Alhaji Morufu Adio Egbinola is a known face in the industry and one of the leading voices in the Fuji Musici genre. Morufu Ebi as fondly called back then was a household name and his music was classy in its own rights. He seems to experience a lull in his music career in times past, but the never- say-die Musician who said he was born into Music is gradually bouncing back to reckoning. The Business Package engaged him to explore the new rave from his stable expecially his new album entitled " Fota Le Fun Olorun . Excerpts.
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Q: Kindly Introduce Yourself Sir.
A: My name is Alhaji Moruf Adio Egbinola Omo Jolaoso popularly known as Morufu Ebi.
Q: Where do you hail from in Abeokuta?
A: I am from Isale Ijeun.
Q: Everyone knows you to be Morufu Ebi and now you have a new identity. You are now known as Morufu Egbinola, what is the correlation between the two names and identities?
A: The name "Morufu Ebi", was the name I adopted when i started music as a newbie. You know in life, there is the tendency for someone to consider a change of name and identity. That is responsible for the new name " Morufu Egbinola". It was the opinion and contention of some of my fans that since I have now come of age, I should turn my name to Egbinola.
Q: How did you come about the name, Morufu Ebi ?
A: My brother, that was a long story. It was like a child's play. Those whom we were moving together then actually invented the name. It was during one of our routine outings. I was given a substance that was alien to my body. I have never taken such a substance before. In less than 10 minutes, it changed a lot of things. The next thing was that i was seriously famished and I was shouting: " I'm hungry, I'm hungry". Thereafter, i was given food and I slept off. By the next day, people started addressing me as " Morufu Ebi". That was how the name stocked.
Q: When did you start music and where did you learn your own music from ?
A: I did not learn music making. It was something I can say I inherited from my maternal grand father who was into a cultural kind of music. He was the one that trained me and I took my music career out of his tutelage. He was so prominent then and he and his band sings for the then Alake and the brand of music was called
" Ege".
Q: Growing Up, did you learn any vocation?
A: Yes, before I ventured into music, I was a Welder apprentice. I learnt that for no less than five years. I had even completed the apprenticeships and I was about doing the graduation popularly known as
" Freedom" then. Had I known that I would eventually venture into music, I wouldn't have wasted all the years learning a trade because I did not even go into that line later in life.
Q: At one point or the other, did you work with any musician where you were able to horn your skills ?
A: Yes, I worked with the likes of Shina Akanni who would always promote me and ensure that I had the opportunity to sing before or after his own show back then. Out of all the musicians, I fell for his style and I decided to align greatly with his approach and we had a robust relationship. Up till now, our relationship is still cordial. Though, he is now abroad but there is no time he comes to the country that I will not visit him. He is like a big boss.
Q: When you started doing music, who were those who were your contemporaries dead or alive ?
A: At this juncture, we must give glory to God. So many things have happened since then. Lots of waters have passed under the bridge so to say. There are many and those who have died are more than those still alive. There was the likes of Sanyinmo, Baba Kekere, Santana, Ilori, Otolo and so on and many I could not even recollect.Just like our elders used to say. Those who will tell of the impact of the war would not die in the war. It is by the grace of God that someone like me is still alive to tell this tale.
Q: Among the modern day musicians who were your contemporaries?
A: The likes of Osupa Saheed, Pasuma, Sunny T in his blessed memory, Gbogeraye among others are my contemporaries.
Q: What are some of the challenges you have faced In trying to get on as a musician?
A: There have been lots of challenges, some of which I can not quantify. The one I remembered vividly was when Stella Obasanjo died. I went there with some of my people. The person who supplied the instrument from Lagos was a friend and he called me to attend the event. He drove me there. We were standing on our own and the next thing I heard was " Wey the Set ? Wey the Set? Apparently, a handset was missing. That was how I was picked alongside others as the suspects . Before I knew it, we were rounded up to Ibara Police station. We were like seven that were rounded up. We first spent 20 days at the Ibara Police station. It was a time of festivity and end of the year. We spent 20 days in detention before we were taken to court. When we got to court they preferred a case of robbery against us. That was how the trouble began. It engaged two different Lawyers to prosecute the case. One of the Lawyers died in the course of the case. It was the second Lawyer that helped me to get the case off the ground. I spent five months in detention before the case was settled. Around that time, there was a riot within the cell such that the prisoners stole some money belonging to the warders. It degenerated into a lot of issue. They were distributing the money and they gave me N95,000 naira which I had to flush down the toilet myself to avoid being implicated. It got so bad that we were drinking out urine because the Warders were so much annoyed and they treated us so badly . I just must thank God that I was able to wriggle out of the mess. It was one event that usually grief my heart and I thank God that I did not die during the trial because there were lots of prisoners that died in the cell.
Q: What is the direction of your music and what are you doing to be well known with it?
A: My type of Music is pure Fuji. Although I also engaged in " Were", call to.prayers back then during Ramadan before Fuji became popularised. And, I also make sure that I have a unique and distinct identity in my musical career. I do not mimick or take after anyone. My own music is distinct. I didn't take after anyone or emulate anyone, except if anyone would take after me or sing like me. I have a distinct identity.
Q: What types of messages resonates with your music ?
A: The purpose of music is to edify the soul. I usually sing songs that would uplif the spirit and give hope to the hopeless. And, I like singing funny music that people would love to listen to all over again.
Q: In all of your life experiences and challenges, so far, what lessons would you say you have learnt?
A: I have learnt a lot of lessons that are still useful to me up till date. I never thought for once that I would still be alive and still be in position to sing and relaunch my music. It has been God all the way. I thought it was over but God said it is not over until it is over. I return all the glory to God.
Q: What is your relationship with Alhaji Sefiu Alao, how cordial ?
A: Thank you very much sir. We have a very cordial relationship. He is a big brother. There is nodiscomfort whatsoever between myself and Alhaji Sefiu Alao. He is a Senior Musician that extends good hands of fellowship to me and my family. There is nothing I do that Alhaji Sefiu Alao will not contribute his quota. He is one of my greatest Helpers.
Q: Tell us about your past records and the challenges with them and how many musicians have you worked with?
A: I have palyed on the same stage with quite a lot of musicians. I have played with the likes of Wasiu Alabi Pasuma. I played with Sunny T . I played with Gbafida, Obesere, and a host of others. The likes of Osupa, at Broadway in Agege then, we were alternating between the days to stage a play. If he plays Monday, I would play Tuesday. Even Pasuma at Chicago; when he plays downstairs, I would play upstairs. In terms of Records, my first record was entitled - Message, the second one was titled extension, the third one was Shakademus while the fourth one was named Ariya.
Q: Now, we discovered that you were trying to relaunch and repackage your music, what should your fans look up to especially with this new name and new identity ?
A: I assure them that it will be glorious. I am about to launch a new record entitled ",Fi Ota Le Fun Olorun"," FLF". The new Album will come out by early September. It would be the fifth of my records. The last record I waxed before this new one was about 20 years ago due to the similitude of life. The record is about sharing and radiating joy and it is full of my life journey. It is replete withnmy life experiences over the years.
Q: Since you have been making music, have you made a video recording and what has been the experiences since Kasnaty through Sugar link communication introduce the video version of your music and also link up your music promotion on the social media. What is your view about the role of the Internet or social media in modern music production based on your experiences?
A: I must confess to you that I didn't quite understand how that is done before now but working with Kasnaty has really exposed me to all the nuances and I must thank Kasnaty for the opportunity and for the efforts in uplifting my music. I thank God that since I got to know him, things have been looking up and he kept exposing me to new methods of marketing my music and talents. So, like I said I must appreciate Kasnaty particularly concerning this latest effort and numerous other notable people and fans that are helping me in one way or the other thtough the promotion championed by Kasnaty and his Sugar link production. I have received a number of calls since he started helping me to repackage and I get a lot of buzz and attention for people and even those who no longer reckon with me are now finding a way to associate with me.
Q: What's your message to your fans and supporters ?
A: I can only pray for them and assure them that the new Album "Fota Le Fun Olorun", will be a bang and they will not be disappointed listening to it. My message to the people including my fans is to let them know that they must not loose hope even in all situations of life or in any circumstances they may find themselves.
Thank You.
End.
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