Apala singer Musiliu “Haruna” Ishola has revealed how legendary Juju singer and multi-instrumentalist King Sunny Ade played a pivotal role in reviving his career.
Musiliu, one of the leading artistes in the apala genre, is the son of the late apala music pioneer Haruna Ishola.
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During an interview on the “Behind the Fame – African A-List” podcast, posted on YouTube on Monday, Musiliu said the 78-year-old helped him regain prominence in the music scene.
Recounting how the Juju singer supported his music career, Musiliu said: “When I started singing, the person I’m most grateful to is my father, King Sunny Ade. I really appreciate him. King Sunny Ade really helped me in the uplifting of my singing profession. That day, they were performing at Ariya Night Club. Nigerian Breweries called him for the show. I went there but I wasn’t bold enough to climb the stage, so I was standing backstage.
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“Then my brother, Alhaji Gani, came and asked Musiliu ‘What are you doing here?’ I said ‘I want to watch him (King Sunny Ade)’. He grabbed my hand, climbed the stage and told King Sunny Ade, ‘This is my brother, he sings. ’ And he said he had been looking at me for a long time and told me to sit on stage. Around 4:00am, King Sunny Ade gave me the microphone and told me to sing. I sang, then, money had value, and the money I earned that time was around N50,000, which is like N50 million now.”
Advice
Musiliu added that beyond offering him the chance to perform on stage, the Ondo-born singer also gave him life-changing advice.
He revealed that had he not heeded the counsel, neither he nor his songs might have gained recognition today, despite being the son of the legendary Apala singer.
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“When I finished performing and was about to leave, King Sunny Ade called me and advised me ‘, don’t pursue money, pursue a good name’ and money will come afterwards. I can’t forget, he was the first person who told me. If he didn’t love me, he wouldn’t say it. He said sometimes when your band members want to distribute money, they might murmur, just put the money down and ask them to give you your own share because ‘you’re still the one that’s looking for a name, so you can be lifted,’ that’s what he meant.
“Whenever they want to share the money and give me mine, I’d always remember King Sunny Ade’s words of advice, and do you know those who were sharing the money for me worked me to the top, I was going. Today, I’m Musiliu Haruna Ishola Organisation and those who helped me, are their names there? That’s what King Sunny Ade told me then. But had I focused on money, the work he did for me that made me popular today, he wouldn’t have done it”, said the singer.
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Drummers
Musiliu, however, appealed to drummers to exercise patience with musicians, stressing that when they become too exhausted to continue drumming, their employers can provide for them.
He stated that drums are bound to wear out, whereas voices endure indefinitely.
Musiliu noted, “My father, King Sunny Ade, has been singing for years now. Ebenezer Obey, King Sunny Ade, Alhaji Killington Ayinla, and Kwam 1 are still singing, but look at it, are those who they started with still with them? No, their hands have retired, but their voices don’t.
“That’s why drummers must be patient with musicians because if he’s tired and can’t drum again, the boss will be paying him. But nowadays drummers aren’t patient, they quickly pick fights with musicians, and once they leave the band, the drummer has no right to the band again. Some people might say I have offended them with this but that’s the fact.”
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