When as a boy, Ademola Ogunsusi joined the Children Choir of the Methodist Church Cathedral, Okitipupa, little did he know that fate was already preparing him for a career that will earn him an early shot to limelight. It did not come easy, he fought parental disapproval with talent, dedication and commitment.
Like he noted during a chat with Coastal News correspondents, Ade Adesomoju and Bolarinwa Olagbegi, it is doubtful if he would have been able to resist the urge to electrify the law court with music if he had become lawyer that he wanted to become as a child. He asserted that he spontaneously spews good music, not relying on ganja(marijuana) or alcohol to sing confidently and beautifully.
He bared his mind to us on his music career and other sundry issues. Sit back and enjoy the full text of the interview.
Q: Can we meet you?
A: Yes, I am Ademola Ogunsusi, but people call me ‘Demola Suzi. I was born in early 80s. I had my primary education at St. John’s R.C.M Primary School and St. William’s Nursery/Primary School both in Okitipupa. I later attended Unity Secondary School, Ode-Aye between 1992 and 1997.
I proceeded to Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, where I obtained NCE in French in year 2004 and later B.A (Education) in French in 2008/2009.
Though I hail from Irele in Irele Local Government Area of Ondo State, but I was born, bred and still live in Okitipupa,.
Q: Since when have you been involved in music?
A: That was a very longtime ago. I started as a choirboy in the Methodist Church Cathedral, Okitipupa. I grew to become a vocalist, an instrumentalist and an organist in the Cathedral Choir.
People had always liked me to take music as a business. In fact, since 1990s, I have always been pestered by my admirers to go into music but my parents were strongly against it. It got to a time when they discovered I was getting too involved that they had to stop me from going to the choir. It took the intervention of the church bishop for me to return to the choir. Not just that, I had to sign an undertaking that I was going to take my education serious.
Q: When did you finally take it as business?
A: I took the bold step around 1998 by joining some bands, like Olu Degson’s band, Mama Omoge’s band, Pedido’s band, Georgee’s band and a short time with Sir Shina Peter’s band.
I gathered more experience in Adonis around year 2000. Adonis was owned by several people but I was leading the band. About 6months later, I came up with my own band which I called Demola Suzi and the Sound Blaster Band. Since then I’ve been playing and people like my music.
In year 2005, I started playing on Fridays at the M&K Guest House in Okitipupa. My fans who were now plenty encouraged me to wax an album. Through the help of a very good friend of mine, Adetuwo Adedeji who sponsored me, I waxed an album in August 2006. The album was very good and sales OK.
The album gave me a shot to limelight. People called me from everywhere – from the US, UK and all other places around the world. The number of my fans increased geometrically. In fact, I had to change my phone line at a time because the deluge of calls I was receiving was becoming unbearable.
Since then I gave got two invitations from the former Ondo State governor, Dr. Olusegun Agagu, first, in 2007 when he was still in office and the other, recently in Ibadan during his 62nd birthday party. The 2007 party was for the burial ceremony of his late step-mother. That party remains my biggest show.
Q: We learnt that you were recently honoured with an award. Who gave the award and have been receiving such awards in the past?
A: Yes, I was given an Award of Honour/Recognition by Life Dream Investment December 2009. In December 2008, I received the Ikale Community Awards as the Outstanding Ikale Youth Musician. In May 2008, the National Union of Irele Local Government Student’s Union (NAILGOS) of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko honoured me with an award as the Best Entertainer of the Year. In 2006, the Student’s Union of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti also gave an award as the Best Entertainer of the year.
Q: How could you have been given such award by the Student’s Union of far-away Federal Polytechnic Ado-Ekiti?
A: I think it was because there were many Ikale students who were in the mainstream of the school’s students politics. Apart from that, students anywhere are lovers of my music.
Q: How did you break free from your parents’ disapproval of your music career and shoot yourself to limelight?
A: As a little boy I had to obey my parents. But you know, once music is in-built you cannot hide it. I would sneak out at night and come in very early in the following morning for plays without them knowing.
They were so determined to stop me from going into music up to the extent that they would not want to see any musical instrument or even musician anywhere near me. What even worsened the case was that, I had a bad result in my first attempt of WAEC. It was worrisome to them because they believed that I did poorly because of my involvement in music.
I never wanted to study French. I wanted to study Law. But because my parents just wanted me to study something, apparently, to shift my interest away from music. I had to do their bidding to convince them that I could be responsible.
After I gained admission into higher institution, they started getting good reports about me at school that I was attending to my studies well and doing fine. I was actually combining music with my studies without one hindering the other.
A year before my mother died, we started reconciling our differences on my interest in music most especially when she discovered that I was becoming more responsible. My parents decided to give me a trial. That was how I got their approval. In fact, my father was present in the launching of my first album. This goes to show much in was support of my music career.
Q: How soon should your fans expect your next album?
A: I have another album in studio which was supposed to have been released in December 2009. Due to some technical errors – the sound was not coming as good as I want it. I have to ensure the corrections are carried out and the work is perfectly done.
Q: So, when it come out?
A: I like releasing my album during festive period. So, if it doesn’t come out during the next Easter, it’s going to be December this year.
Q: Can you give hint as per the album and its content?
A: Yes. The title of the album is Only You, referring to God. It’s going to have 8tracks.
The first track is Only You which is Rythym and Blues. The second is Praise songs. Others are, Me s’oda (Ikale interpretation of I’m not foolish), Omo olorin, Ololufe and Never say.
Q: Why do you like to infuse your music with praise songs?
A: I started music from church. Apart from that, it’s necessary to give praise to God in all things.
Q: Since you started from the church, why are you not singing full gospel music?
A: Variety is the spice of life. I will not like to be stereotyped like many others. As a musician, you should understand that you are in a large crowd. By singing one type of music, you will be cutting off many as your fans. The larger the audience, the better for the musician. That is the reason why my music encompasses all manners of interests – R&B, juju, gospel and songs about our country Nigeria.
Q: How is your French education impacting on your music career?
A: It’s impacting positively well in many ways. I did not just study French, I was in the Faculty of Languages where will study vocabularies, Literature, Arts and a host of others. This helps me a lot. Moreso, in Education which I studied, we were taught to face crowd. So, I don’t have to use spectacles like some musicians will do for them to face crowd.
It also helps me in the general administration and arrangement of my band.
Q: As a musician, you will always have women around you. How do you handle them?
A: It’s very simple. Caution is the word. I have to learn from mistakes of those ahead of me. We should not fall into the same pit. The first generation musician made wealth and fame but most of them were not happy. They squandered their wealth on women ending up having plenty wives.
Though, I’m still single but I will soon be married. Currently, I don’t have any other woman apart from my fiancée. Anyway, the female world needs to be handled with much care. They are helpful to musicians. If they like you, they can go to any length to promote you. They are not always liabilities, they are also assets.
Q: What inspires you?
A: My inspiration is spontaneous- it’s natural. I don’t drink, I don’t take marijuana like some musicians who believe you must take these things for them to get inspiration.
Q: Who is the musician you look up to?
A: There are plenty of them. You know, some musicians are successful musically but not having a good family. One has to pick the good attributes in lives of the successful ones. I like the music of Crosdale Juba, KSA, Fela, Lucky Dube and Lagbaja.
Q: Whose music among them do you try to fashion your own after?
A: Of course, there is no new musician who does not pick from the works of those ahead of him. For instance, you cannot say you want to sing juju without pick from the works of KSA. But generally, I admire King Sunny Ade (KSA), Crosdale Juba, Sir Shina Peters and Lagbaja.
Q: How do you reconcile your quiet nature with the hustle and bustle of music life?
A: Like I earlier said, miusic is in-built in me. For the fact that I’m quiet does not mean I’m gentle. When it comes to music I do it the way it’s supposed to be done. So, I have no problem with that and people still like to come around me.
Q: Where can one regularly find you entertaining people?
A: Coastal Hotel, Okitipupa, last Sunday of every month and Big Soul Hotel, Ikorodu, once in January every year.
Q: Your ability to render the full track of Crosdale Juba is quite amazing and admirable. You seem to find something particularly interesting in the works of the man?
A: Firstly it is true that I can render all the tracks of Crosdale Juba. He is a man whose works have greatly inspired me. Though, I never met him alive but I’ve been listening to his music as a child. I never knew any Ikale man could be that great musically. He traveled to many African countries like Ghana, Gabon etc to play before he died.
In fact, people have been clamouring for a concert in his remembrance. I am working in partnership with Ikale News, AK Media, Lagos and NTA Oktitipupa to make the concert come true. It may interest you to know that, I will be glad to honour invitation from the Ikale World Congress (IWC) in its convention coming up this year, to celebrate this man and Ikale in general.
Q: What is your advice to upcoming musicians?
A: Music is not a simple thing. Like the Late Afro beat Legend, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti would say "music is a spiritual thing". They should move closer to God. They should know that education is very important. It will definately take you places. They should endeavor to get educated and be socially positive
Demola Suzi & the sound blasters band contact phone number: +2348059288274, +2348038079526 E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
