By Remi Adefulu
Segun Adewale, is a foremost Juju musician who ruled the music scene along with his bosom friend, Sir Shina Peters, years back, when they both worked together as Sir Shina Adewale Juju band. In this interview, he talks about his favourites.
Favourite music
I love music in general. I have been playing music since 1954. I rose to stardom in 1973. I am one of the top juju musicians. When you talk about top juju musicians, you talk about Baba himself, Evangelist Ebenezer Obey, King Sunny Ade, Dele Abiodun etc.
Favourite colour
The Almighty God created different colours – indigo, white, blue, pink, red etc. I don’t think any colour is bad. The Almighty God has His reasons for creating many colours. I love all colours.
Favourite car
I have driven all series of Benz. From 190, 200, 230, 280 to 300. In short, the A-to-Z of Mercedes Benz. Now I have a Kia, Toyota Sequia and Armada. My love for Benz is like an addiction.
Favourite weather
I have visited 49 countries altogether. I prefer Nigeria’s weather. It seems to be the best. Even the White people prefer Nigeria’s weather. The Almighty God has made our weather so nice. Come to Lagos, you will experience very nice weather. Move down to the North, and you will enjoy the scorching sun. Go to Jos, you will have it chilly and all that. Florida’s weather is like Nigeria’s weather too. I have been there.
Favourite holiday destination
Any time I feel like going on holidays, I prefer my hometown. Osogbo is so peaceful, natural and noiseless. I love the atmosphere.
Favourite sport
I am a footballer. I am a boxer. I do play table tennis as well. I play football with passion. I love it so much. At Ahmadiyya College, Agege, I was a sprinter. Coach Tunde Disu was my senior then, and we played football a lot. At that time, we had the Junior Academicals. We had St. Finbarrs, Ahmadiyya College and all that. It is unfortunate the whole thing disappeared.
Favourite book
I love Shakespeare a lot. He is my favourite author. He writes for the mature mind.
Favourite leader
Ah! Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He has a sense of vision. He is a focused man. Let me call him a visioner, though I have never had cause to relate with him at any level. He is one out of many. He has a passion for touching lives.
Favourite friend
You know my friend, Emmanuel Bamigboye? (Chairman, Mushin Local Government), he is a modest man. We are like-minds because he is a man I have known over the years.
Favourite food
I was born in Olorunsogo, Mushin, Lagos, in 1949. I love esuru very much. My favourite food is eba. My love for eba is legendary. Do you know I was sent home from England because of eba in 1962? My sister took me there and when I got there, the British syndrome got into her and she started measuring gari with tomato tin. I didn’t agree with her. I told my mother, “Mama Segun, can you tell my sister to bring me back? That was how I was sent home.