I Love Women —Musiliu Haruna Ishola

Musiliu, needs little or no introduction among those who are conversant with the Apala music, the dark complexioned scion of the late Apala music Legend.
Alhaji Haruna Ishola, popularly known as 'Baba n gani eto' during his life time, brought the genre of music back to life, after the demise of his father, with his own modern apala music. Musiliu first album titled 'Apala resurrection' released in the year 1989, followed by his other albums like 'Happiness Unlimited', Apala World Champion, Menu Menu, Concert Carnival, Pass Mark, Apala Vibration, Apala Fusion, Unlimited Faaji among others, and even with his father's popular name, Musiliu could still not find the needed footing in the music scene. But 'Soyoyo', the monster hit album of Musiliu did the magic, as the Apala music sensation hit the lime light. With all the controversy that trailed the album when it was released and other negative stories, he continue to rise and rise to stardom. But Musiliu fizzled out again when the encomium was still high, and his disappearance has also generated lot of controversies. I recently cornered him during my 'Waka about town', and the undisputed Apala music king bares it all on his career and whereabouts. Here is the excerpt.

Though you've done couple of albums, 'Soyoyo' was the one that actually brought you the fame and fortunes in the music industry. How did you come about the song?
God time is the best and when it's your time, plus hard work nothing can stop you from becoming somebody in life. It's not that I've not been hardworking. 'Soyoyo' actually brought me into the lime light, but my previous albums also added to the fame. My problem with my first promoter was initially kind of a set back for me, but I thank God that everything have been resolved.
Can you mention some of your other albums before 'soyoyo'?
 I did 'Apala resurrection' 'money money', 'Apala vibration, among many others that made up twelve albums that I released before 'Soyoyo'
You actually sold the copyright of the album, thinking that it won't be commercially successful…
Good or bad, people would talk. There is nothing with advantages without disadvantages. The person that I recorded the album for did not know that it will be successful, and neither do I. it was a verbal agreement between the two of us, and I thank God that it was the same album that turned my life around today.
How much did the album fetched you?
I thank God for everything. I don't want top disclose that, but it was actually the album that brought me the fame and fortune. And after that, I've done some other albums, I've been to London, America, Canada, Amsterdam, Italy among other foreign countries.
It's quite obvious that 'Soyoyo' was a monster hit album, but many people still believed that you rode on your late father's name to fame?
That's exactly what happened. If there is no Haruna Ishola, there is no Musiliu. If I actually started on my own, I wouldn't have gotten to the level I am now.
Is 'Soyoyo' your own song?
It's my father's song, I just refined it. My father had sung the song in the year 1968.
It was speculated that there was a bitter feud between you and your other sibling's couple of years ago…
There was no feud between me and my elder brother (Ganiyu). My younger brothers and older ones are residents in America and London. I am the eldest among other siblings residing in Nigeria.
Are you the only artiste in the family?
No! we are two. The second person is my younger brother, and it's not up to five years ago that he started. While I've started the music thing twenty-five years ago.
Little or nothing is been heard about you, since you dumped Joat records for Corporate pictures…
I've not been around. Ever since I released my last album for Corporate picture, I've been in London for a year, traveling from one country to the other. That's one of the reasons many people thought that I am no longer relevant in the Nigerian music scene, I am still very much relevant. Although my name might have not been ringing a bell as people could be expected, there is nothing extra-ordinary which the reigning artistes are doing which I've not been doing. Glory be to God almighty.
Is Apala music still alive?
So far Musilui Haruna Ishola is still alive, Apala music lives.
You only mentioned yourself, what about your arc rival, 'Asindemade'?
He's my younger brother, we are doing Apala music together.
It's widely believed that there is supremacy battle between you and him?
There is no supremacy battle between the two of us. It's just that everybody is looking for strategy to market his songs.
He used to come to my house, and I also go to his house. He's my younger brother his elder sister is my wife.
All what you've heard was a publicity gimmick, to make thing look as if we are arc-rivals. He used to give me my own respect.
There is a huge difference between you and your late father. What really distinguishes you as a modern Apala music star?
I'm very fortunate because I am a little bit educated, and my little education is what motivated me to re-mix my father's songs, going with the fact that hip-hop, R'n'B and other new genre of music are selling, including Fuji music, most of the artistes do borrowed some of the lyrics in my father's songs, that was why I picked one of his old song, which had a huge sales when he was alive. It was widely believed that there is no room for Apala music in London, but that insinuation has been erased from my own generation, because the time that I now spend in London, is more when compare to Nigeria.
It seems Fuji music has pushed Apala music aside…
Our brand of music is different. One cannot affect the other.
Do you know the history of Apala music?
My father told me that he inherited the music from his great-grand father, my grand father was Bello, who was a son to Egunjobi, that's why people are calling me Musiliu Ishola Egunjobi.
I was born after the death of my grand-father who was Bello, that's what brought about 'Baba-Tunde in my names. Apala music has been there for time immemorial, but it's formerly known as 'Ewele', it's 'gangan' , (type of talking drum) that it is been called Apala. Apala  is just another name for 'gan-gan'.
What about your other album after 'Soyoyo'?
I did 'Authentic' and the current one titled 'Yahoozee'.
On which recording label are you now?
I've gone back to Joat Records where I produced 'Soyoyo'
From Joat to corporate and back to Joat, it looks somehow…
Music nowadays is all about money, it's now the matter of the highest bidder for my album.
How did you come about music?
I've been working with my father, as far back as 1976 till 1983, when he passed away. And I've picked up my music career since the years 1983, and I knew right from the days with my father that music is my line.
Any embarrassing moment?
There was a day I was billed to perform at one occasion. It was actually the younger wife of the celebrant that convinced them to contract me fro the performance while the elder wife refuted the idea. But when I got on stage, it was the elder wife who enjoyed my music the more, so, I started singing her praises the more before I knew what was going the heavy slap of the younger wife has landed on my face, claiming that she was the one who made my performance at the event possible and why should I be singing the praises of the elder wife. At the long run the matter was resolved and since them we've become family friends.
Polygamy is an in thing among Fuji and Apala music stars. How many are your wives?
I cannot disclose everything about myself, all I know is that I have wife and children.
How many?
I have only one wife.
With others who are mothers of your children.
I don't know o! it's you that said so. What am saying is that I have wife and children. There is no way women could be separated from our job, with the fact that I said that I have only one wife I don't want God to separate me from women.
So you love women?
Yes! I love women, don't you like women?
How much do you charge per show?
It's all depends on the event; it's my manager who usually give the charges per show, because of his own percentage.
Any bad moment?
That was when I lost my father, I can never forget that day.
How do you handle negative stories about your in the newspapers?
Without negative stories, you cannot move forward in this business. I love those who write negative stories about me.
What do you want people to learn from you?
To never underrate their capability and self-confident,. Because when I wanted to release 'soyoyo', I went to six different promoters, but, I was turned down. I thank God that today the rejected stone has become a cornerstone; long life is now what I wish for.
When did you come back from your foreign trip?
I came back from America in July.
Are you back finally?
I am still going back.
What freaks you most?
I cherish cars a lot
How many cars?
I have cars!