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Sule Alao Adekunle a.k.a. Malaika has successfully carved a niche for himself in the Fuji music industry. “Alayeluwa”, as he’s also called, Malaika has paid his dues in the industry and has also churned out chart-bursting albums. Malaika spoke extensively about his personality, his romance with star actress, Sikiratu Sindodo, his music career and his new album, “Super Star” due for release soon. He spoke to an online entertainment magazine
Tell us about your romance with Sikiratu Sindodo…
I have made up my mind that I won’t talk about this again. You see, Sindodo is a good lady and is Godfearing. She is very prayerful and a good listener, she is very good to me. So no matter what people say, I do what I want to do.
I have made up my mind that I won’t talk about this again. You see, Sindodo is a good lady and is Godfearing. She is very prayerful and a good listener, she is very good to me. So no matter what people say, I do what I want to do.
Why is your new Album titled Super Star?
Well, anytime I plan to release an album I take my time to bring out the best in me. So this album tittled Superstar, people should be expecting the best of Malaika.
Well, anytime I plan to release an album I take my time to bring out the best in me. So this album tittled Superstar, people should be expecting the best of Malaika.
How many tracks do you have in it, and what is it all about?
It’s an 8 track album.
It’s an 8 track album.
When was the last time you released an album?
That was about 2 years ago and it was titled Special Day.
That was about 2 years ago and it was titled Special Day.
Why did it take you this long to produce another?
Well, I have been working here and there. One other thing is that before I release any album, I would have been mentioning it in any of my live CDs. So my teeming fans have been asking me where is the Super-Star. So when it comes out and you listen to it, you will know what I mean by Superstar.
Well, I have been working here and there. One other thing is that before I release any album, I would have been mentioning it in any of my live CDs. So my teeming fans have been asking me where is the Super-Star. So when it comes out and you listen to it, you will know what I mean by Superstar.
Did you feature any artist in the Album?
No, it’s all about me.
No, it’s all about me.
Can you tell your fans how you started from nobody to becoming a Superstar?
All my bitter sweet experience are in my latest album, I Am A Super Star. When I look at my past and see where I am coming from, I see that I have all reasons to praise the lord. I started my music career in the year 1983. I was in primary 2. I was at Oyewole Primary School and I proceeded to Secondary school where I droped out at form 2.I did that because we were living from hand to mouth. When I grew up, I began to pursue my education side by side my musical career. I went to United kingdom to further my education. Though it was a part-time programme. Then I started my music career in 1990.
All my bitter sweet experience are in my latest album, I Am A Super Star. When I look at my past and see where I am coming from, I see that I have all reasons to praise the lord. I started my music career in the year 1983. I was in primary 2. I was at Oyewole Primary School and I proceeded to Secondary school where I droped out at form 2.I did that because we were living from hand to mouth. When I grew up, I began to pursue my education side by side my musical career. I went to United kingdom to further my education. Though it was a part-time programme. Then I started my music career in 1990.
When did you know you could sing?
That was when I was a member of an Islamic group, we were already set for a show and the leader of the band didn’t show up. It was the grand finale of the competition and I was called upon to take the microphone which I did. Though before then, I was part of those who composed for the band. The name of the group was “Modirasa Islatulai”. When we won the competition, I got confidence that I could sing.
That was when I was a member of an Islamic group, we were already set for a show and the leader of the band didn’t show up. It was the grand finale of the competition and I was called upon to take the microphone which I did. Though before then, I was part of those who composed for the band. The name of the group was “Modirasa Islatulai”. When we won the competition, I got confidence that I could sing.
You’ve many albums to your credit, and you are now a Super star, what has this new status changed about you?
Nothing. May be natural things I stopped doing due to age, but as a star I will say No. Even. If I am not a star, my age should tell me what to do or not to do.
Nothing. May be natural things I stopped doing due to age, but as a star I will say No. Even. If I am not a star, my age should tell me what to do or not to do.
Can you park by the road side now, to buy roasted corn, for example?
Yes I can as long as it’s not an offence, I can do it.
In one of your albums, you sang about how you started from the scratch, how you used your money to rent instruments and play for free, tell us more about that.
Part and more of the story is in this album ‘Super Star’ when I was growing I always remembered where I am coming from, but I started right from when I was in primary school, 1982 Oyewole Primary School, Iyana Ipaja although I dropped out in Form 2.
Part and more of the story is in this album ‘Super Star’ when I was growing I always remembered where I am coming from, but I started right from when I was in primary school, 1982 Oyewole Primary School, Iyana Ipaja although I dropped out in Form 2.
Why did you drop out?
We were living from hand to mouth, it was not easy. Though I need the education, so I did part time in a College in the United Kingdom (UK).
We were living from hand to mouth, it was not easy. Though I need the education, so I did part time in a College in the United Kingdom (UK).
When did you start music professionally?
I started my musical career 1983.
I started my musical career 1983.
Can you recollect the first contact you had with music?
At my Islamic classes, we had a singer, an Islamic singer and I used to be a backup for the person, so it’s not like I have worked with anybody before, so there was an Islamic singing competition I used to be part of, so on a particular occasion we had a show, we were supposed to perform at and our lead singer was not around, so the Alfa told me to handle it, and I took to the mic because I knew all the songs, as I was the writer of the music, luckily for our group we won.
At my Islamic classes, we had a singer, an Islamic singer and I used to be a backup for the person, so it’s not like I have worked with anybody before, so there was an Islamic singing competition I used to be part of, so on a particular occasion we had a show, we were supposed to perform at and our lead singer was not around, so the Alfa told me to handle it, and I took to the mic because I knew all the songs, as I was the writer of the music, luckily for our group we won.
Which year was this?
That was 1982 November.
That was 1982 November.
You are generally seen as not being controversial, how have you managed to conduct yourself to achieve that?
It depends on how you see controversy, and how you handle issues. I do my own things lightly. When something happens I think twice, then tell someone I know won’t mislead me, so I get good advice. It’s not as if I haven’t been upset before in the face of crisis. It’s just the way I handle my things that is different.
It depends on how you see controversy, and how you handle issues. I do my own things lightly. When something happens I think twice, then tell someone I know won’t mislead me, so I get good advice. It’s not as if I haven’t been upset before in the face of crisis. It’s just the way I handle my things that is different.
Is Malaika your real name?
No. I am Sulaimon Alao Adekunle, Malaika, is just my stage name.
No. I am Sulaimon Alao Adekunle, Malaika, is just my stage name.
Which year did you adopt the name?
1996 I started with the name ‘Tekoye’, it was my brother’s name, more like my Uncle. I wasn’t a back up singer for him but I just liked him. So I just picked up his name, and people started calling me ‘Tekoye’ all over, even the bearer of the name was being affected Tekoye Oyingbo, Tekoye Mushin etc. People now started saying which Tekoye. So I started to think and decided to change my name so I called my father and the record owner to help me choose a name, because I am an Alfa, I observe the Muslims 5 times daily prayer. So they gave me Angeli, but I decided to change it to Malaika. I even titled one of my albums Malaika.
1996 I started with the name ‘Tekoye’, it was my brother’s name, more like my Uncle. I wasn’t a back up singer for him but I just liked him. So I just picked up his name, and people started calling me ‘Tekoye’ all over, even the bearer of the name was being affected Tekoye Oyingbo, Tekoye Mushin etc. People now started saying which Tekoye. So I started to think and decided to change my name so I called my father and the record owner to help me choose a name, because I am an Alfa, I observe the Muslims 5 times daily prayer. So they gave me Angeli, but I decided to change it to Malaika. I even titled one of my albums Malaika.
What does Malaika mean?
It means Angel.
It means Angel.
You are the only Fuji musician who still sings ‘Were’ you take us back to the start
You see, it’s not only me but I am the only one out of my contemporaries who does it. When you want to start singing Fuji you have to start from “were”. It makes it all easy for people to know that you know what you are doing, without Were, Fuji is difficult. Like now I can sing all my answers to you because it is easier for me. You can’t start from Primary School and jump to Higher Institution. So my background made me.
Tell us 10 things people don’t know about Malaika.
I am very visible, nothing that is hidden. Okay, I don’t sleep at night. I play soccer (play station) all through the night, I play it with my children at home all the time. I write music at night too. I sleep after the 6am prayer and wakeup at about 1pm or 2pm.
I am very visible, nothing that is hidden. Okay, I don’t sleep at night. I play soccer (play station) all through the night, I play it with my children at home all the time. I write music at night too. I sleep after the 6am prayer and wakeup at about 1pm or 2pm.
One has noticed that you are close to the young generation as well as old generation Fuji artistes. How do you do that?
It’s very easy, you just don’t have to be an hypocrite, the sky is very big enough to contain all the birds. “Alubarika” (Blessing) is key. I can call Pasuma, KI any of them. When I heard something happened to Alhaji Wasiu I called him four times, but he didn’t pick it, then I sent a text, immediately he replied my text. I see him like my father and everything, I see him as a god, I don’t mean the god I am worshiping but as my Fuji god, because he has been there before me, he is better than me. They have that power to stop you, I can also stop the ones coming after me too. So there is no point being that way. My parents always warn me about controversy, they also encourage me to pray. So that is just me.
It’s very easy, you just don’t have to be an hypocrite, the sky is very big enough to contain all the birds. “Alubarika” (Blessing) is key. I can call Pasuma, KI any of them. When I heard something happened to Alhaji Wasiu I called him four times, but he didn’t pick it, then I sent a text, immediately he replied my text. I see him like my father and everything, I see him as a god, I don’t mean the god I am worshiping but as my Fuji god, because he has been there before me, he is better than me. They have that power to stop you, I can also stop the ones coming after me too. So there is no point being that way. My parents always warn me about controversy, they also encourage me to pray. So that is just me.
Your voice is very distinct how have you been able to manage it?
It is beyond my comprehension.
It is beyond my comprehension.
But you can’t sing forever
God plans for me. My grand Dad and my Dad were both musicians. I didn’t even like their way, they always come early in the morning, bang our door. We have come ooo. They come home drunk though my Dad doesn’t drink, I never liked their ways, my mum was always preparing food for them with their crew, they will start disturbing us with drums at that time it was only one room. Once they come in, we will all wake up. I never knew I was going to sing, my mum was really against it.
God plans for me. My grand Dad and my Dad were both musicians. I didn’t even like their way, they always come early in the morning, bang our door. We have come ooo. They come home drunk though my Dad doesn’t drink, I never liked their ways, my mum was always preparing food for them with their crew, they will start disturbing us with drums at that time it was only one room. Once they come in, we will all wake up. I never knew I was going to sing, my mum was really against it.
She then told me to say what my grand dad’s achievement was, even my dad did not have anybody to stop him from singing at that time, because she was sure she would have stopped him. So why do I want to do it. She swore to struggle at all cost to help me with education so that I would not sing. Then my grandmother stepped in and asked her not to disturb me, and told her that my voice is God sent. I just found the love to sing.
So she told her to just help me with prayers, then my mum called me to warn me that I should never come back to her and tell her that I won’t continue, that she can even disown me, if not for my grandmother, and I have never gone back to her. Even if I just tell my grandmother, and if she was alive today I don’t know what I would have done for her, she is the one behind my doing music today because she stepped in for me. If my parents were rich I would not have gone into Fuji music. God just wanted me to be who I am today. That is why God didn’t give my parents money or make them rich.
How do you cope with female admirers?
Well, as a musician you can’t do without females. I know how to handle them
Well, as a musician you can’t do without females. I know how to handle them
About Unknown
Deji Sadiq, a.k.a DEJI OF LAGOS is a LASU trained Economist turned freelance journalist, a Blogger, an information strategist, a public affairs analyst and a committed activist with a passion for equal opportunities.
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