By Ayeni Adekunle
CONDOLENCES
Spent Saturday morning visiting the Esiris. It was just a few days after their father Justus Esiri passed on, and it was good to see Dr. SID and his siblings were not mourning.
Good to know they’re using this time to celebrate their great father and take testimonies from the many lives he touched, while picking up lessons that’ll prove useful for their own lives moving forward.
It must have been late last year I last saw Justus Esiri. It was at the Golf club in Ikeja, Lagos. I was with a group of friends, and as he passed by, he stopped for a minute, exchanging pleasantries and sharing our joke. No one could have guessed he’d be gone in a month or two. Who can guess when anyone will go, anyway?
With Esiri, Enebeli Elebuwa, Ashley Nwosu, Pete Eneh, and Sam Loco Efe now gone, we don’t need anyone to tell us it’s the founding fathers of Nollywood we’re seeing check out one by one. That’s our greatness, our history, our encyclopedia being wiped away before our very eyes…
STILL IN GOLDIE SHOCK
Confession: I’m one of those who never really gave Goldie a chance. For many years I just kept wondering: ‘Who’s this girl with so much money to throw around? Who’s this girl that’s so desperate to buy fame and all that comes with it?‘
But three things made me change my mind.
1. I saw her perform live on stage, and saw hard work and dedication at play. Whatever she lacked in musical talent, she made up for with her rich live performance – blending choreography, fashion, acrobatics and suspense.
2. I found out from Keke Ogungbe how she got herself signed to Kennis Music and realized the young lady had a clear map of how she wanted to get to the top. And she was determined to go on, no matter what critics said.
3. We had a long meeting at the BHM office one night. It was a frank discussion that showed me the woman behind the ‘Goldie’ brand. I saw ambition and determination, but I also saw sincerity and simplicity. Goldie was all an act; a character. Susan, the real Susan, appeared vulnerable and unsure.
I saw her off that night convinced she would go far; very far, whether we gave her the support she wanted or not. It wasn’t long before she got on BBA Stargame and became a household name on the continent. If one had any doubt whether she succeeded or not, the reactions from Uganda, Kenya, Zimbabwe, South Africa, America and elsewhere were enough to convince anyone how far her star shone, and how many homes and hearts she touched during her short stay here.
It’s not how long you live, I’ve always said, using Jimi Hendrix (27), Elvis Presley (42), Jesus Christ (33), Dagrin (22), Bob Marley (36), and many others who passed on in their prime as examples. It’s how well.
What’s the point of being a Methuselah, living forever with no impact whatsoever?
I believe that just like Dagrin, Goldie packed 80 years into a score plus some. And she’s moved on to other assignments…
MIGHTY PROUD OF DEOLA AND DAREY
I’ve been friends with the Alades for over six years. And they’ve been planning to do a major concert and a world class TV production since the first time we spoke.
I’m happy that dream finally came to pass on February 17, when Darey staged what, in my opinion, is the greatest music concert to ever happen in this country.
Big-budget by every standard, and world-class, just like they wanted, Love Like A Movie was for me, a reminder that great things can still happen here. And it’s a pleasant surprise that while promoters with big budgets are throwing events in the class of ‘Literary & debating day’ or campus concerts, Darey and his label easily pulled off such a major project with a majority of their own funds, with support from First Bank, Fayrouz and a few others.
I don’t know yet whether they made a profit. But I can see the benefits in millions of dollars already. Apart from getting credit for raising the bar and planting his name in the history books forever, the success of LLAM and the attention it’s getting in local and foreign media (mostly due to the attention-grabbing Kim Kardashian, and silly rumours she was paid a fortune to come down here, I must admit) is already rubbing off on Darey’s career, and from what I’ve heard, some big spenders are already asking to be part of the next show. Darey has been eyeing int’l attention for sometime. He’s got more than a foot in the door now…
The biggest beneficiary, though, is the music and events industry here. We’ve been in dire need of an upgrade for some time. What LLAM has done is to show us it is possible. I’m certain many will take the cue to begin to do wonders in the coming months…
GUN SHOTS FROM OBI ASIKA AND CO
So I was on a panel with Segun Demuren (EME), Audu Maikori (Chocolate City), Toju Ejueyitchie (Premier Music) and Nkiru Asika (SMW) at The Beat 99.9FM /Billboard Music Conference last week.
We were talking about music distribution and challenges, looking at the labels here, financing and other issues.
I’ve always believed the generation of labels before those we have now, didn’t put their money where their mouths were. I also believe, and I always share this with those close to me, that today’s labels need to put systems in place, run like proper business with all requisite structures, and ensure that no matter how big an artiste becomes, it’s clear that they’re just one little element in a major system. Herculean? Yes. Possible? Absolutely. It may take mergers and acquisitions. It may have strong implications for ownership structures and eventual profits. It may even mean those kinds of Chocolate City-Keem Bello Osagie moves. But for the labels to continue this way, and hope for some miracle funding or corporate intervention, is to expose themselves and the entire recording industry to continued exploitation and eventual extinction.
The labels can be structured; they can build data and control their operations; they can build their own network of distribution, even if they start small; they can partner with other industry segments like MMAN (the association responsible for circulating mostly Juju and Fuji music). Or they can build digital, obviously cheaper and easy-to-monitor platforms like Spinlet and iTunes. I’m aware some of this is happening already, and I have no doubt some of today’s labels are run by smart businessmen and visionaries who want to – and can – do what is desired.
The labels, from Ultima to Felin, down to Kennis and Sol, and now Storm, EME, Choc, and co, have worked miracles – keeping the scene alive, building a multi-billion naira industry with zero government support and near-zero infrastructure. But if we must take the game to the next level and exploit the big, obvious opportunities, then we must sort out a few things: distribution, brand extensions, marketing, etc, while fighting off the big piracy mafia.
We must also stop thinking record sales are the only, or major, revenue earner for artistes. There are plenty of examples to the contrary, from Diddy to Jay Z, Beyonce, Wizkid, D’banj and 2face…
And we – from artiste to label owners, managers, publicists, promoters and agents – must stop thinking all the ‘profit’ we make is ours to keep. Sad to see so many talents and execs buying shares in non-music companies, buying luxury cars, houses, and lavishing millions on frivolity, without investing in training, equipment, building a skilled work force, or a proper organisation that can ensure sustainability. Industries and their products thrive on systems, as we’ve seen from banking, oil and gas, and the FMCG industries. Ruin the system, and you have the kind of issues we have in the transport, education, health, and other industries. The kind of issues we have in the music industry.
And when we talk about these issues, can we also stop thinking the pop music scene equals the entire music industry? There’s more to Nigerian music than Davido and Wizkid and Psquare. And you’ll be surprised to find out that Njideka Okeke, Asu Ekiye or Sule Alao Malaika may not be facing the same distribution, management or marketing issues as M.I, Ice Prince or Iyanya.
I think I must have said something wrong, because the bullets started coming, not just from my very good friends Audu and Segun, but from Efe Omorogbe and Obi Asika, two gentlemen who have contributed a lot to the development of whatever we call an industry today, who actually left their seats and came forward to join the debate. I was unfair in my assessment, they chorused. And with the looks on their faces, I’m certain they would have shot me if they had a gun. Or more like, thrown me out of the venue or broken my nose if they could…
Big learning day for me, listening to different perspectives from here and abroad, and just seeing all the great things that could happen here if only we’d let them. We need to have these conversations more often. And more importantly, we must follow words with action and ensure we build the industry of our dreams now that we (almost) have all the opportunities we’ve been looking for…
2 comments
Rubbish. Just because you are Dares friend does not justify bringing Kim to Nigeria whether spending a fortune or not. Kim K is a sex Symbol.. It could have been better if he brought her to feature in a porn movie that he is directing. You are just very biased. For once, why don’t you guys just put your balls in the right place. Rubbish, absolute nonsense
Why the bitterness and anger??? Na wah o. Please go and organize your own show and bring the Pope? Foolish people.