Many People Don’t Know OLUBADAN Is My Father-In-Law

• 2 Hours With FUJI Star, SULE ALAO MALAIKA

If an opinion poll is conducted today about which Fuji artiste is the most humble in the industry, his name will top the list. That is because every one believes Alhaji Sule Alao Malaika, popularly called Malaika is humble to a fault. Not for him, all the gragra that comes with the territory. He is forever sobre and surreal in his bearing. He is not loud. He is not arrogant in any way or form. That comes from his upbringing.

For those who still don’t catch the drift, lets tell you a little about Malaika who is one of the leading Fuji stars in Nigeria today. Two Sundays back, he opened a magnificent mansion at Ajah and he invited popular Muslim clerics from all over the south western states to come and bless the house. All his colleagues in the industry rallied round him from Obesere to Osupa, Kolade Onanuga, Saka Orobo and Sefiu Alao from Abeokuta and many more. His mentor, K1 came. So also Waka Queen, Salawa Abeni, who looked sweet in her outfit. Many came because of Malaika’s unique reputation as the most humble successful  Fuji artiste, in the industry. He remains the only Fuji artistes that has a one-on-one relationship with every Fuji artiste in the industry. No wonder they honoured him and made his day. A few days after the all-white house warming ceremony, City People Publisher SEYE KEHINDE and Senior Reporter, SUNDAY ADIGUN, spent two hours  with Malaika at his Lagos home and we found him to be a man with simple taste.

He is a good Muslim and easy going guy whose story has not been told. Not many people know that Malaika is close to the popular Muslim cleric, Sheikh Muyideen Only few people know that the current Olubadan of Ibadanland is not only his father-in-law, but his music producer for very many years.

These and many more were the revelations that came out of spending an evening with this most widely traveled fuji star. We also found out that Malaika is in high demand as he plays back to back both home and abroad.  He told us the story of how he was born into Islam, how his grand dad was into music. And also his dad. He was also into music and how his mum tried vigorously to stop him from going into music because it was not lucrative. But for the timely intervention of his grand mum he would not have pursued his musical career. His dad is Alhaji Kamorudeen Ayinla Saka Orunto and mum Alhaja Rukayat Aduke Mojirayo.

Today, Malaika looks back at his 34 years in music with joy and happiness. He started his music career in 1983, had his first album Mr. Wonder in December 1993 and released it in January 1994 but the album that launched him to limelight was Recompense in year 2000. Read on. He has an interesting story to tell.

How did you feel on Sunday when you had you house warming and you saw all the Muslim clerics, and kings in attendance?

It was a great honour. I felt very great. I felt happy. To achieve that is not easy. It was really joyful. I was looking at myself that this won’t be my 1st house. It was not as if I have never done something like this before. I give Allah the glory. I have done little ones before, but I have never called on anybody to come and celebrate with me. My management said I have to celebrate it.

They said this one we have to say something  about it. We did it because of our fans out there and to let the whole world know that a musician too can achieve that feat. We needed to let our fans both home and abroad to know that we are doing great here, is doing good. I was really happy. I am happy that all the Muslim cleric came, the top Obas like the Olubadan, the Epe King. It is not easy. Some alfas called me that I didn’t invite them. They said they heard about it, they saw it on Facebook I had to beg them. Its not deliberate. I am a very easy going person. I am not used to putting big parties like that together.

I get tired of such things easily. I had to tell them emabinu. I am sorry. I am very happy. People kept calling me for invitation. Those who didn’t were angry.  It was a great one to see the Oloja of Epe, Oba Animashaun, Oba Elejigbo of Lamgbasa, the Olubadan. I invited so many Obas. Some called to explain to me that they won’t be able to make it. That one in itself is ok.

A lot of your colleagues also came. How did you feel?

I felt happy. Everybody in the industry is my friend, both old and young. Its good to be friendly. I don’t like making enemies. Its not good. It won’t take you guy way. If there is any of your colleague who does not like you, you don’t have to give it back to him. Go ahead, make friends with him or her. We have to take ourselves the way we are. I called all of them myself. Even if I feel you don’t like me, I will still call you. I told some of them please ooo, you must come ooo. I have called you like 2 to 3 times. I even called them to remind them. In the past, some of you didn’t come, this one you must come ooo. They made it. And I appreciated it. I was overwhelmed to see my colleagues attend what I was doing. It was an inspiration. They inspired me. You can see Obesere jumping up and dancing. Me too I was happy that my colleague came.

 How did you feel when you also saw K1? You have his big photograph on your wall here. Do you have a special relationship with him?

(Laugh)  Baba is my mentor. He paved the way for me and many others in the music industry he is my father. He is my mentor. He is my role model.

I am his boy. His coming to my house warming is for him to come and bless his son. Its like I am coming to the house of my son. Omo mi. Omo ti mobi. My achievement is his own achievement. He says it in his songs that I am his son. I am part of his hardwork. I was very happy, he came. I am very happy that Alaaye came. I know he had a show that day, outside Abeokuta. He said: Alao, how are we going to do it? Where I am going is outside Abeokuta. He then said I will come, even if its coming to see you at 5am in the morning. He made it very early in the morning.

I have not moved to my new house. But because of him, I slept in that house so as to be able to receive him very early that morning. I didn’t want him to get there before me. It would not sound good of me to miss his visit more so he had told me he will be coming, but he might be early. I had to be there before his arrival. I really appreciate him. May he live long for me.

You are very humble. What really inspires that humility?

Like I said earlier. We are created differently. Its only God that can answer that. Its just a gift of life. It’s a privilege to be like this. Its very good to be humble. That how my parents trained me. They always let me know that you have to be humble. Humility can disarm people. If you are humble things will come your way. Every good thing won’t leave you. People can correct you when you go wrong. But if you are not humble they will leave you to make mistakes.

They won’t advise you. That’s why I don’t live alone. I always have people with me, my advisers.

Before I do something or go somewhere I will let them go. If they ask me not to go. I will not go. If we take a decision and there are blames we would share it.

I can see the photograph of late Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister on your wall. Were you close to him in his life time? What was your relationship with him?

Ha! Baba niyen. May his soul rest in perfect peace. His death really touched me. His music inspired me. Baba in his lifetime was a very good man.

Did he influence you in any way?

He influenced me in so many ways. Let me tell you the truth today. When I listen to Barrister I fell someone is injecting me with music. Till today, I still see Barrister as someone who is still alive. He laid a very good example for us. Anytime he met me then, he will say Malaika, I do listen to your music ooo,  don’t change ooo. Keep it up like that. If any marketer say this or that or gives you don’t accept. He gave so many examples of my music. He said look at your music Ijo Olomo there is no place in this our country that they will not play it. Just keep giving them tunes that are ever green.

Don’t work for a job that is for a moment ooo. He will always advice me, that one alone is even more than money. I have it in my brain. He says maintain your music, its your future.

Why did you move to Ajah to build your house?

One of my fans gave me the land. He is my late brother Olanrewaju Subair. His alias is Lore1. He gave me that land. The one I did before that, I didn’t buy also. It is a place to be. Lekki/Ajah is a place to be. Ikeja too is a place to be. I was born and bred in the heart Lagos Island. I am used to that neighbourhood.

Let’s talk about you and Sheik Muyideen Bello? He spoke glowingly about you at the event. How did you meet him?

I met him right from when I was a child. I was born into Islam. I see this Baba as my role model. I like being bold. Baba is bold too. Baba will tell you publicly that what you are doing is bad, in front of everybody. He believes that the shame of his making it public will make you change. That is the No 1 thing I love in him.

He is an Alfa that will not say give me money let me do something for you to make you successful. He is not one of those who will say I can see your future. You future is bright or before you can achieve this, you have to do this. Noo. The only thing he has to give you is prayer. Till today he still remains No 1. God has been blessing.

How often do you release your albums?

Just once a year. I thank God for the one for this year. My album for this year is number one. Everybody out there can testify to it. I thank God. I release my album yearly. It comes out, any month in the year, no particular month. Next years album is almost ready. Anytime from January, it will come out. I gather materials for my album  from people and events around me and what is happening in society. I am a Producer, I am a song writer. Anything that comes to me I jot it down. I record it on my phone.

Malaika is easily the most traveled Fuji artiste. London today, America tomorrow, Dubai after and you still play back to back locally here? How do you do it?

I thank God for that. These days we play almost everyday. I play here, I play there. I travel a lot to play. London today, America tomorrow. It’s a privilege. Thats why I love the Yorubas. Anywhere they are in the world they will fly you there to perform at their event.

They work hard abroad and to relax their brains they invite us to perform. They like to have their favourite artistes around them, to thrill them, so every month, they fly us out to perform. In Nigeria here we play back-to-back. We have shows every other day. Its not only on weekends. These days we start on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, we play 5 days at a stretch.

Like now, I had an event on Monday, the following day after the Sunday house warming. Sometimes my fans are surprised. They will ask: you travelled a few days ago and in less than 2 to 3 days time you are back here to perform. This has happened to me several times. I will perform here in Lagos, once the show is over, I will go straight to the airport and as I land at Heathrow I will go straight to a party I am telling you. Most times I have to change my clothes in a car.

I will play at the party and from the venue of the party I will go straight back to Heathrow Airport, board the plane and go back to Lagos. Once I land at Murtala Muhammed Airport I will go out to another show. That has happened to me several times. That is why my management decided that I should make noise about my new house and let my fans know and invite them to celebrate with us. That was why my last party was elaborate. I decided on colour white. Some people say we should pick Aso Ebi I said No. I don’t want to pick Aso Ebi. Lets do white. They said I should do a stage and let artistes come and perform one after the other, I said No. If you do that you are going to have the party as a carnival. I didn’t want a carnival. We had the party on a field in front of the house and we put a carpet there to cover the sand.

You are close to the Olubadan of Ibadan. Are you from Ibadan?

No. I was born and bred on Lagos Island. But I hail from Abeokuta, in Ago-Owu area I am from Ogun State. That is where my father comes from. My mother is from Ibadan, ni ile Oluyole. Baba Adetunji, the Oba of Ibadanland is my father. He is my label owner called Baba Alaje Record. He is my inlaw. The Olubadan is my father in law. His daughter is my wife. She lives under my roof. He is my inlaw. He is my father. I met his daughter years after we started our business transactions. I met her after about 4 to 5 years after we started relating.