How does it feel being 80?
I am over 80; I am 83 year-old plus six months. I will be 84 on Boxing Day, which is December 26 and by God’s grace, I have been healthy all through.
How is your typical day like?
On a typical day, I get up around 5am latest by 6am as I am used to such routine because as a musician I could play anytime. After all these years, it has become my second nature not to do anything but work. I live in a town called Ijebu-Ijesha, which is my root. When I get up in the morning, I go on a road walk for one hour and cover about 3km. I have moved away from Lagos since 2008, so I get to prepare my breakfast and get ready for the day’s work. I don’t do what I shouldn’t do at this age. So I say my prayers, live well, which to me is not a matter of money but mind frame.
You still play your favourite, the tenor saxophone?
I played some nights ago at La Scala, Muson Centre at a dinner and exhibition for Chief Ernest Shonekan. He clocked 71. The exhibition was held in the morning while a dinner party was held for him in the evening and I performed.
Is any of your kids taking after you?
I don’t want them to do what I do if they don’t want to. Music is my love and they have their love too. Yet, they till appreciate music and can sing. My boy can play the trumpet before he was three years old. One of them is in the medical field in the States and the one here is into Estate Management and designing. I have just two of them but have many other children who are not my biological children.
Your contemporaries had many wives and children
That’s their blues and headache.
How come you did not have more than one as a musician?
Why should I? My father had only one wife before he died not two so why should I have many wives? What are they to me?
Recently the world music day was celebrated all over the world but it seemed Nigeria is yet to catch up with the tradition. What is your take on this?
COSON has caught up with it.
Has someone that has witnessed the rise and fall of Nigerian music, has Nigerian music improved?
You know the technique of life changes. And what was happening in the past even though the musicians of those days were not making millions like those of today. But at least, there are certain things they put into consideration and that is the artiste who work hard enough compose good music, release meaningful lyrics and that alone is a plus. But these days, what do you have? A lot of artistes who have made it, most of them don’t play any instrument. They only sing. Many also don’t have an iota of truth in what they sing if at all it is meaningful. The business of music pays. The younger generation looks at the other parts of the world trying to imitate them. In other words what I’m trying to let you know is that originality has been placed at the background. The thing that makes music thick is meaningful lyrics, good sound and varieties. As things all over the world is changing, it has affected us here. The youths today are after money. Everybody is after money, I’m after money too but I won’t do it to the detriment of my own health or life. I play music and it makes me happy, what else do I want. My philosophy in life is being happy in whatever condition.
The business of music has not fully gotten hold of us here
Music business does not only depend on the musicians. Management of music and musicians is an integral part of the business. Apart from the management side, there are other technical wings like recording, good recording management companies up to legal. There must be a legal department. And these are things that can improve the situation of the music industry. So it is not done by the musicians getting on the stage playing and running about to get tracks and all that. The responsibility of a musician is to compose and to play good music. There are other auxiliary arms of the industry to take care of other things.
How do you feel as the man that popularised highlife music?
I don’t know about that. Highlife music is our music not only Nigerian music but all over the west coast of Africa. So the prominence it had before has not waned down but the problem is we don’t have educated musicians. In other words, musicians that knows the theory and practice of musicians. How many orchestras have you seen, how many instrumentalists have you seen? When last did you watch a full band playing highlife music? The first thing a musician should know is the theory and practice of music. You can do anything. These are the problems of this country.
I remember there was a time the musicians had an audience at the presidential villa when Segun Obasanjo was the president. And at that meeting, he made a promise of having three academies of music in Nigeria but how many of us think that this is something that is very important to the music industry in Nigeria. It is not only performing music, we need to research into our music and our music instruments. And to do that we need gems who are brainy. Also when you talk about that, some believe that we should have music as part of the schools but how many music teachers do we have? How many teachers know about functional music? I have trained many students, even an American professor who I taught how to play the flute and when he was going back to the States, because he was seconded by WHO to work at UCH Ibadan, I had to give him extra lessons because he was aware that whenever they take him into by WHO, he may not be able to get a music instructor. We have a lot of work to do and the first thing to do is to train our younger ones on music. We don’t realise what music education do to students. If you are a good musicians, you‘ll be a good mathematician.
Victor Olaiya and you are the living contemporary of highlife, what were the unique attribute of your music back then?
Those were original composition. I composed that one before the 60s. We had so many others too. You mentioned Victor Olaiya, he was not a professional musician, when I returned from Europe. The first band I led, the Cool Cats, Victor Olaiya was the third trumpeter. Bala Miller was one; the lead trumpeter was one of my musicians I trained in England. That was the West End Cool Cats Orchestra. The Cool Cats of Africa, I formed it in Birmingham, England and these were musicians that I trained myself. When I graduated and started playing in a band, I perform in Birmingham because I stayed in Birmingham a lot of times. I got my friends and they saw me, they got interested in Music. And after several months, I visited Birmingham again and they don’t have an instructor. I decided to give then time to train and after some few months we were able to form a band known as ‘Kool Cats of Africa.’ Of course, finally Victor Olaiya was the leader of the band when I left to form my own band, Chris Ajilo and his Cubanos, the professional musicians. I don’t believe that professionals should be earning and this was the thing that made me to leave. If it is N20, 10 pounds or 2 pounds after a performance, I don’t believe in that. I believe that if you have a band, you must be able to pay them salaries. I tell you one thing; Nigerian musicians of those days even though they were not trained have good ears. If they take up a foreign record and practice without having the music education, they will play it after listening to it over time.
What were the high moments of your career sir?
Everyday is a high moment. Something is always happening musically or otherwise. I play music, I lecture music, I advise on music, copyright is my baby. All these, I have an involvement even trade unionism. When I play music, no matter how much you pay me, my satisfaction is playing music and having a good performance and that is what I always aim at any moment. That is why, if you go into the internet, you hear about Chris Ajilo all over the place outside even this country. I wrote my autobiography before it was even launched; I got people getting in touch with me from all over the world. How much is it? They asked.
What would want to be remembered for sir, any national awards?
Which national awards? I don’t need a national award because I am not after that. What I am after is to do a good job.
You are one of the talented saxophonists in Nigeria and you trained Celestine Ukwu
I just blow my horn men. That’s my baby. I did not only train Celestine Ukwu but many others. I trained Hausas artistes too.
You must have made a fortune performing
I told you I don’t do music because of money. I was the only music producer on the staff of Polygram international. I was the only resident producer and it makes no difference being in the studio for 24 hours. I love it, it is my life. It is not the money. Stephen Osadebe, I brought him back to Polygram Records and many others. When you love your job that should be your main focus. When you come to my house, you see a Gold disc and it consists of the production I have done for different artistes. Where I should have about 5 Gold Discs, I only have one for producing so many artists. That is good enough for me.
How was your relationship with Bobby Benson?
Baba oh! I was his vice president when we formed the Nigerian Union of Musicians NUM. Even though, he was aggressive and full of franks but it doesn’t worry me. Bobby Benson didn’t want competitors. I first came from UK and he wanted me to play in my band and I told him I don’t come here to play in your band. I’ve been leading my own band in Europe. So I don’t need it. He even went to my late mother. Pacifying him, we formed a band known as BEN MS AJIL. Mil Atteh was one of those that I brought to the music school and was trained, Central School of Dance Music. When I was coming home, Mil from Ghana said he couldn’t stay on his own in London, so he came with me. He is late now but we were together in the NBC Dance Orchestra, which I led before he went back to Ghana.
Did you meet Fela Anikulapo Kuti?
Fela Haha! When I was leading the NBC Dance Orchestra he came back from London working with NBC. He will stay up watching us rehearsing in the studio. My band doesn’t only play Afro beat, I play all kinds of music. Of course, you journalists always like controversies. The issue of the creator of afro beat alone almost caused a controversial war between me and Fela. I told them, there is no need for it. He is my junior; I have been playing this type of rhythm for a long time. When he capitalised on it, those who understand will know better, I saw no reason shouting about being the creator? No, I have composed music that other bands have recorded, ‘Ariwo bi Aye,’ ‘Aiku bi Aye,’ Osibi Sax recorded it and many other artistes including American artistes. A Nigerian from the States phoned me asking me, how much do I get from royalties on those who have recorded ‘Ariwo bi Aye.’ I told her I don’t need it.
You also met Alade and did stuffs with him
Art Alade was a keyboardist playing with a band in a passenger boat travelling in the pacific and all that. We came back on a visit to Nigeria with his Australian partner, his wife. And he got a job with the NBC. I was then playing at GanGannite club in Lafia, Ibadan. Anytime I come to Lagos from Ibadan. I used to visit him and advised him, why don’t you have a band that will accompany you? (Pause) Art Alade! May his soul rest in peace, later on decided to have a band, the Jazz Preachers. We were together broadcasting on TV every week. The Jazz preachers played at the opening of Eko Hotel on New Year’s Eve. After that, we got a contract to at the Eko Holiday Inn and this was in 1978 when I just lost my son, my eldest. He was just 14 years old when he had an accident.
Do you have any regrets?
For what? I have no regret in life.
May be something you would have done better
It’s between me and my God and he knows how to forgive me even if I had sinned against him.
How was your upbringing sir?
My father died before I was nine. My mother brought five children up. We had to do everything by ourselves. My mother trained me on how to do a lot of things: how to go to the market, grinding pepper. My dad was a lay reader in the church and could play the instruments.
My father had only five children and I’m the only one left today. I’m the fourth child. The fifth, Funmilayo Williams was a vocalist as well as an actress. I have worked in many places and have gone to Europe and many countries in Africa. I wasn’t playing music. I have worked in the boat. During the 2nd world war while I was in school, I was going to the Royal Navy Ships berthed at Marina. I was washing clothes for them. I worked in the galley and travelled as far as Dakar. I’ve done a lot of things in my life not stealing.
My songs
OjuRereAti Emi Mimo is my composition. Eko O gbagbere, Suzzie, O ti lo wajuabeni Ade. I don’t know if I’m receiving royalties o.
Right now I am lecturing at St Matthews Cathedral in Ijebu Ijesha. My advice to young musicians or aspiring musicians is to learn music and learn an instrument. My dream in life before God calls me home is to have an academy in Ijebu Ijesha.
The women in my lives
I never had more than one wife in my life. My first wife had my first son for me. My wives are my favourite until they fall out.
My second wife was the one that has two kids for me and resides in Akoka, Lagos. She picked a quarrel with me. she had a friend who was wayward and used to advise her wrongly. At that I was living in Ibadan. She packed all my good in a lorry and moved out of the house. I used to advice her about the kind of friends she keeps. She moved my things to Abeokuta. And I had to involve soldiers who were my friends to get my things back. I don’t deny her the mother of my children. She married another man who was a top executive in UTC. The man has since died.
In fact when I first came back from Europe after the Second World War, I met my wife in Ibadan. She was a beautiful woman.
Baba Ani was a secondary school student when I trained him in music.
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