*****D ISSUE OF TAKE OVER SAGA***** Alh. Waheed Oyediran, the chairman of Mosebolatan Music Centre, the president of MAAN have known Saheed Okunola Osupa for up to two decades in Safejo Amukoko area of Lagos. I can say it boldly that he is an artiste that I cherished, trained, helped, supported and promoted to get to the limelight when the going was rough and tough for him. Our Creator can testify to this. I used to give him a machine recorder for his live show before Tempo Recording took over and died without any benefit and encouragement from Osupa. Besides, Osupa has never in his life engaged in any free show for my company. In fact; he collected N300,000 and N400,000 for the settlement of Muri Thunder and a live show titled Like Father Like Son respectively. However, if today he could say negative things about me, lambast me, satirize me; it is not a surprise because he has done so to his marketers, family, band members, fans, friends and his fellow musicians for a tiff or hear-say. It is now my turn to dance to satirical songs of Osupa embellished with aggression, false allegations, fabrications in order to satisfy his wrong decision and determination. If that is what I deserve, let him continue. History will tell and performances shall judge. When I was the Executive Governor of Lagos Chapter of MAAN, I strived to maintain love, peace, unity and progress in Fuji Music Industry by settling many disputes among marketers and musicians. I suspended executive members who were caught to be partisans. I advised musicians to deviate from abusive songs. I personally boycotted Alh. Muri Alabi Thunder, my first fuji artiste because of Saidi Osupa in order to discourage him from abusive songs. I ensured that I was not influenced by any musician. I am strictly objective may be this is the reason for the war launched by Osupa and his cohorts against me. When I became the president, there was high tension, pandemonium, disputes, fracas among musicians; in fact, the atmosphere was very hot across the board. To continue my crusade of peace and unity, I invited pastors and Islamic lecturers for prayers and admonitions. One of them is Sheikh Muhydeen Ajani Bello who delivered lecturer on Abomination of “satire/abusive music and its repercussion on the musicians.” This led to the Airport Hotel Reconciliation Meeting where all fuji musicians pledged to abide by the rules and regulations of no satire, no dispute, no fighting in fuji music kingdom. And finally two lives CDs monthly and introduction of logo by MAAN was introduced. The logo scheme was introduced to regulate the release of Live vcds, to limit the excesses of the artistes, to fight piracy and to protect the image of the musicians. Certainly all artistes benefited from this scheme because their consents and authority must be granted before the issuance of logo of N5000. The musicians now collect fess (N100,000 and above) on each logo. Cases of double dealing and un- authorized releases were abolished. Marketers and promoters now have space to sell and gain. Market explosion with anyhow Live VCDs at the detriment of original album became discouraged. This could be confirm from responsible, reliable, progressive, supportive and appreciative musicians like K1, KSA, Ebenezer Obey, Shefiu Alao, Obesere, Malaika, Pasuma, Muri Thunder, Currency and others in gospel and Islamic music. If ungrateful Saheed Osupa now condemns our effective and successful logo scheme, we leave him to God. On this issue of ‘Take Over” the youth of Ajegunle under the leadership of JAGABAN, the NURTW Chairman voted for many fuji artistes in which Pasuma won. They invited him for their celebration and they came to our office and gave us the coverage and packaging right. On that faithful day, I left Osupa show for Pasuma Ajegunle show. Before releasing it to the market, I submitted the package and the title for screening and we got clearance for this title “TAKE OVER IN AJEGUNLE ‘13” not Pasuma takes over Ajegunle. I was not happy that this led to the pandemonium we have now. Previously, “Great surprise” in Alaba Oro by Pasuma was released by my company and nobody complained except enemies of progress that want me to be a one-sided president or marketer. Osupa protested against “Take Over” and fired back with his “Christmas Show” that was submitted for logo and he later renamed it as “TAKE OVER IMPOSSIBLE” at point of release. The National Executives were pressurized to screen and sanction the album but we advised the MAAN Anti Crime Commission to let go to avoid allegations and insinuations of favoritism or partisan. After the release, series of threats to life came to me from different angles. Osupa went further to release other CDs like Feedback, No Vacancy, Agarawu koboko and many more to lambast me and condemn MAAN. In order to pave way for settlement and reconciliation, MAAN Governors Forum called on him to come and explain his grievances in a peaceful and polite manner, he declined and disobeyed them. Then officially, a letter was forwarded to him in his office at Abina, Surulere, he ignored the PRO and threatened him to leave to avoid death. Unfortunately, while the National meeting was going on, a letter came from the chamber of Saheed Osupa’s lawyer to the president of MAAN. The letter was read to the house. Members were seriously enraged and infuriated because it came from an artiste, Osupa who rejected their peace letter. The threat, satire, condemnation, allegation to the president and the Association led to the pronouncement of National Boycott of Saheed Osupa’s album until he appears before the committee. Music Advertisement Association of Nigeria does not ban, we can only order our members not to patronize or to boycott any musician who want to prove stubborn and create fracas. I want to say this for record purpose that no musician is sacrosanct before MAAN. On several occasions we have waved many offences and over- looked many anomalies of musicians especially Saheed Osupa in order to protect the image of our Association and avoid misconception or misinterpretation, what we do most times is act as an arbiter of peace in other to maintain peace and unity and quality music in our society. MAAN does not discriminate, MAAN does not take bribe. MAAN is for peace and progress. MAAN is for success and prosperity. Individually we may have choice of music but officially we must be neutral and objective. That is why we promote, market, distribute and sell all type of music. If Osupa is ready for peace, we are ready. If otherwise; we do not mind. Actions shall be judged in accordance with the intention because we stood by him at all stages; from nothing to something, from nobody to somebody, from poverty to plenty, from grass to grace, from ill health to wealth. Finally, I will like to reiterate here that, MAAN is a peaceful organization, all allegations of witch- haunting and others said by Osupa against my person and MAAN it all fallacy. We have nothing against him; all we are concern about is peaceful co-existence amongst musician and quality music that would better our society.
Posted on: Mon, 17 Mar 2014 13:08:22 +0000