Zik Zulu, His Colleagues At AMP Will Not Live Long—Eddie Ugbomah Spits Venom

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I CAN'T DIE NOW- ASA, LAGBAJA MUSIC TEACHER CRIES OUT
Legendary Jazz maestro and music teacher of international song stars, Asa and Lagbaja, Peter King is optimistic he is not going to die despite being stricken by Stroke. He told a correspondent of Nollywoodgists. Com at his Morogbo, Badagry resident on Tuesday, “I am not going to die. I am just getting better. I will soon be on my foot again. I am not going to give up. They almost killed me in that mad place they call LUTH, Lagos University Teaching Hospital.”
Peter King who said that Asa and Lagbaja visited him last year with money and various gifts after a media did a story on him, hits at LUTH, “That is where they call teaching hospital and they couldn't provide us with water, electricity and fans. It was a crazy place.”
Talking of about his sojourn into music, Peter King hinted, “I knew where I was going before I went into music. I wanted to be a mechanic, an automobile engineer. It's because I was fascinated then by the Bedford lorry that looks to me like a small house moving on the streets. But God directed me into music.”
On the question if he had the ability to be a good musician then, he said, “I grew up in a family with the Kokoma Band. My father bought us some traditional musical instruments and drums. Then my father was a civil servant, a prison warden. I didn't know what we were doing then in my family until I got to London. It was there I knew from a reverend Father Dolphin that what I did at home was ear training. That was how you train the ear to identify music sounds. It is called Sofa.
However I was born in Enugu but started schooling in Lokoja. I schooled also in Lagos, to Port Harcourt (PH). My going to PH was my longest journey for it took us one week to travel from Lagos to PH by train. It was during a stay with an elder brother in Ibadan that I was introduced into music by a man. Then there is no music industry in Nigeria. That is the reason when people talk of a music industry in Nigeria, I used to laugh. Music industry is not all about waxing records or recording songs in the studio. Music industry is a wide sphere. Even the musical school is a wide place too. That is why you see University can't bring out good musical talents. You don't teach people what you don't know. Those who use four years to study music at the University can't pass test when they come to my music school. It is because those who taught them don't even know anything about music. It takes me three months to teach anyone to become a music teacher. It takes dedication to do that. You don't just go into music unless you are gifted. If you are gifted you must learn it. That was the reason I left for London.
My brother who was an army lived three blocks from Central Hotel, Ibadan. That was where Roy Chicago plays with his high life band. The guy who introduced me to music was just a learned friend of Roy Chicago. He took me to the hotel where these guys dressed like Americans. The hotel was patronised by influential people. Then I was about 18 or 19. He gave me a bottle of Coca-cola. While we drink I told him I could play the drums except the saxophones and trumpets. So he forced me to go to the band boys where I played with the maracas and kongas. That was how one of the drummers agreed on my prompting to teach me more about the drums and instruments especially the jazz band. His name was Sam.
Those days music was not valued. Roy was working as a teacher. He does music on part time. Music was just for ones personal enjoyment. Those who do music learn it as apprentice. But there was a limit you can learn. That was why the likes of Victor Olaiya did not know the theoretical side of music. They did not go too far.
So I left my mechanical apprenticeship workplace with the Public Works Department of the Ministry Of Works where I was also paid as a trainee. Then I didn't know there was money in music. After been with Roy for about six months he came to me one day and said, 'I would be receiving salaries'. Mind you, during those six months training period I still get up to four pounds that was more that what I get at the PWD where I was paid two Pounds. He started paying me six Pounds.”
Peter King said he tried in vain to combine music and his mechanical apprenticeship but failed, “Meanwhile my attempt to combine music with mechanical training was unsuccessful. I could not wake up most of the mornings after hectic nights at the club. That was how I stopped going to the PWD. Not even the promptings of my family made me change my mind. My father was one of those that really accepted my musical life. He said he knew I was going to be a musician since I was the leader of the family band.”
On Asa and Lagbaja, “She was here last year. She brought money and a lot of food items. That is the same with Lagbaja. They have being god to me since I fell sick,” he said.

EDDIE UGBOMAH
ZIL ZULU, HIS COLLEAGUES AT AMP WILL NOT LIVE LONG- EDDIE UGBOMAH FUMES
One of the surviving legend of Nigeria's movie industry, Chief Eddie Ugbomah (OON) has lashed out at the Zik Zulu Okafor led Association of Movie Producers (AMP) and Andy Amenechi' controlled Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN) for neglecting his person. Eddie who is Chairman of both associations is angry the guilds are not joining in the celebration of his 74th Birthday and 50th year on the stage. Both events which were formerly billed to be done in December 2014 have been shifted to January 2015.
Eddie who spoke to Emmanuel Omene-Johnson, a correspondent of Nollywoodgists.com at his Morogbo, Badagry resident on Tuesday afternoon, said, “I am the chairman of the board of trustees of two guilds, the Directors guild and Producers Association. Which is the core of the industry yet they are not joined in my celebration. The reason is that of jealousy. They say it is only Eddie Ugbomah. This year I have received five awards on life achievement. These were given me in London and the USA. It has come to ten such awards in two years. But to them they don't know that I have paid my dues and that they should celebrate me so that their own days shall be better. I am like Azikiwe while they are Okadigbo. Okadigbo told Azikiwe that his mouth smells. But Azikiwe replied him that his mouth will not smell because he shall not live old. All of them will never be better until they change and begin to appreciate the founders of this industry. They must stop to bring in tribalism as perfected by Azikiwe and Awolowo into the industry. That is what is killing us in Nigeria.”
He went on, “I pity them if they think they can ignore me. I am their Board of Trustees chairman. Since I came into the office many of their presidents have come and gone. Zik Zulu and his AMP used six months to design a letter-head and three months to write a letter to support my programme. That makes it one year. But I have written letters in that time and received supports.
I am not involved in their day to day running. I come in when there is a crisis. When the case of Governor Akpabio's twenty million naira came up I was there to settle it. They have only two years to serve. You don't force a cow to drink water even after forcing it to the river side. When people think that you are cleaner and more honest than them hate you for been better, let them go roast. What do I need them for when the CEOs of the biggest media houses in Nigerian are happy asking pages for my celebration? The show is celebrating itself.”
Eddie fumes when reminded that those two guilds are his primary constituencies and should have given him their total support, “No. they are not. I have given them free hands to operate. If they do well it will good for them but if not, it is left to them; whatever they do will return to them. When money from Akpabio came up as I told you before, they ruled me out. In the industry it is only Ibinabo that I can say is doing well. Andy Amenechi does not even exist. Paul Obazele was better with the DGN. They will come and go and I shall remain. How can you write and design a letter for nine months when I used less that a week to do mine. They are small minded nitwits. If they don't celebrate me they will never be celebrated. The events are going to be for those with big minds, not for rats. Because of people like Zik and Andy I told my children to bury me when I die without much funfair. They should not allow those idiots to use my death as a way of making money and speak big grammar.”
On his forthcoming shows, the elder statesman said, “It is going to be a big concert. It is coming up on the 31st of January. It will make people see two of my old films. The films are the Black Gold and the Death of Black President. Included is the gallery of movie makers for students to see. The gallery will be moved to Asaba or Abuja. The gallery must be brought out for the people.
There is also the Hall of Fame for all Nigerian celebrities. If you tell some of them not included in the gallery why their names are not there they will tell you it is a personal thing. No. it is because they were not there when the industry started. They will come with the desire to be chairman or so of the gallery. History will tell.”
He spoke also on the cost of the projects and of celebs gracing the august occasion, “It is supposed to cost me twenty million naira. But I have gotten over twelve musicians and twelve comedians that are desirous of performing that day free of charge. These include sir Shina Peters, Dele Abiodun, Dele Ayuba, Tee Mac, Femi Lasode and Orits Wiliki. We are also trying to invite some of the present generation of artistes like Stella Monye. Bovi is among the list. Others are Ali Baba, and Nkem Onwo. The gate fee will be cheap, going for less than twenty thousand naira. The money to be derived from the gate taking is going into the gallery project where I have already spent my personal ten million naira.”

I WOULD HAVE VOTED DESMOND ELLIOT FOR LAGOS GOVERNOR

Celebrity model and event planner, Folashade Olatunde who recently reopened her rebranded business outfit, PrettyOne Shade Limited could not pick out from Nigeria's female celebs who could have governed Lagos State for good. She told Nollywoodgists. Com in an exclusive interview, that her choice would have been Nollywood actor, producer and director, Desmond Elliot. It could be recalled that a couple of Nigeria's leading entertainers went into politics. But while almost all of them have been voted out during the primaries of their politic parties a few days ago only Desmond Elliot got the mandate of his political party, the All Progressing Congress (APC) to contest for the Lagos State House of Assembly election in the forthcoming General Elections of 2015.
According the Computer Science undergraduate of Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, “I would have loved to vote Desmond Elliot as governor of Lagos State if he had contested for that seat. For me I can't see any female celeb that is worthy of that position for now. Desmond seemed to have the passion to lead, even in his career. So, he would have been my best candidate for Lagos governor.”
PrettyOne Shade which was created by the pretty Ibadan born society lady is into event management, modeling, ushering and video shoot. Shade is optimistic that her company can fly in the midst of stiff competition the industry is laden with. The company was the brain behind the success of the 2014 edition of Miss Global Nigeria.