigeria (MAAN). Then, he said he would be the one that will be representing us. We asked him to enlighten us on how we could do that. He said we had to move from the level we were to another level. We came to a conclusion that he should be a promoter, that he would be the one to be selling our albums. That’s how he became a promoter and marketer at the same time. I asked how he would be getting money to carry on with the job, I told him we will get the money for him. After the production of Murhi Thunder which we did together, I went to Ajimututu in Ibadan, Oyo State. I told the man he should lend us some money to bankroll the project. I promised the man that if he obliged, I would do an album for him, personally. The man accepted to give us the money on my recognition. He did that favour for us. That was how Mosebolatan became a marketer and promoter.
How come both of you now fell apart?
Mosebolatan wasn’t the one that came directly. One guy came to me, his name is Jelili Ahasa, who was usually working with him. They have a caucus of drummers and percussionists and if you’re an artiste, you will have to hire them for your shows. We usually paid for their service, yet they still come to you to seek your assistance because they believe you’re the one making a lot of money, gaining most from the relationship. They believe people know you. So, they came to me, seeking my assistance. I told them, I usually collect about N3 million for that kind of album. But he said I should just help them, that I shouldn’t think about the money, but I said no problem and I obliged. I requested for N1m. The guy said he doesn’t have up to N1m. He said he had just N650,000 but I insisted he should pay at least N700,000. But he told me he couldn’t afford it. Later, I agreed to go ahead, even with the N650,000 he wanted to pay. But when we’re supposed to be recording, Mosebolatan now came in and said he wanted to have the job. I now asked why he wanted to do that after all he wasn’t the one we negotiated with, it’s Jelili. I told him I was using it to help Jelili, then how come he is the one coming in to lay claim to the job. I told him it’s like a favour to Jelili but if the guy now gives you the job on his own, that’s none of my business. That means he has sold the right to you. Then, I started doing the job as agreed, but Mosebolatan said he wanted a new album. I challenged him on that because that was not my agreement with Jelili who contacted me for the job. I told him what I was doing was like a favour because I didn’t collect the actual amount for the job. On a good day, I used to collect at least N2 million for that kind of job, and Jelili was only paying me N650,000. He insisted that I must do it. Then, my album was N6 million.
Mosebolatan insisted I must release an album for him and if I failed to do that, he would use his office to fight me. I told him he should go ahead, and no matter what he might want to do, I won’t go below the price I charged him. The best I could do was to record for him for N4 million and he would have to pay me for the one I have done first before proceeding to another one. He said he would report me to the association. I told him he should go ahead. Mosebolatan only paid me for a bottle of Coke and he was requesting for a crate, it’s not possible. He now reported me to some people, they called and begged me to help. But I told them if I was to help him, I won’t take less than N3 million. He now said he couldn’t afford that, but I also insisted I won’t collect that N650,000. That was how we left the matter like that for years.
When exactly did the issue happen?
That was about six or seven years ago.
Did he later report you to MAAN?
Yes, he did after some years. The association invited me and requested to know what happened. I told them Mosebolatan negotiated and paid for a bottle of Coke and he was asking for a crate, which I said I couldn’t give. How can I give him a crate of Coke when he actually requested and paid for a bottle? They all asked of what I could do to assist him, but I told them my album by then was N6 million. So, I couldn’t take less than that. But they told me I had said I could collect N3m and I said yes so far that was what he could afford. But Mosebolatan was saying I must do the album for him for just N650,000. It was at that spot I told the members of the association I won’t do it if Mosebolatan was still insisting I must do an album for N650,000. He should just leave, if he couldn’t go for N3m, he should just forget it out-rightly. He said he would deal with me, and I told him to go ahead. In 2010/2011, they came up with a law that no artiste should release more than two albums in a year, and anybody who goes against the law will be dealt with. They also said no artiste should use provocative titles in his album or music. And the law remained so. But in 2012, Pasuma released three albums, Danceable, Distinction and Gateway, they didn’t ban any of the jobs. I did mine in 2013, the third album was Main Man; they now banned it. I earlier released Time Factor and Impact before Main Man, which they banned. I had to challenge them for banning my third album, which they didn’t do to Pasuma who had released three albums before mine. I told them it’s a wrong decision. They told my marketer, Golden Point to appeal to the association, which I insisted he shouldn’t. But later, I asked him to beg them so that peace would reign. After all these, they now told me that the ban still remained for six months. I just kept quiet, I didn’t want to talk to any of the members of the association. They told me I had to play for one of their members, I think his name is Toyin Fatoyinbo a.k.a Eko for Show, which I turned down. I told them, they can’t ban me and still expect me to play for them. I told them they can’t use any power to force me to do anything I am not willing to do. After then, Mosebolatan now brought Pasuma to my area to perform, and tagged the job, Pasuma Takes over Ajegunle. I said was it not the same Mosebolatan that headed the meeting where it was agreed that no one should give his job a provocative title. He said what was I working on, I told him. I also had a job with the title, Take over impossible. He said that’s not possible. That’s how the rancour started. But when I informed my lawyer, he said we shouldn’t fight anybody because of that. He said we should make peace by writing a letter to the association and report Mosebolatan. We wrote the association, narrating all what happened. We concluded that Mosebolatan should desist from favouritism so that peace could reign. With that, MAAN misinterpreted the letter, saying I had taken the association to court.
Were you banned in the real sense of it? Are you really feeling it?
No, I am not because I am not feeling it. Before the ban, the highest the audio could sell were 10,000 copies. Now, they have sold over 50,000 copies of Tantaroba. The video CD they could sell before were about 15,000 copies if it was tagged with an event such as K1 Daughter’s weddings. But now, Saidi Osupa’s video CDs sell up to 95,000. So, where is the effect of the ban on me? They should just continue with their ban, and I should just continue progressing.
So, the ban has not in any way affected your career?
Not at all. I don’t feel it, rather it’s a blessing.
Apart from Mosebolatan, is there any member of the association that is against you?
No, it’s Mosebolatan who is running the association from his own perspective, and I believe when other marketers understand that he is leading the association to nowhere, they will impeach him. I enjoy good support from other members. Even, the marketers in Alaba, the Association of Label Owners and so on are all in my support.
Don’t you think the issue will revisit the rivalry between you and Pasuma?
I don’t think so. Let’s look at it from two angles: Mosebolatan may want to use Pasuma as cover up, Pasuma may not know anything about it. Also, Pasuma may know about it. But left to me, I have nothing against Pasuma. The issue is between me and Mosebolatan.
Let’s talk about another key issue. You made a surprise appearance at one of K1 daughter’s wedding on Sunday, March 9, 2014…
(Cuts in) No, it wasn’t a surprise appearance. I was duly invited. Besides, I was reciprocating K1’s gesture because he had done it before. People never believed he could attend my mother’s burial but he did. So, why won’t I attend his daughter’s wedding?
But people said you’re particularly invited to the one of Tuesday, March 4, 2014, not the one you attended because the first of the three weddings was that of your brother-in-law, Quwiy Bisnillahi…
(Cuts in) That’s the reason I didn’t go on Tuesday because people will be thinking that I couldn’t have come if not for my brother-in-law.
But your wife was there?
Yes, she must be there. I just wanted people to know I had to reciprocate Ayinde Wasiu’s gesture.
But some people said peace was brokered by Wasiu’s bosom friend, Alhaji Akinade Fijabi and Lati Alagbada, how true is it?
The truth is that nobody ever believed I would come, that’s why they were surprised. Nobody brokered any peace that day. What happened was that when I was coming in, they came to welcome me. They are my fathers. We exchanged pleasantries. I now asked them of Wasiu Ayinde’s whereabouts, and they told me. They said I should let him come out and when he came out, I greeted him. There is no fight between us.
Why is it that some are now saying you prostrated for him, begging him?
(Laughs) I greeted him.
Does that mean you have ended your five year rift with him?
I have told you, we don’t have any quarrel. Everybody knows that Saidi Osupa is K1’s son and that K1 is my father. Even late Ayinde Barrister told me, ‘Omo Wasiu ni e, oju e koko yen’ (laughs). K1 was the only person I could relate with then. I don’t know how I could be relating with Barrister because the distance was too much. Barrister was like grandfather. So, that’s why I was very close to K1 then. So, it was a kind of misinformation that caused the crisis. When the crisis was very hot was when he came to my mother’s burial, when he was not even supposed to come.
Now peace has started to reign between you and K1?
Yes, by the special grace of God. Our relationship will never turn sour again. So, let all the mischief makers go under. We’re at peace and that will continue for life. Why do I need to quarrel with him? Wasiu Ayinde is a special handiwork of God. He is like something brought out of nothing. When Ayinde Barrister was alive, Wasiu wasn’t his match. But the truth is that Wasiu is specially gifted. Even those who are older are still running after him till date. He struggled to get himself established. So, I always see him as a special creature, and that’s exactly what I respect in him. That’s why each time he sings, I will just be looking at him and be praising God, appreciating Him for bringing something out of nothing. But my own case is like re-establishing something that was already in existence. No matter how talented you may be, you can’t hijack Wasiu’s fans. People who are struggling to hijack his fans have not succeeded. He has his fans very strong. And it’s obvious that his fans are different from mine. So, why do we need to quarrel? It’s all about misinformation but now, we’re one.
– TADE ASIFAT
