Nobody taught me how to play guitar-ADEWESCO

 
Irawo wa mi ntan loke, A dupe o Baba wa, Ogo ni fun Baba L'oke to s'owa titi d'amodun o, k'egbe wa ma ma t'uka o A dupe o Baba wa

 ......Ibos started Highlife 
......I want sponsors
.....Kilomode Mo?

MEETING WITH THE GREAT MUSICIAN
It was one afternoon, when I called this Musician and the man  humbly asked me to come for the interview as he described his new  place for me. All the way from Lagos ,I landed where he was in Akure, Ondo  State.

SECRET BEHIND MY BAND'S NAME

''My names are  Adekolu  Modupe aka Destiny .I called my Band Destiny because I did not train under anybody .Nobody taught me how to play guitar or how to sing, I just knew it.

''The first time I played Guitar was in 1970 when I attached myself with a Band .The and leader who was a Guitarist was not around and there was nobody to play the guitar , I then took it upon myself and started playing, the Band's name then was Folorunsho and Omimah Band , it has Ifon’s  logo'' .

Asked why Omimah?, he explained that  ''Anybody from Ifon uses the term , ''Omimah'' and that is Ifon's logo''.
On why he plays like Orlando Owoh, the man laughed and with total conviction and satisfaction , he  said ''Yes I played like Orlando, he was my mentor. We both played  Juju High life, and we added ''High life'' because   High life belonged to the Ibos so with our kind of music we added High life to it .It is different from other Juju music of  King Sunny Ade and Ebenezer Obey''

MY FIRST OUTING, I MADE THREE POUNDS

''The first time I played was in 1969 when I played for  one Alhaji Aminu  who happened to be one of my brothers,  during his grandmother’s  funeral ceremony in Ifon . That was when I first made a big money , three pounds. Then we we were using coins with holes. It was a  big money then''
WHY I AM NOT PLAYING AS USUAL 

The High life musician lamented that  there is no patronage again due to many reasons ,''No business   again, we have no outings  again, to be called or hired  for an  outing which should be 300,000naira per day but cannot be paid by our fans or those who hired  us for entertainment as  they would be begging you to take 40,000 naira. So from there they wanted to include us with the  amateur  musicians and it  shouldn’t be . They should respect us.How much is 40k? .You will call your Band members , pay them and other things , then transportation , haba!, they always wanted us to pay us ridiculous money .No, this is unfair'', he lamented 

RELATIONSHIP WITH ORLANDO
''We were both from Ifon. His mother and my paternal grandmother were from the  same family. His father and my mother were also from same family. We were related from both sides.''
WHY MUSICIANS ARE SUFFERING

According to ADEWESCO ,musicians and artistes are suffering in the hands of piracy , ''they pirate our work and sell to the public who will buy cheap so how do we have gains?''. He however pleaded to the government to  help put a    stop to piracy , he said   '' piracy is still on , the PMAN has warned and warned but nothing is working ''.

    MY FIRST HIT

He cannot easily forget the first record that brought him to the limelight .Asked to tell, the man was happy to sing the song ''It was  Irawo wa mi ntan loke, which was recorded and sold  a lot.It was a big hit. Irawo wa mi ntan loke, A dupe o Baba wa, Ogo ni fun Baba L'oke to s'owa titi d'amodun o, k'egbe wa ma ma tuka o A dupe o Baba wa. I have waxed many but this one was in Ibukun Orisun Iye label and it sold like hot cake’’

Another one is the story of 'Aiye Gbege’ , he said and burst into the song  Ise ki ipa ni , ayo lo npa ni . Atomode Atagba e teti ke gbo o, e teti ke gbotan lenu wa, …..

  MY JOURNEY

I  started playing my music in Agbor before I  came to Lagos , in Edo state  then Benin, then Ibadan where I stayed for some years.I later went to Lagos before retiring home, Ondo State because East, West , South , Home is the best.I left Lagos about 11years ago''.

MY KIDS

''One of my children, a female  is a Chorister  in church but said she might pick it up in the future and be singing''.

PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED WHILE SINGING
Adewesco said  there were many challenges he and other musicians face , he said ''A lot of problems, I had no sponsors,before you can have sales, promoters etc .At times it would be raining when you went out to play . Different things could happen''.

Did Musicians fight one another with juju in those days? , he was asked, and he answered ''Yes, they did   but nowadays it is no longer common''

WHY GOSPEL MUSIC IS REIGNING 
'' There are many churches now, there is no church that does not have her own Choir and if they have any function it is their church member that would go and play for them so that is the cause.

I don’t play again like before ; Yes I told you there is no money flowing in the country'' .
DEE JAYS HIJACK OUR BUSINESS
 Another point this musician made is that of the Dee Jays who have hijacked their business , he said  ''Clubs where we would have gone to play are no longer patronizing us  as DEE JAYS have hijacked the whole thing from us.If you go to any Club you will meet Dee Jay instead of Live shows who will be playing meaningful songs but no more of that again, it is painful''

MY PARENTS SUPPORTED ME 

While some parents would oppose their children and discourage them from playing music, but Adewesco said his own  was different as his father supported him while alive ''when he was alive when I started singing he did not criticize me for he too was a musician''
 IJOKO AGBA   
''I used to play at a Club called  Ijoko Agba in Akure ,where I  used as a Club and for my contact''

What is the meaning ?, he said ''the place is called Ijoko Agba [Elders' Forum] and this place is not for  the  roughnecks , we want decent people not just anybody. The people  coming  there must be of high caliber and respected people , that is why  we called the place  IJOKO AGBA.We did not restrict    it to old people only  but  the fact is that we want decent people there.But I have left there as I have relocated .to another place called Kilomode Mo? [What does a Child know?]. When asked for the meaning, he laughed and said it is a popular place,  I gave this place Kilomode Mo, and everybody in Akure knows this place as Kilomode Mo'' 

FAVOURITE FOOD

''I am from Ondo State, there is no food I don’t like  but my  best food is pounded yam. I love pounded yam''
WIVES

He admitted that most musicians have  many wives but said his own lifestyle  is different , he said   ''I don’t have many''.
DRUGS .

Asked whether he uses drugs or take alcohol to enhance his performance on stage  but the man replied ''No, those things are strange to me , if I want to drink beer I could mix it with soft dink and that is all''.
ABOUT MYSELF

''My names are Modupe  Adekolu .By now if I say I am 67 am still on the right path. I will soon celebrate it if I'm still alive.I am from Ifon, Owo , Ondo State.

''I went to St. Augustine Primary School , Ifon, Owo and proceeded  to LA Modern  School, Ifon, Ondo State. I left Modern School in 1965. I  used to go to  the farm with my father before I joined musician''

ADVISE TO YOUNG MUSICIANS

''Do your best, don’t behave like hooligans.If hired , do your job, don’t allow people to come and fight there . Have patience and endurance''.

HOW THEY CAN LOCATE ME

''Tell them you are looking for Kilomode Mo?. I sell beer and sell bush meat till  I have sponsors to  finance me'', as he said this  the  reporter shouted ''Kilomode Mo? Kilomode Mo?''He burst into laughter .
Till now this writer is still shouting ''Kilomode mo?"'

I survived four auto accidents

....Teachers are no longer poor
.... I survived four  major auto accidents 
........my salary was 75naira per month in 1980
.........My ambition was to be a nurse or  a MOPOL
.........Teaching in primary school could be...

 

Mrs. Falilat  Ilori Olayinka   retired  three years ago  after putting in 35 years in Ondo State Teaching  Service. She recounts her odyssey and how  she lost her  five  fingers and almost lost her life during her career. Taiwo Abiodun reports
 

Tears of joy 

She danced , sang songs of praise and rolled at the altar in the church thanking God for sparing her life  to see  the day of her retirement.The woman , Mrs. Falilat  Ilori Olayinka   shed tears, but it was tears  of joy. 
At home   she  danced again and sang songs as she  entertained her visitors .In fact she received gifts and also gave out presents to mark the day she retired from active  Teaching service.

 Her fingers were the  cynosure of all eyes .All her fingers on the right hand are gone , they were cut off and reduced to stumps no thanks to  the auto accident she had in the year 2000 that almost claimed  her life .
That is the story of a retired Headmistress   Mrs. Ilori  who had taught in over 20 Primary  schools in Ondo state.

 Ats her citation was being read at the reception she shed tears , and again as she took the microphone to give thanks she burst into songs of praises to God for being alive.     

 
 

I had  wanted to be a Nurse or a Police officer
 According to her , she started her teaching career in 1980    when she was given employment letter on Grade Level 04, as a Grade Two Teacher . She said " I must confess that teaching was not part of  the profession I  dreamt of   in life for my life ambition was to become a Nurse or a Mobile Police officer ( MOPOL) .I applied to School of Nursing wanting to be like Florence Nightingale who was nicknamed 'Lady of the Lamp' who was nursing and taking care of the wounded soldiers at Army Hospital at Scutari in the Crimean  War  but I couldn't go for I missed the examination . I love to care for people . Again I thought of joining the Police Force  and be defending  the oppressed  but for one reason or the other I did not go until when one of my uncles advised me to go into  teaching profession .When I heard the story of a teacher who was loved by his students , I mean the late Tai and his wife, Sheila   in Ikenne I was motivated by their stories and  decided to go for teaching and assist children "

 

My first day in the class 

Going down memory lane , the retired head teacher said she was shy and had a stage fright the first time she went to teach as she faced a large number of pupils " It was not easy for me to face such a large crowd of about 30 or 40 in the class then in 1980.  I had stage fright .To face pupils was not easy , after that day I was no longer frightened.The date was  August 1, in 1980 and my salary was Level 04 step one , it was 75 naira then and I was able to manage , then things were cheap and affordable , it was not hard like this , I started teaching at Saint John's primary School, Iyere - Owo, Ondo State.

Mysteries while teaching 

For the retired Mistress , she believes some of the pupils possessed supernatural power and especially when they are hurt, they attack teachers spiritually.In her own words she said "  there are students or pupils you don't beat just anyhow or cane and whoever does this will regret it among the teachers .Teaching profession also has its own hazard like any other profession  for those pupils  with familiar spirits are dangerous , some whose parents are Babalawo are dangerous .I remember when  I was teaching  at Iyere , a teacher  caned a female pupil and he couldn't come to school for his hand got swollen. But for me I never experienced such and this is through fasting and prayer but those who experienced it told us their experiences".

My Service  years 

''It was not all that  smooth .I started teaching in 1980.Things have not been easy with marital problem and the training of my children  which led to my accident'' . 
 Involvement in auto crashes  

Madam   Olayinka  who   answers a  Moslem name due to her religion background but had converted  to   Christianity had  four  auto accidents within three months when she was employed in teaching service,  she  again  had another accident in  the Year 2000 that claimed her four fingers and reduced them to stumps  while three  months to the day to  her retirement she was involved in another auto accident and  during her tenure she had a fatal accident that cut off her five fingers.Again three days to her retirement she had an accident. According to her from all these auto accidents the most fatal one was the one she  lost her  five fingers.  
   She said " I was in an 18 Seater Commercial  passenger  Bus traveling to Port Harcourt to meet my husband   when our  vehicle  had  head - on  collision with another one .I was sitting at the front of the vehicle by the driver's side when the accident occurred", she continued " I was rushed to  the  hospital but my younger brother, Lekan Owodunni came from Lagos to take me down to an hospital in Maryland in Lagos  where I was unconscious for days.I was the only one that was injured  in the vehicle.I was unconscious for days.

''My husband called my younger brother, Lekan Owodunni who moved me from Port Harcourt to Lagos where I was hospitalized   at the Maryland Hospital  for three months.For the first three months I felt bad , at night  I would wake up and be crying  whenever  I looked at my fingers  and discovered that the fingers were gone!''

HOW I COPE WITHOUT THE FINGERS
The retired Headmistress said at first ,she used to  wrap her hand with  an handkerchief hiding her fingers but later had a change of mind, she said '' I used to wrap handkerchief round it and later learnt how to use my left hand .Later I removed the handkerchief and started using it to write on the board and write in exercise books. The fact is that I was not used to using left hand which was an overnight thing. I later started using the stumps , for I thought for how long will I be hiding my fingers'' 

I'M CONTENTED

Mrs.Olayinka  said " I spent 35  good years in teaching  service and was committed to my job. Asked whether she is rich  in the profession but she replied " Yes , of course  I was and I am rich for from the salary I was able to train my children  and provided them food and education .I am not talking of cash but little cash and moral support which is every teacher's joy to see their children excel. What matters most is job satisfaction and contentment in life.I believe one does not need thousands or millions of naira before he could be contented and fulfilled ,when money is too much it gives one headache too.You will be confused of what to use it for , so I don't pray in life to be rich but rich in contentment."

HAPPIEST MOMENT

''My happiest day in life was when my first daughter got married for it was  like me getting married .Marriage is a union between two matured man and a woman , as ordained by God .It is God that makes marriage work. The ones that fell by the road side it is God, and the ones that did not work it is also God.

Three months to my retirement day , I was happy but my colleagues in my last school , Government Primary School one, they  were not happy , even that had started coming to me 6 months to the bowing out 

I shed tears at the Apostolic church when they were reading the citation on me because I remember the hazards I went through. I could have died. I am not better than those who died before their retirement, all is by His grace''

LIFE AFTER RETIREMENT

''That is the most difficult thing I wouldn't like to talk about . I am scared of retirement  .I  know what to do , and without money you cannot do anything .Look  at some who had retired for some years and  have not received their gratuity. Let us hope in God.There are many things to do but for now I don't know.''

HOW I SPEND MY DAY

''When I have not retired , I would wake up in the morning , say my prayers , bath, Cook and set for school and  church.

Presently I would be going to Canada to relax and when I'm back I will find something  to do .

      TERE IS  REWARD IN TEACHING 

     The retired Mistress said '' although there was no money in Teaching profession but one way or the other God has a way of compensating  His  own people . I have seen pupils I taught in higher levels and the respect they gave me is great.One of my students gave me 10,000 naira  in Ijebu Igbo when he saw me. A boy who refused to go to school and whom I monitored  till he  eventually  became a lawyer today is still there to testify to all these''.
The retired Mistress said  teaching profession is now honoured and not looked down upon again, she said ''there is nothing Bankers, Lawyers are doing that Teachers don't do now.Teachers have choice cars , built houses like those in Banking Industry and in other professions, so we are not poor as we were perceived to be before''.

Remembering Otunba Michael Adeyeye Fadare Amilele

 

                                             Mrs. Ebun Fadare-Aderibigbe speaking

            .......Honour our father , we are pleading

............Remains found in bathroom 

.......Pregnant woman, guard dogs killed 

..... ....House set  ablaze

.......He appears to me in dreams

          BLACK MONDAY OF JUNE 5,2000

      Armed with dangerous weapons the  hoodlums came in with vehicles heavily  loaded with  arms and ammunition ,  explosives and cudgels as if going to the war front as they invaded the beautiful Duplex- Fadare Villa, along Owo-Ikare express road. Hell was let loose as they began to shoot indiscriminately. It was operation no mercy .  

   According to   sources ,some of the roughnecks jumped the brick -wall fence , others destroyed the security iron   gate and forced their way in. In a jiffy they killed the security man's step daughter who was pregnant at that time.  A five- year -old girl who saw them moving the wooden ladder on the brick-wall was shot . They  shot  Ayo ,one of the children of  the late  Chief  and wounded many found in the house.The animals  were not spared  either as they went after the  guard dogs and domestic animals and  opened fire at  them. Later   they  went after their victim, Micheal Adeyeye Fadare and his wife, Alhaja.

  The hatchet men  got their victim and used machetes on him severally but he was unshaken . They shot several bullets  at  him but  the pellets were wasted.They ignored his pleadings to spare him as  all fell into their deaf ears . He offered them money to spare his life yet this was turned down.They poured petrol on him and his wife and burnt the couple alive. 

Not yet done , the assailants  brought out rubber  tires and went to the garage where vehicles were parked and sprayed the vehicles  and the house with the petrol ,and the whole building went up in flames while the thick flames danced towards heaven.

 Having certified the couple  dead , the attackers fled.

The gunmen left  behind tears , sorrow and blood , courtesy of Fela Anikulapo Kuti .The sight of the remains of the couple found in the bathroom was gory and painful.  

It all happened before 6am  on the 5th of June, 2000.

   The news spread like wildfire and  shook Owo Kingdom. How can a Director of Federal Ministry of Works who had just retired in Abuja be treated with high level of cruelty like this?. This is inhuman, wicked and merciless.  Speculations went round but nobody was able to say who dunn it and why?.

 The result of this wicked act  affected  the family as they  suffered a huge loss. The step mother of the deceased gave up the ghost immediately she  heard the news.

   Two years later the late Chief''s mother died as a result of the death of his son which hastened her death too. The centre could not hold again as the family  suffered financially and psychologically . They   were traumatized. The death of the bread winner of the family affected them all. 

    A woman who remembered the ugly episode, Hajia Adunola Aderibigbe  on facebook cried '' Oooooh Chief may ur soul continue to rest in perfect peace amin.Ojo buruku ni ojo na , ki Olorun sanu fun wa l'Owo o ,amin.

The remains of the burnt house is still there till today  as the family has   no money to repair it. Weeds and trees have sprouted or grown in the house and its compound and  has become an abode for rodents and reptiles.  

Now the eldest  child, Mrs. Ebun Fadare-Aderibigbe on behalf of the family is  pleading  that her father deserves  to be honoured as he gave scholarships, employment and contributed to the development of Owo.

INTERVIEW WITH HIS FIRST DAUGHTER 

''My name is Ebun Fadare- Aderibigbe .The daughter of the late Chief Michael Adeyeye Fadare .My father was a super hero .An icon. Okonren Ogun f'unra re . A great leader , a man of the people .On June 4, 2000 some political leaders came to my Daddy's  house to celebrate his retirement from active service and also to project and acknowledge him as one of the benefactors  and leading light in the state[Fadare Leadership Forum] .On June 5th 2000 Chief Fadare with his wife Alhaja Nimata were  gruesomely murdered in his house, Fadare Villa along Old Owo -Ikare road .The whole building was set ablaze .My younger brother, Ayo was seriously injured .But to the glory of God he's alive today ,hale and hearty .More lives and properties were lost and destroyed .This led to spontaneous reactions from the youths in the town to destroy the properties of some alleged indigenes .Till today he has not been immortalized or recognized for his contribution to the development of Owo .Furthermore , the backlash of the infamy has led to the irresponsible handling and neglect of his family and legacy'' .

HOW MY FATHER WAS KILLED
Mrs.Fadare -Aderibigbe  said   ''I was told that early on that fateful   morning when some armed -to-the -teeth  blood thirsty assassins rushed into the  Duplex building, some scaled the brick wall fence while others  destroyed the iron gate to gain entrance .The security guard's step daughter who was pregnant at that time  had his head  blown off . They wounded  my younger brother , Ayo, one of the children of the late Engineer Fadare  and shot him ,  but he survived it after  a lot of  surgical operations.Later  they went after  the deceased and his wife . I was told that his killers shot him many times but all the pellets or bullets did not penetrate into his body.Again , they used machetes to cut him yet none of these worked .They later  burnt them alive alongside with the building . Before leaving they doused the building with petrol and and set on fire''. 
  She continued '' I was told that the hoodlums brought tires and petrol and poured it on the garage  and set the  cars ablaze. They did not allow my father and his wife to escape from upstairs. They burnt them alive. Nothing was left. After certifying them dead they left.Up till this moment nobody knows the reason why he was killed''.

 THE CORPSES BURNT BEYOND RECOGNITION 

The woman, Ebun who is a secondary school teacher in Lagos   said ''I was not allowed to see the corpse. Dr.Aladesawe who was the Medical Director at FMC , Owo was a friend to my late father. He was kind enough and did not want want me to see the remains , he only pointed them for  me to see. He knew the horror I would go through -I believe that was why he did'nt allow me to see it .In fact my late father was the President of Owo High Hope Club where Dr. Aladesawe was a member.When I glanced at the remains at a distance I was shocked.I don't know what could have warranted such a wicked act , to have burnt human being like that . It was horrible. painful and a wicked act''.

HOW I HEARD THE NEWS

''I heard about my Dad's death through one of my cousins Oluwole Fadare  who was sent from Owo to come and break the  sad news  to me in Lagos. I was confused and scattered .I didn't believe Daddy could be killed in Owo town very easily like that because he loved Owo too much .He lived his life for Owo people .He was always telling us then that e sile b'Ogho, e sibo dabi ulu one e. meaning there is no place like Owo.There is no place like your own home or town. I and my siblings and the entire Osowe Fadare family really missed his fatherly care , love his moral , financial, social support.He was our pride .,Our governor''.

 

FAMILY SCATTERED

''After the death of my father, things changed and the centre could not hold again.His aged mother was grieved to death, I believed that was what hastened her death. She died two years later , and that was in 2002. The family?Oh, lets not talk about that.''

 AMILELE IS NOT HIS NAME

While many did not know that the UK -trained Engineer's name was Michael Adeyeye Fadare while Amilele was just a name given to him for being a premature when he was delivered by his mother.

Hear Ebun '' Many did not know that 'Amilele' was not his name but just a nickname for according to my father when I asked him why he was being called that name.He told me that he was born as a premature baby.His mother also told me his story that when he was born he was a premature and his father never knew he would survive and whenever he asked whether the baby was breathing they would reply that he is breathing lightly ( Amilele) his family members would come and listen to his breathing as he breathed lightly , and they would say '' e mi le le'' (he is breathing lightly). That was how it  stuck to him till death. Many didn't know the story. It is Amilele not Amulele as many erroneously pronounced it''.

 The razed building in ruins since the year 2000

                    

The video clip of the razed building

WHERE WAS HE BURIED?

The remains were buried at the St Patrick's Anglican cemetery , GRA , Owo. He had properties but we are not financially strong to put the one burnt in place again for since then things had been difficult. He was the bread winner of the family''. 

I remember him everyday, and every June 5, I see him in my dream''

JIMOH AKEEM FADARE'S TRIBUTE

......My father's  friends abandoned  Fadare's family

 ....'Ogho Moro asonma t'gboya dehin'

In his tribute , JIMOH AKEEM  Fadare wrote '' it's exactly 19 years today , on the 5th June 2000 , an icon , a worthy son of Owo , grassroot politician, lover of his people , an infatigable leader, triple chief late Otunba Michael Adeyeye Fadare left this sinful world . Although the people of Owo still acknowledge your genuine love for the ancient town, nothing has been done to eulogize this illustrious son of ours whose activities especially on the development of our Kingdom vis a vis Human empowerment , social development etc can't be quantified ,Otunba as your friends did call you , you made yourself a sacrificial lamb for the growth and development of Owo , its just unfortunate that the community leaders , people and friends abandoned your family and children despite your contributions.The maxim 'Ogho Moro asonma t'gboya dehin' came to force in your case.

The Aare of Owo Kingdom , you left without looking back , your demise created a vacuum that's too difficult to fill 19years after your exit.I want to on behalf of the family plead with the king makers to use their offices to select the next Olowo with the fear of God so as not to pluck Owo into another avoidable crisis .Secondly I want to plead with Arakunrin Akeredolu to immortalize Otunba M.A.Fadare .

 TRIBUTE TO AN ICON, BY SAM DELE FADARE

........... Owo should let the Kingship be smooth

It's exactly 19 years today , on the 5th of June 2000, an icon , a worthy son of Owo , grass root politician , lover of  his people , an indefatigable leader, late Otunba Michael Adeyeye Fadare left this sinful world .Although the people of Owo still acknowledge his genuine love for the ancient town, nothing has been done to eulogize this illustrious son of ours whose activities and achievements are worthy of emulations  i.e late patron OLGASU , late president NUCLEUS  Club ,Owo, a prestigious Club in the town which the present governor of Ondo state Arakunrin Olwarotimi Akeredolu is a member. As the community prepares to choose another king,   friends  and associates of late Otunba M.A. Fadare  to mention a few :Dr. Abitoye former LG Chairman and minister of state for education , Chief Femi Omosanya former Edu Sec , Owo LGEA , Chief Femi Idris present Chairman Ondo state local government service commission, Chief Jamiu Ekungba whom I had discussion with once, Chief Segun Ojo former Finance Ondo State, Dr. Ademola Adebo former Federal Commissioner Code of Conduct Bureau representing Southwest Nigeria should start the process of immortalizing him in Owo to serve as a moral booster for those that really cares about the development of Owo Kingdom .I wish the people a peaceful selection and coronation  of a new monarch .Otunba M.A. sunre ooo. May his gentle soul continue to RIP .

                                 TRIBUTES  

On facebook a lot of people wrote on him

Theo Adeleye said '' Michael was a people's man , an excellent person-to know him was  2 love him.We miss him on many scores .Our consolatn:he's survived by gud children typified by Ebun .Oluwa t'ori adanu wa , a yan ropo rere laarin yin.Eniyan nmi ,sunre o!

  Ogundowole Johnson Bolu ( Former Rector RUGIPO) wrote ''The late Chairman , NASSOC sleep on''

Folusho Adebisi wrote on his Facebook page ... ADIEU ...CHIEF MICHAEL FADARE,  .The  late  chief was a man of peace , a passionate lover of his birth place -Owo land , a leader and a kind hearted Owo son. As Owo Kingdom start another march to select a king for Owo Kingdom , a befitting King for the first class royal status of Olowo of Owo .We implore all the youths of Owo Kingdom to sheath their swords and embrace peace , peace for prosperity of our land.,There is no blood worth spilling for any prince to clinch a title.''

                           

 Olayinka Kolawole -boboye wrote '' You and your wife (Iya Ibeji) continue to RIP''

Adekunle Adebayo wrote '' May your gentle soul rest continue to rest in peace  Sir.A great philanthropist and lover of youths , u will forever remain in our hearts''

Tunde Olugboroko has this to say '' A blessed heart . I knew him ., A wonderful man .So lively . Full of life. He loved Owo . Ds we shared as we Amelo, Baba IK, Apero while discussingd beauty of the honourable of Owo @ EMPRESS Motel in Zone 4 Abuja . Engineer Fadare , his death shocked me & many others as no one could imagine those accursed children to casused such pains , bloodshed &tears  in our community .He was   a true son of Owo .A great Ambassador with many innovative ideas . I loved his person .Always homely each time I met his blessed life .Kind &very hospitable .May his blessed but lovely soul rest in peace''.

Ademola Atitebi wrote '' May his soul continue to rest in perfect peace''

Olateru -Olagbegi Adesemola wrote '' RIP our super hero.You will always be remembered''

Oluwole Jacson Aderibigbe  in his words '' Father be fathers , Atoju omolom ju tire, Sunre the Best father inlaw I ever have, Rest on till we meet at the foot of most high God''

Veronica Bolanle Obasuyi wrote '' Continue to rest in peace''

Muibat Ironlady Onibode wrote Huuuuuuh okonren ogun suure oooo leader mi

Owo Concerned Group wrote '' Continue to rest in peace sir, father before father , Otunba before Otunba , a community and human builder''

Sulaiman Moshood Samuel wrote this '' Daddy was d one that paid my JSS1 fees then .Sir, continue to rest in d bosom of d Lord , Amen!

Ogunseitan  Morenike said ''May his sould rest in peace''

Daniel Sanya Adeyeri wrote ''RIP in the bossom of our Lord Jesus Christ Amen

Elder Gbende Obayanju wrote ''My dear lovely brother  I pray you will rest on Jesus Christ .Rest in peace Amen.

Rotimi Eyinla said Continue to rest in the bosom of the Lord till the day of resurrection

Eminogwa Gabriel Adebayo :No doubt,he is resting peacefully in heaven .Pls take heart.

Olaiya Edward wrote '' May his soul rest in peace of our LORD''

Kemi Bamidele Joseph:Rest in peace baba

Akinsanya Ode wrote : Iku b'olaje 

Awoniyi Martins wrote: He was the greatest tragedy that has ever befallen Owo commnunity .He was sacrificed that peace may reign in Owo .He lived a selfless life and touched so many lives positively before the evil forces terminated his life when  Owo needed him most.I am convinced that  this sinful act in itseld shall not delay their day of judgement .Eternal rest grant him oh! Lord

Fola Alasi wrote :May his gentle soul continue to rest in peace .

Owo natives honour Vasco Da Gama now!

   He speaks on many things, pls watch this video

                         

This is the man Dr.Orlando Owoh sang  his praise in his album, ILEYA. Vasco Dagama e ma ku Odun,Barika De Salah Musulumi Ododo. Eran Ileya te ri yen kii seran pasiparo ......''

Chief Awodeyi Obagbalode now lives  in Iyere- Owo , his home town where he located to many years ago after leaving Lagos in 1983.  He is a great artiste  .  He  is a multi instrumentalist  - he plays organ, flute , guitar and sings. He is also a wood  carver. He  paints and he used these  skills when he was performing with the late Afro King musician Fela Anikulapo Kuti and the African Kenneries  late Orlando Owoh, in their hey days.

He is popularly known as Vasco Dagama.

In his art  Gallery are various artworks from paintings to carvings. Hung on the walls of his gallery  are paintings of various musicians like Michael Jackson, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Orlando Owoh and many more. He carved a human head from a small tree growing in his compound .For this septuagenarian man , his handiwork makes him happy as they are his source of his happiness . As this Reporter was with him he would once in a while glanced at his carvings  and  sang some of the tracks  where the late Orlando Owoh sang his praises  , he sang some Fela's songs  and as the interview was going on  Vasco da Gama  as he is fondly called lighted  a stick of cigarette,  looked at this reporter  and in his baritone voice  mocked and  said " Yes, I smoked Indian Hemp while in the  Nigerian Army , with Orlando and with Fela.I have no regret smoking it , but for my old age...., " , he paused and added ' it is not everybody  that can cope with Indian hemp"

How I  earned the nickname- Vasco da Gama

Only very few people or his childhood friends know his real name  as he is fondly  called Vasco Da Gama .He gave the  genesis  of his name , "My name is Awodeyi Obagbalode but I am known all over the world as Vasco da Gama. When I  was in primary school  while everybody was giving himself nicknames I chose to be called  'Vasco da Gama'. I read about this man  who was an explorer   in World History and that was how the name stuck on me till date ,Only few people know my name''.

How I met Fela

Vasco da Gama who was once enlisted in the military  boasted that he joined the military as a Corporal in 1968  and was in  the Military Band in Lagos playing for the military when he met Fela , his words" I was in a Military Band called St.Augustine. We once waxed a record called ' "Asewo no bi Work , Na management" .Fela was there and when he saw my performance he called me to come and join him. but when I told him I was  still in the Army .He asked how much they were paying me and I told him .He called me and like an obedient servant I followed him".

FESTAC 77

Vasco da Gama  ,will not forget easily about FESTAC 77 , he said "that was when I even knew Fela when FESTAC 77 was about to take place. Of course  I had already known  Fela  before then but I later went to join his Band in 1977 . I remember what happened then ,  it was Fela who was asked to come and do the Opening  Glee  but he quarreled with the Federal government over it .They had invited him to come to FESTAC  77 venue to perform but he told the Federal government to rather come to his shrine at Kalakuta Republic, he bluntly refused  to go out of his shrine .That was how they invited  King  Sunny Ade  to come and  play and do the Opening  Glee since Fela's demand could not be met by the Federal Government".

Drama at the FESTAC 77 

Vasco da Gama said he would never forget in a hurry many things that happened during the festival, he said " They had worked the gas to light torch flame ,but the late Duro Ladipo one of the greatest Yoruba Cultural Artistes declined and said no, since it is an African festival it should it should be done in African way .Later Ladipo and  and his wife, Biodun went round the National Theater  seven times and the seventh time he (Duro Ladipo) stretched out  his hand and fire  sparked from  nowhere , there was thunder and lightening , and fire came out and everybody  shouted .It was a drama I will never forget in a hurry. Duro Ladipo used African power, He was powerful and he dazed all. Later King Sunny  Ade   went to the podium and did  the opening glee where he sang " Welcome , welcome Ladies and gentlemen , you are welcome to Africa where the festival is taking place here in Nigeria in Africa ...." , this was another great song that sank into  everybody's mind to date.''

Fela's character 

"I had known Fela  so much and we became intimate , at night I would go  and  play in his Band  .One day he told us about his film he was about to produce , and the film's title is the 'Black President' in Ghana .One day  we were in Kampala Hotel in Ghana when the policemen came to arrest Fela  but   it was the then Military head of State Flight Jerry Rawlings who came to rescue him".

Kalakuta Republic 

"I was there when the Kalakuta Republic was razed , it was one  John Uman who took our machine and went out but he took one way in order to be faster , for road construction was going on ,at Ojuelegba  that was why he took one way but  he was pursued to Fela's compound and the Traffic Warden, and the official [Traffic Warden] was beaten .Later some policemen  came and were beaten , later  many Soldiers  came and they beat  everybody while  Fela's  mother was beaten and thrown  down from upstairs .They then set the house on fire .It was hell. 

"We had a generator which was in a Bedford lorry and ....when they took light , it was wired with the barbed wires , .....and the soldiers came to set the house on fire and that was how the film , Black President was burnt ".

Fela was beaten , Kalakuta was burnt down, we went to court and in the end they called it unknown Soldier .They paraded some soldiers but how would you know who did it ?. The Judge said it was an unknown soldier that did it .

Fela was generous to a fault , he was not selfish .He would say we all worked for the money and we should equally share the money , ...in that Kalakuta Republic there are some Lagos boys who hibernate in his house , free food was 24 hours, drinks same , ganja etc, he would tell you we equally worked for it.

Fela was a millionaire before Millionaire , he was highly  connected , when his house was burnt foreigners came , Kitigaya, Steve Wonder, Peter Tosh  and many other international musicians came to sympathize with him , they brought a vehicle for him.He later moved from Mushin to Ikeja".

Orlando  Owoh

"We knew ourselves from home before I joined the army , but in 1969 we were in Garrison , there was one man  from Ifon in Ondo state called Major Adewoyi who came to meet Orlando ( and later invited him to Agbor)  that was where he sang the song of Madam Dupe .... They had bought vehicle and instrument for Orlando  , and finally when I came to Lagos I was going out to play with him , he used to settle me differently , I was an instrumentalist .I take Indian hemp ,as a military man, we 'eat' it  like roasted  yam but it is not good for 'Omoluabi' ( a responsible man) to  smoke it , 

Orlando and Fela's competition 

"In smoking Indian hemp Orlando cannot compete with Fela ,Fela had a wrapper  who had no other job than to be wrapping Indian hemp for him.While Orlando will not smoke Igbo in the public  , but Anikulapo May God bless his soul , he takes Igbo every hour".

Vasco da Dagama  finally relocated to his country -Iyere , Owo in Ondo State in December 1983 , he said he was hearing voices to return home  "whenever I slept I would be  hearing  some  voices  instructing me to go home , to go home, then  I would be playing Orlando's music , Ero ki yeye mi  o ba dele o ( greetings to my mother at home).

Combination of his talents 

On his multilateral talents, he said "I did not train under anybody. God gave me the gift , I was even an actor in theatre.I was the one leading in the class when I was in the primary school and I did not know I could  draw .When I was with Fela  there was a boy called Lenin Garoko who was designing Fela's album , I used to go and play with him in his shop , later I thought I could do it and Lenin encouraged me and I focused on it .I joined OCB Ade another musician and was playing jazz for him ,We waxed a record  but money became the problem and I told them the truth but we parted ". 

Orlando's travails 

''I was not permanent with Orlando as a Band  member .When I heard  of his death I was sad .He was a man. He would be remembering me as Awodeyi .

''He sang my praises ' Vasco Da Gama E ma ku Odun , barika de  sallah Musulumi  ododo, eran Ileya te  ri yen kii seran pasiparo....'.This record was a big hit and I became more popular in the country "

One day Orlando came at 4pm to play , and he was to play for one Colonel Aina , but he went to play in two  places and there was trouble .

''He was not selling cocaine   , he was more popular abroad than in Nigeria .They arrested him many times over Indian hemp , and when his place was searched they found cocaine in his house , but his wife said she was the owner". The Multi talented musician praised the late Orlando's wife for defending her late husband over the drug , he said "That Sade was a great woman ,you can't have another woman like that , she was a great woman " , he kept repeating the words while nodding .

Defending King Sunny Ade , he said " You will never see Sunny Ade with drug or cigarettes , you will never see him smoking at all and he can  hardly finish a bottle of coke'' .

On why there are rivalries among the musicians ?

According to da Gama fans are the ones causing it , for example Bob played a tune in guitar for Sunny Ade and it was translated negatively to hurt another musician and that he was referring to Obey  while when Obey played his own guitar they claimed it was referring to Sunny Ade

Due to this rivalries I could remember Bobo Aladeniyi, Adeyeye Salaja , Arakatura .There was a time some perceived enemies were accused of seizing Salaja's voice  .Bob played guitar and it almost caused problem between him and Sunny , they turned it to ' Haa, Guitar Sonu, Obey wa ti, Sunny mu' ( When Obey's guitar got lost , it was searched for but it was Sunny who took it  ) and it was the fans that caused all these"

"Yet these musicians love themselves", according to Dagama "If you are not closer to them you will not know, they are the greatest enemies in the public eyes and among their fans yet they are best friends"

On his age, the multi talented artist said ''I am getting old , that is why I come down to Iyere- Owo my home town in Ondo a State to stay''.

This man is getting old and lives on printing job and carvings where he makes little money to survive. He has made Owo proud . He deserves to be honoured. Please Owo indigenes home and abroad let us honour this man before it is too late.