Pupo in Save Nigeria album, her daughter is making an appearance in
the music industry.
The young Princess Iyabo Olajubu Afolabi, who is stepping into her
mother's shoes with a three-track titled Aye Le, said she is in the
entertainment business to accomplish what her mother lost to tradition
and culture.
Princess Olajubu, shortly after her hit track in the 80s (bata mi a
dun ko ko ka, ti n ba ka'we mi, bata mi adun ko ko ka), where she
prophetically addressed the issue of reading culture in the country,
disappeared from the music scene to serve as the regent of Ikogosi
Ekiti. Until recently, when she passed on, she was forbidden by the
culture and tradition of her people to engage in public activities.
Speaking to The Guardian on her debut, young Bunmi said many factors
motivated her interest in music. Growing up with an artiste mother,
exigencies of life, coupled with her mother's death as well as the
need to keep the memory of her late mother alive collectively
propelled the creativity in her.
"Growing up with a single mother inspired me. I went with her to the
studios when she was recording; I knew I had a talent but I was shying
away from music. If she was alive, she would have encouraged me to do
it earlier than now.
"I want to take music internationally. I know my mother had a lot to
offer in the music industry but they are not fulfilled. I feel that
Nigerian music culture should be promoted; hip hop appears to have
dominated the scene; we need to promote songs that are educative to
the younger generations."
The three tracks in the album include Nitori, Glorify Him, and Aye le,
which was rendered in Yoruba and sub-titled in English and Hausa
languages.
The title track Aye le is both inspirational and educative as it
highlights the happenings around the world in the present times. The
uniqueness of the track lies in the blend of traditional music with
orchestra.
Her words: "The chorus warns that the world is not a permanent place
to live. Using orchestra to promote the track impacts a great deal on
the track because it invokes sober mood; it captures listener's
attention without loosing the intrinsic message of the artist.
Glorify Him is a gospel song that is equally sober while Nitori is a
modernized version of Princess Olajubu's Adura mi, which she released
on Tabansi Records in the 80s. The re-mixed Nitori is faster in
rhythm, produced with additional local instrument; it is more
danceable and has greater harmony than the Adura mi.
The artist could not deny the fact that music runs in the family. She
said: "Music flows in my blood. My late mother, Princess Bunmi
Olajubu, was a great musician. I am musically inclined and I have been
singing and writing songs since I was a little child.
"I would say that the track was a double-edged sword. First, my mother
had a vision for a great Nigeria and she knew that if the youths then
would be today's leaders, then, acquiring sound education must be
encouraged. That track also advised that the then teenagers and youths
must go back to their books. Looking back at that hit track, Eko Dara
Pupo, I will say my mother was a prophet."
A graduate of Public Administration, Bayero University, Kano, who runs
her private business, said music forms part of her life. "Though, I
have avoided and ignored its manifestation but it is a talent and I
believe my accomplishments will be incomplete without music."
In spite of the challenges of combining music and business, Bunmi
believes that with determination and strong will, she will take her
newly fond career to greater heights.
Princess Bunmi said she was currently working with two producers –
Alex O who was mentored by her mother, Rotimi Akinfewa of Song 23
Productions, an emerging name in the music industry.
She said, "Akinfewa is doing a fantastic job. He produced Aye le and
Glorify Him but all the songs are mastered by Alex O, who is also
producing my video. For now, the audio is ready for public consumption
while the videos will be ready before the end of this month. I am also
planning a public launch of the album in honour of my mother, who the
entire album is dedicated to".
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