By Ahmed ‘Lateef
An Ilorin based musical artist, Eyanro Ayokanmi Oluwasegun, has said he resolved to remain in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital to be a role model and help build and grow the career of young talented artists from the state.
Popularly known as Frequencie, Oluwasegun, who is set to release 38 songs of his Extended Playlist (EP) at the end of this month under Soft Life Style (SLS) record label, said he resisted mounting pressure for him to relocate to Lagos.
The popular “Wazobia” crooner told Journalists in Ilorin that he has written over 5000 songs to his own credit while over 702 songs are under various stages of processing.
Frequencie featured late Rapper, Dagrin, in his song titled “E je kama Understand Ara Wa”, just as he also collaborated with Shan Tissle and Vector in one of his singles.
Oluwasegun, who obtained his first and second degrees from the University of Ilorin, observed that Ilorin has become a hub for young talented artists and should make maximum use of the natural gift in them.
The musician disclosed that he performed at Felabration 2017 on invitation of Kuti family because of his genre and type of music, which is modeled after the late Afrobeat Maestro, Fela Anikulapo Kuti.
Oluwasegun, a native of Aiyetoro in Kogi State, said he has been singing since his formative years, noting that the genius in him prompted people around to support him.
“I have been singing right from my childhood. As I grow older, we started attending carnival at Taiwo Isale (in Ilorin) and people started saying I have talent that I should start writing my own songs. I started writing officially in 2007, the year I first entered into the studio and recorded my first song.
“I have both talents. I can write my own music and I have the voice to sing my own song. But the finance of sponsoring yourself is very high. So, what I do in the studio basically is that I download different sounds and record myself all days and nights. I’m also a ghost writer.
“I involve in ghost writing because Africans do not understand the occupation of song writing. In 2015, I was deployed to Sokoto for my NYSC. When I saw the infrastructure of NYSC in Sokoto and coupled with the way we were fed, it was very painful to see the condition of things there. My colleagues and I decided that we should have a theme song, and that was what made me to sing “Wazobia” in 2016. I redeployed to Ilorin because Sokoto wasn’t good for my career.
“That year, I got an email from the Fela Kuti family that I should come for Felabration 2017. I decided to be in Ilorin to grow the city and become role model to young talented children. We built a studio for our own indigenous artists to come here for recording because if you go to Lagos, you would not be impressed.
“In 2017, we recorded free for over 100 students from all higher institutions in Kwara Stste; they were so excited that they have something like this in Ilorin”, the musician said.
He asked the government to stop the attitude of attending to individuals and the perchant for importing artists to the state to the detriment of indigenous artists.
Oluwasegun also admonished the youth to understand themselves and stop chasing shadow, adding that they must also work hard and be rest assured that Nigeria will be great.
He urged the state government to build theatre halls, which could attract people to Ilorin and make the city more popular.
The popular “Wazobia” crooner said the use of the facilities would also go a long way in providing employment opportunities for young artists from the state.
