‘People say I sing like Ebenezer Obey’ •says man blind from childhood

Kasimiyu Olowookere is a visually-impaired gospel musician, with two albums to his credit. In this interview, he told Medinat Kanabe how he became blind; his journey into music, boasting that he would defeat even the sighted in a musical competition.

Born on March 31th 1973 in Abeokuta, Kasimiyu Olowookere was as active as any other child his age until 1976 when he suffered measles attack that affected his left eye.

“My parents were not learned,” he said, “so they didn’t know it was measles. I suffered for days until one evening when my mother went to one of the elders in the village to complain about my condition and was told that I had measles.”

Olowookere said he was taken to Lantoro in Abeokuta from where his parents were referred to UCH Ibadan, where it was discovered that the measles had damaged his left eye ball. An operation was immediately conducted but after the operation, he discovered that he couldn’t see with the eye anymore; that was how he lost his left eye.

The other eye according to him went bad during his days in Pachelis School for the Blind and Partially Sighted People, Ajao Road Surulere. “I was taken to LUTH for an operation, when I complained of feeling uncomfortable with the eye. But rather than improve, I realised that I couldn’t see anymore. I was ten years old then,” he explained bitterly.

There is a saying that no matter how a child is, his mother will love him, but that wasn’t the case with Olowookere, who said his mother detests physically challenged people and his case wasn’t an exemption.

“My father was so nice during his life-time; he was dedicated and loved me so much but I lost him when I was eleven; and that really affected. My mother was not so helpful, not devoted or ever kind towards a visually impaired person; and this is part of problems most handicapped people have.”

She abandoned his education as soon as his dad died, believing that he was of no use or will be of no use to her in life.

He however got lucky as he got sponsorship from a philanthropist, the then Permanent Secretary, Radio Lagos, Mr Lekan Ogunbanwo. He said the then Director Admin, Mr Emmanuel Fayemi Olaniyan also assisted him a lot when he showed interest in music.

As providence would have it, Olowookere later went to the Federal Government College, Kano and Federal Polytechnic, Owerri.

He confessed that he is a very lucky person and that his luck has extended to his children, as they are all on scholarship. “Three of them are been sponsored by the CMS Cathedral.”

Asked if he is married, since he has children, he said he is partially married, and that he has six children from three beautiful women. “One thing led to another and they are not with me anymore. I had twins two times and two single births.

Olowookere said “My first child is 19 years old and the youngest are less than 13. My second daughter is in JSS 3 in Lagos State Model College, Epe and the fifth and sixth are in a primary school in Ikorodu.”

Although they do not live with him, he said their mothers bring them to visit him, whenever they want, and that he also goes to visit them.

On how long he has been playing music, he said music for him started with a school band. He later formed his first band in 1999 called Young Stars International Band, but said it was strictly highlife music before he ventured into gospel.

He said “I feel music is a gift from God. For me it is like somebody who knows within himself that he is going to be a driver because he is attracted to things of that nature. I began to have interest in music at a very tender age. When I was very young in the village, I would organise children of my age; we gathered empty tins of beverage, kegs and all sorts, then we used them as musical instrument. I think I was around six or seven years then.”

He noted that only his father encouraged him at that time, as others shouted him down calling him a noisy child.

The vocalist, who is also a keyboard and drum-set player, said he is a Christian but doesn’t belong to any church even as a music minister. According to him, many churches have been trying to make him join them as a full member but all he is interested in is do his ministering and make his money.

When asked if he is financial okay, especially since he makes loads of money from the churches, Olowookere exclaimed and screamed “No o!” He said the reason he was even giving the interview was so he could get sponsorship, which he needs earnestly.

“That, I must say, is something that gives me sleepless night, and I am not always happy when I remember it. The inspiration is there and I believe if given the opportunity, I will compete with the sighted and defeat them. I really need someone to finance my second album. The album dubbed Sokudaye has been recorded but yet to be released into the market because of funding constraints.”

He said his major bottlenecks are the promoters; he said they only want to promote the well known musicians; but according to him, there are lots of musicians inching to break into the scene.

He revealed that his latest album has five tracks, including one specially dedicated to transporters to entertain them on the wheels. He noted that a promo copy has been sent to some radio stations and that he hears them play it whenever the topic of discussion revolves around transport. He revealed that the other tracks are gospel and speaks of his personal life experiences.

On how he got money to release his first album, Olowookere said it was sponsored by the then Director Admin, Radio Lagos, Mr Emmanuel Fayemi Olaniyan, emphasising that he made some money from it, which he unfortunately squandered on frivolities.

“Part of the money was spent on my journey to America; but as a Yoruba adage goes, ‘owo t’omo kekere kokoni akara lofije, meaning the first major money a child makes is usually spent on frivolities. I can tell you that despite my state, the women I married are very beautiful and it is because I had the money spend on them.”

Major challenges

As a visually impaired musician, he said he faces challenges that would be enormous even for the sighted and able-bodied. “That is why after releasing my first album in 1999, I have not being able to really do much in the industry.

“Although I used to have friends who assisted me by giving me money; some even bought me musical instrument; but at the moment, nobody is really giving me the help I need.”

Asked why he chose gospel, he said it may be because he ministers in churches. He however added that someone once prophesied to him that he would one day quit secular music for gospel. “I didn’t take the person seriously then, but it took a long time before everything came into reality. So, I didn’t go into gospel music for money but to honour a call from God.”

Answering a question on what keeps him going, he said, it has being God all through. He noted that it is one thing to play music and another to be dedicated, and that he is dedicated because of the favour of God in his life.

Music heroes

In the music industry, he said he admires Ebenezer Obey even as he has his own pattern of music, that is unique to him.  “Whenever I sing, people say my voice sounds like that of Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey. When you listen to my song, the voice truly sounds like him but I don’t play his pattern.”

He advised other visually impaired people never to give up on the struggle for survival and a better life. He said part the biggest challenge the physically challenged face is lack of encouragement.

First Published in The Nation of January 03, 2016