Alhaji Sulaimon Munirudeen, affectionately known as ":Baba Ope", is a seasoned music composer with a knack for creating chart-topping hits for top artists. With a career spanning notable years, this faith-based maestro has built a reputation for blending spiritual depth with infectious rhythms.
Baba Ope who has been working behind the scene with Sugarlink Concept powered by Kasnaty Sugar to compose and produce tracks for other musicians such as FLF and MLM is now shaking things up by venturing into Fuji music with his debut track "Ore Olorun Ni" (OON). He is set to thrill his numerous fans with supersonic explosion as he brings his unique sound to the genre to life.
The Business Package had an engaging encounter with this multi- talented music act who brings his life journey on the musical career full of different experiences to bear in this interview. Excerpts.
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Q: Can we meet you sir. ?
A: My name is Alhaji Sulaimon Munirudeen a.k.a "Baba Ope."
Q: Lead us into your journey in music production both as a musician and music composer?
A: I started exhibiting the traits of being a musician since I was enrolled at the Arabic School. I had the privilege of attempting to sing with the quranic rendition while I was there. While there, there are some subjects that we were taught, but there was a particular subject that had to do with singing. I discovered that I was able to comprehend that aspect and I was able to memorise it easily. As a result of this ,one day,our Arabic Teacher took a good look at me and expressed his thought about my preference for music and said he thinks I am in love with music and that I may end up being a musician.
As at the time the Arabic Teacher discovered my talent, I didn't quite take it serious. But, much more later, i discovered that the talent was there. That was around 1996- 1997. I started singing as at 1996 after I left the Arabic School. Afterwards by 1998, I did my first album, entitled " Ma Gbagbe Mi". In the year, 1999, i released another album,which was titled ," Fija Fun Olorun". By the year 2000,I did another album which was titled,' Ope". It was based on the journey of pregnancy,how a woman gets pregnant, and how they eventually give birth. The album was popular so much that people liked it . So, when some.people meet me on the road afterwards ,some of them will address me as " Ope", some will call me "Baba Ope". That was how my stage name " "Baba Ope" came about.
Thereafter, the journey continued gradually. It was around that time that I had the opportunity of working with Alhaji Sefiu Alao. We worked on an album that was entitled " Islamic Retouch", where himself and one other Fuji artiste named Ariko who was in Ifo, Ogun State were featured.Depite, that efforts, the album did not actually fly. Alhaji Sefiu Alao later saw me on another occasion and requested that I compose another song we can again work on. Then,i composed another song titled "Baba Imam". I did that with Alhaji Sefiu Alao where he was wearing a turban and was reading the Quran. He was initially known with singing with incantations and the intention of the album was to change the narrative. So, in the album, he was reading the Quran and I was translating it for him. The album created a kind of buzz and excitements back then about seeing Alhaji Sefiu read the Holy Quran. At that time, I was able to show my face to the public. So far,I have released about eight to nine albums from all of those efforts.
Q: Under which promoter were those albums released?
A: The first album that I produce also has its own story. It was my mother who gave me the money to produce it. By that time in 1998, the marketer asked me to bring N20,000 naira to produce the album and it was a big money then. It was my mother who later gave me the money. The promoters name was S. Alabi record, then at Oshodi. The second album was produced by Oluyole records. I later worked with different marketers who were producing my work as it progresses.
Q; How did you get inspiration for your musical works?
A: My albums are usually based on happenings in the society. For instance, when I was trying to compose, " Fota Le Fun Olorun", for Alhaji Morufu Ebi, I took a good look at the interview done for him by Kasnaty Sugarlink Production and I took a good look at his story and the journey. It was what brought about the idea of what we composed for that
hit track. Even that single track that later became so popular, I had earlier sang it as a song long before now. I made it as a single track back then. So it wa actually based on life experiences and so I do get my inspirations from experiences and circumstances of life.
Q: Apart from Alhaji Morufu Ebi, how many musicians have you composed for?
A: I have composed for many musicians. There is one person in ifo, named, Saluje Okanla who is a Fuji Musician. I composed for Wale Osama ,even Alhaji "Easy Ajani Kabaka", who produced MLM and some Islamic singers, I composed for them.
Q: Do you normally get paid for composing music for others?
A: Majority of the songs I composed for others, I do not really charge them. I believe the inspiration for composing music belongs to God. Normally I suppose to charge them because that's what I do for a living, but if I found out that someone needed the assistance, I do render it. So, most of the music I composed for others, I do not really charge them for it.
Q: Has there been a time you helped someone to compose and the music became a hit and you felt it could have been you who got that recognition?
A: It happens but each time I felt like that, there is a spirit within me that tells me to let go since God is the God of inspiration. So , I do not brood over it because majority of the musicians do give me my credit at the end of the album, even if they do not pay for the composition.
Q: Is there any time you did a composition for a musician or did an album with another musician that it became an issue?
A: The one I could recall was a song I deliberately did with Alhaji Wasiu Alabi Pasuma. It was between 12, 13 to 14 years ago. It was titled, " Alfa Ododo." It was part of the struggle to get noticed and popular as a musician and naturally, one would love to seek collaboration wirh other well- known artiste. So,I reasoned that I had worked with Alhaji Sefiu Alao, let me also try my luck with Alhaji Wasiu Alabi Pasuma being a popular musician. He embraced me and agreed that we should run the album which was titled, " Alfa Ododo together. I did the composition for that song completely alone and we produced the music together and we also shot the video together.Surprisingly, by the time the work was to be released, the promoter extracted my voice from the album and he also removed my image from the video we shot completely and sold the work without my voice and face.
Cuts- in: Was Alhaji Pasuma in the known about the treacherous act of the music promoter?
A: To the best of my knowledge, Alhaji Pasuma was not in the known. The name of the promoter is Taiwo Oguntoyinbo.I trusted him and he betrayed the trust. I trusted him because, as at that time, he was the anti-crime Chairman, Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN). I had thought that someone who hold such a position would not compromise. The mistake from my own end was that while we were about to enter into the deal, we ought to sign an agreement. So, when he did what he did,I took the matter to the association headed by one Alhaji Waheed Mosebolatan at the time . Some people advised that I should take the matter to Court, but I was afraid o would loose because we had no written agreement and I had no money to even prosecute the case. Along the line ,because he was one of them, PMAN did not do justice on the matter; it was eventually buried under the carpet and so the matter died a natural death. That was how I was robbed by the promoter.
Q:Let's talk about your latest album, " Ore Olorun", what brought this about?
A: I have been working with Kasnaty, under his Sugarlink Conceot for a long time to produce some of the latest albums that he has been releasing including FLF by Alhaji Morufu Ebi and MLM by Alhaji Ajani, Easy Kabaka. He was in the process of fielding another artist.Then, one day he just asked me. "What about you , what do you want to do.?" It was there and then that he advised me to go and work on an album, but he said we should change direction a bit so that it would not be strictly Islamic songs as I used to sing. He advised me to let the world know that as a Musician I can be dynamic in my approach.I recall that I listened to one song by popular Gospel Musician, Yinka Ayefele who said he could use gospel music to sing " Tungba" or " Fuji". This only infers that there should be dynamism in anything one does.
So, this latest effort is to demonstrate that music is dynamic and as a singer one can always embrace that dynamism to entertain the listeners. And, I want to assure my listeners that once they listen to this latest album from A-Z, they will not be disappointed because ,it is full of messages and there are no indecency in it. It does not have any vulgar language embedded in it; it is full of messages- positive message that uplifts the soul and blesses humanity.
The title of my new song is " Oore Olorun", (OON). It simply means that whatever we do as a human being, no matter how it turns out, it all has to do with God's favour. It is only God that can assist human being. No man can assist anyone and succeed ,except God ordains it.
Q: What message(s) are you trying to pass through this song?
A: There are lot of messages. Part of the message is that I advised people not to despise those who help or assist them to get to the top. You know some people, once they reach stardom, they easily forget those who helped them to reach the milestone. Another message there is where I advised people not to run helter skelter to acquire wealth at all cost; it is God that provides wealth and it is not worth dying pursuing it or to stake one's life in the pursuit of wealth. Part of the messages also is where I sang that God's favour supercedes all things. So, there are many messages in the song.
Q: You are a faith-based musician, what's the relationship between music and religion?
A: You see when people begin to classify songs into religious and worldly songs,it is just to fulfill all righteousness- Music is music. Prophet Mohammed ( ASW) whom we follow in one of the Hadiths said there is wisdom in music. He was inferring that music has wisdom and he never said religious or secular music had wisdom. He was just referring to the wisdom contained in music. For instance, when you listen to the songs of Barrister there are lots of messages embedded in it.He was passing a message using the Quran to advance his messages . Equally, Alhaji Ayinla Omowura who was an Apala Crooner also had songs that were full of messages.So, whatever genre of music, whether religious or secular, what matters to me is the positive messages it passes across. Once a song passes positive message, we should think less about whether it was sang in religious or secular way-that is immaterial.
Q: What's your impression then about those who sing songs that are full of vulgar languages,are they also cool that way,because these days we are bombarded with lots of such songs that are meaningless?
A: My reaction to that is this: there are some works that one does and at a particular stage of one's life, one may not be proud of it,maybe when one is getting old. So, at that time,one may not be able to associate with such work, not being proud of it. So anything you would not be able to associate with in future, I wish to enjoin fellow musicians not to venture into it at all. Let me also add that whatever you do that you do not wish that anyone meet you in the course of doing it- it is a bad deed. Prophet Mohammed (SAW) also said anything you do that you are happy doing and you are able to let people meet or see you in the course of doing it , can be regarded as good deeds. There are different purposes why people sing. Some sing to look for instant money, some do it to look for instant fame, while some do it to preserve their old age and hereafter. As far as I'm concerned, i do my own music to preserve my old age and take care of my hereafter. I wish to be remembered as a songster people will commend and say, "Baba Ope". He is a great musician that sings with sense.
Q: Apart from doing music, singing and composing songs, what else do you do ,?
A: As I'm taking to you, the only work that I do and that I know how to do best is to compose and sing, no more no less. But, at my leisure time, i like to read books or watch movies, especially those that can inspire me.
Q: What's your take on the music industry in Nigeria, how is it fearing and what can the practitioners and the government do to uplift it ?
A: Music in Nigeria is waxing stronger. I will base my comments on music marketing. For instance the advent of online streaming platform has really helped us to shape up. Before now, the marketers used to rip us off and they perfect a lot of lies to make sure we do not reap from our sweat. Most of the time, some marketers who are swindlers used to tell us that our album is not selling, yet they are raking in millions. But, these days with the advent of streaming platforms, a musician can easily monitor and follow up with the sales and progress of his work.This is a good development for the music industry. There was a time piracy was the major problem with the music industry that ruined most music acts but now things are shaping up. I believe with continous efforts of the government and stakeholders, better days are ahead for the industry.
Q: So, you are confirming to us that the advent of the streaming platform is a blessing to the music industry?
A:There is a big difference. The reason is that, on those platforms, you can easily monitor how your work is progressing in terms of sales, but before now, the marketers used to deceive and swindle us. In the past,they used to play a fast one of putting one or two of our records on top and putting other records below. So, when you get to them, their claims were usually that the album isn't selling,yet they have sold a lot.We later discovered the trick. All of such unscrupulous practices have been eliminated with the online streaming platforms and it also helps to distribute the work widely more than the former era.
Q: Your message to your fans as you release this new album tagged "Oore Olorun Ni" ?
A: My message to my fans who might listen to this latest track and think maybe I'm now a Fuji Musician,is that i remain an Islamic Singer that I was know with . I remain on track and I still sing Islamic songs, I still sing songs that edifies the soul and full of messages and I still sing songs of praises. When you listen to the latest album, OON, there are no vulgar expressions in it- It is pure positive songs full of meaningful messages. I appreciate my fans for their support over the years and I'm calling on them to embrace this latest effort and support it . I urge my supporters to visit all streaming platforms and stream the music and they will surely enjoy it.
Q: When is the Album due for release?
A: By the grace of God, OON will be out by Thursday the 2nd of April from the stable of Sugarlink concept. There would be album listening, which will entail an assemblage of people who would first listen to the song before it is finally relaeasd. That album listening will also happen on the same day. By the time we are throughj with that, it would be ready for purchase all over the world.
Q: What's your vision and where do you think you are heading with this musical career ?
A: I am very sure that I will go places by the grace of God. This is because today is better off than what it used to be and I'm very sure that the days ahead would be better. Thanks You.
End.
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