Everyone calls him Muri Thunder. That is his stage name. But his real name is Muritala Ademola. Muri Thunder is one of the best Fuji artistes in Nigeria. Years back, he used to be one of the artistes music fans always crave to have at their parties. But a few years back, he went off the scene and at a time, he travelled overseas.
The big news now is that this popular fuji exponent is back to what he knows how to do best. And he wants to stage his welcome back in a massive way. He is planning a big event which will take place at the City People event centre, Charly Boy Bus-Stop, Gbagada, Lagos in January 2020.
Muri Thunder was born on the 5th of August 1973 into the household of Alhaji Tiamiyu Salaudeen Orimadegun and Alhaja Moriamo Salaudeen. His music career dates back to when he was in high school at the United Christian School Apapa. He had so much love for music that he had to drop schooling which didn’t go down well with his parents that they even threatened to disown him. But he kept with faith and his insistence on making a career out of music. Muri left home at a very tender age to live with an aunt of his that encouraged and supported his career path.
In 1999, he got signed to Mosebolatan Music Label and he recorded his debut album titled OPTIMISM and that raised him to stardom where he became one of the most successful and patronised fuji music artistes in Nigeria.
A few days back, he was at the City People Magazine Head office, where he spoke to Senior Reporter, Isaac Abimbade, about his music, life; while away, and also spoke about his grouse with Malaika… Excerpts
You are one of the biggest Fuji artistes in Nigeria, but lately, you went off-scene. What is the reason behind it?
It’s the situation of the country. Everybody has been advising me to go and repackage my music. Now, I’m back and better.
Muri Thunder is a big name in the fuji industry. Tell us more about yourself?
Well, everybody knows Muri Thunder, but my real name is Muri Alabi Ademola. My new title is Mr Fuji. In the past, I was Aremo fuji when Barrister was alive. The title was given to me when he was alive. It was sometimes last year that I got the new title, Mr Fuji. If Barrister happened to be my biological father, I would have automatically succeeded him, but since our relationship was on the business level, I had to change the title to Mr Fuji from Aremo Fuji.
Tell us the reason behind your name, Thunder.
I got the name Muri Thunder from my primary school days. Most of my friends then were Igbos. So, anytime my father came to ask after me in school, he would ask if they had seen Murithador and those Igbo friends of mine would tell me that your dad came to ask for Murithador. And some of my friends even suggested I should adopt the name, and that’s how it stuck.
How did fuji start for you?
I started music at my younger age. I was about 7 when I started, in 1983, but it wasn’t fuji then. I started from Arabic School because my father was an Alfa. Out of many of us then at Islamic school, I happened to be the most confident to lead other pupils. And that’s where I got my inspiration from. From there, I did ‘Were’ during Ramadan period. Then, in our area, there was a man called Baba Alake, he used to organise competition for there artistes. It was always a competition between 2 or more artistes at Amukoko community in Lagos. I emerged winner; the first position in the competition. That was around 1985.
How did you get you big break?
I can’t even say. I just knew that people started liking my songs. Although, I have some people in my life who had helped me. People like Alhaji Mosebolatan, Alhaji Pasuma, Alhaji Osupa. I used to go to their shows, and they used to allow me to perform at their parties. That’s how the popularity and acceptance began.
Tell us some of your contemporaries in the fuji industry.
In the fuji industry, I give respect to the late Dr. Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, Dr. General Kollington Ayinla, likewise Dr. Wasiu Ayinde. If I say others are my contemporaries, I’m not lying.
Why did you now go off the scene, while many of your contemporaries are still much on stage?
Thank God for everything. Like I said earlier, the situation of the country was the major cause. And I have to also lay back a bit to restrategise.
But all this while, I have been doing music and travelling. Although I had issues with promoters, but it has been resolved. And at a point in time, I had issues with Saheed Osupa, but it has also been resolved. Some promoters are baised; some of them would say go like this or this way. What happened between myself and Osupa was just a misconception.
How do you intend to bounce back in a big way? Are you planning to add verve to reform and update your music style?
Musically, I know I’m very versatile; it’s God’s gift. People know I have a lot to offer them. I know things would turn round for better. I have a lot, but I won’t disclose them now.
What’s your latest album people should watch out for?
My recent album is Mr. Fuji and that’s why we are here to celebrate Mr. Fuji. We would also invite hip-hop artistes whom I have done collabo with. I’m actually the first fuji artiste to do a major collabo with 2Face, titled Kasa Kasa. We want to relaunch Kasa Kasa. It’s like a remix of the song.
It’s not easy for the late Alhaji Ayinde Barrister to give me that title, Aremo. And in every person’s life, there’s a challenge. Ability to bounce back when you fall makes a difference. So, I’m bouncing back.
For those who are reading your story for the first time, tell us a bit about your background, where you are from?
I’m from Oyo State, Ibadan specifically. But I was born and brought up at Amukoko, Apapa Ajegunle, in Lagos. Now, we are working on my new song video, Mr Fuji. My new album is on the way; it’s a two-in-one album. One of the albums is entitled GOAT (Greatest of All Time) while the second is entitled Fuji Charisma. We would also launch the GOAT album, but stagging my come back would be a major theme of the day.
There was a controversy at a time when Malaika said he was older than me. He granted an interview recently on BBC Yoruba programme, where he addressed me as his younger brother and that has caused controversy in the past. The bone of contention is that Malaika is claiming that he is older than me, while he is my younger brother. And in music, we are contemporaries. I have done over 30 albums. At a time, I was the most sought fuji artiste. I did many collabos with fuji legends but when I had that trouble with Saheed Osupa and promoters, things started changing. Malaika is just being childish for calling me his younger brother.
Tell us the genesis of this rift between you and Malaika?
About 15 years ago when Malaika and I were doing a fuji collabo at Goldmyne Studio, Malaika addressed me as his younger one. And immediately, I responded and the recording had to stop. So Malaika walked out of the studio. He didn’t continue with the collabo, but I did the remaining. When he granted an interview on BBC, we expected him to use that medium to make amend and let sleeping dog lies, but he also brought up the issue. When he was asked about his relationship with me, he said I was his younger brother. And a lot of my fans had been calling me to react to the claim. That’s why I said he’s being childish for his utterances.
