If everything goes as planned, Abeokuta, Ogun State, born, bred, and based Fuji music Star, Alhaji Sefiu Alao Adekunle, would soon be breaking a big record in the Fuji music fold in the country by becoming the first artiste in his genre to own a radio station. Though, he may not be becoming the first indegenous artiste to achieve that lofty feat as Gospel Tungba singer, Yinka Ayefe already owns radio stations in both Ibadan, Oyo State, and Abeokuta called Fresh F.M. But this fresh feat of owning a radio station, when it happens for Baba Oko as Sefiu Alao is also called would be setting a new pace for others to follow in Fuji music.
Already, Agbara Orin as Sefiu Alao is also known worldwide, has set a pace which others are still aiming to equal in the industry with the completion of his high rise office complex at Ago’ba in the heart of Abeokuta. No other Fuji artiste on record, is known to have owned such a personally built gigantic edifice strictly for a corporate office. Yet, the very talented artiste would be raising the standard by setting up a radio station to promote Fuji music in one of the sections of the towering building, that overlooks every other area in the environment.
In a recent interview with this writer in Abeokuta, Olakariaye as the profound singer is also referenced spoke on the different sections built into the enviable office. The questiom that was posed to him was that, why did he think he needed a corporate office like the tall structure he had put up. Hear him: ” Look, in every job a man does, equipments are paramount to his success. You’ll noticed that I have not opened the office officially. And part of the reasons is that I am currently arranging for additional instruments to enhance my job. Meanwhile, the office is also an additional part of the instruments needed to elevate my profession.
Like every other person, I have built my own house, I ride choice automobiles, and everywhere artistes travel to around the world to perform, I have been there as well. So, I asked myself what is next for me as an artiste. Then I realised that having a corporate office built by ourselves to our tastes has never been part of the plans of any Fuji artiste, so I decided to set the pace in that regard so others can start thinking of doing something similar too.”
Speaking further from the angle of “I’m the first to do this or that” which is usually something Fuji artistes pride on, Sefiu Alao added on a lighter note that, ” just like someone said he brought the Bata Drum into Fuji and somebody said he was the first to play Jazz in his Fuji music, and another claimed to have been the first to use saxophone, so I have become the first to bring owning, not renting, corporate office into Fuji too (general laughter). And the whole of the building as you see it would be used as the office. No part of it will be rented out.” Then this writer was tempted to ask him about the different sections that were going to be in the office. ” There is reception when you come in.
Then there is an open office for the band members where they would hold meetings and do rehearsals. There is an office for the manager and an office for the media manager cum Public Relations Officer (P.R.O.). There is a conference room and then my own office. There is a space to keep our music instruments in the building too. And there is computer room also, since we are in digital age.”
And he finally let the biggest part of the fascinating news out when he said, ” just beside the internet enabled computer room, we have started making efforts to have a recording studio and in deed, a radio studio there!” The forward thinking musician added that, “we are planning to start running a Fuji Radio Station where Fuji music would mainly be played endlessly. We are working towards ensuring Fuji music does not die and we feel part of the ways to achieve that is to set up a radio station dedicated to our genre of music. If you go and check, there are television stations for hip-hop music, theatre and the rest of it but none for Fuji. So, we plan to start a broadcasting staion for Fuji too if just to start with radio first. The truth is Fuji music is being affected by the advent and advancement of hip-hop and we, the Fuji artistes must ensure we bring Fuji back into the mainstream. So, the radio station is intended to be playing Fuji music after a few number of programmes must have been aired everyday. And that would give the opportunity to both new and established Fuji artiste to promote their music thereby sustaining the relevance of Fuji music in the entertainment industry.”
