Why People Liken Me To Late Baba Ara

• ZION Singer, Apostle DEBO OJUGBUYI

Apostle Debo Ojugbuyi is an amazing artiste who has got unique style of singing, he is a crowd puller anytime, any day. The Ilaje born artiste  has been doing the Zion music for over 30 years and he always delivers whenever he mounts the musical stage.

He is being likened to late Baba Ara because of their similar style of singing in Ilaje dialect. In this interview with FEMI FABUNMI, he speaks on his musical career among other important issues. Excerpts below in this interview with City People’s Reporter FEMI FABUNMI, he speaks on his musical career and life.

Tell us more about yourself sir?

I am apostle or Prince Debo Ojugbuyi the king of Zion Music.I am from Ilaje community in Ondo state, I take Zion Music very seriously.

Fill us in more on Zion Music ?

You see Zion started in Jerusalem many centuries ago,King David was a zionist and the very first king of Jerusalem.The word Zion is spiritual, it was God that named it and that is what we the Ilajes have copied.We believe that our songs is spiritual because of our church the C&S Church.Our songs comes from the holy temple and that’s why we refer to it as holy songs.

We saw that you pulled a lot of  crowd  today , you also sing in Ilaje dialect, what inspires your choice of songs ?

I was born into the zion mission , I grew up in it,We have prophets  that is great ones ,especially the one that created Zion St. Ogunsheyunmi of Blessed memory. In 1988 the spirit came, I released my first album in 1990.The spirit of God descended on me and  since then I have been hearing angels sing .whenever it happens like that I jot them down, as I speak I have over 30 albums to my credit.

How did music start for you?

It started in 1988, I used to go to churches and would be  ministering with my songs, I was getting feedbacks and testimonies  as to how my songs healed the sick. It continued like that until one pastor came to meet me and said that I should go to the studio and do songs.In 1989/90 I released my first song and it became a hit .Since then it has been no looking back.

There is this belief among people that you sing like baba Ara, what do you have to say concerning that?

The spirit that descended on Baba Ara was a very special one, he kept singing like us, it wasn’t me that has been singing like baba Ara. When he came out, we were so close because of that spiritual heritage.There was a man that sang a particular song that Baba Ara remixed but many didn’t know. However he modernized  the style and made it popular, you know he was a celestial  it was after him that many started thinking towards that direction. Not that he created the style , it has been there but he re-awakened it.

Is it safe to say that Baba Ara gingered many Ilajepeople to sing the Zion music?

Yes ,you can say that, he gingered the non-ilajesespecially the youth to look towards that direction. Although to us theIlajes we have been singing the Zion songs for long. People like Dr Rafael Sama ,Remilekun Amos ,whose son is now singing, most Senior Apostle Megbodofo. Let me tell you that I released my first song before Baba Ara hit the studio.

How is this  Ilaje style of music described?

It is called the zion music, a type of song that is spirit- filled, it always feel like angels are coming down when you listen to the sounds of the music.

Has Music paid off for you?

Off course yes, I have travelled far and wide because of music.I have been to Europe and America.I have a house in Netherlands, all my children schooling abroad they are all  citizens of America. Music has really paid off for me The good Lord has been very good to me  I must confess.

Apart from music what other things do you do?

I am a motivational speaker, I minister with my songs  and also  tutor people. Apart from all these I don’t do any other things.Singing itself is a big task that requires enough time to think so as to drop good lyrics that people will appreciate.

How often do you get invited for shows?

I have been to many places to sing this morning , although I have not gotten a PR person that will promote me the more. For instance this is the first time I’m meeting uncle Seye Kehinde, hopefully if we get to discuss he may try to promote me so that more people will get to know me.

What advice do you have for upcoming musicians?

They should try to persevere,it is very important to do that. Many years ago King Sunny Ade was at LTV 8, I went there just to see him and take pictures with him so that I can show it to people but I was stopped because then I was nobody and it wasn’t my time.Today he calls me up to 3 times a week ,he still gave me a job recently and he paid me well.That’s life I waited for my time and it eventually paid off.So my advice to them is that they should stick to their suited genre of music and be steadfast if they do this the sky will be their limit.