Why I sang Yahoozee
– Olu Maintain
By LUKMON BUSARI
Friday, July 13,
2007
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Olu
Maintain
Pix: Sun News Publishing |
| |
Olumide Adegbule of the Maintain Group has something to celebrate.
The subject of celebration is his solo effort after the break-up
of the original group comprising himself, Tolu and Big Bamo.
Olu Maintain as he is popularly known has come out with a
hit album entitled: Yahoozee!
In less than three months of its release, the song is currently
generating controversy, following the alleged promotion of
the internet fraud popularly known as Yahoo-yahoo in local
parlance. Reacting to this recently when Daily Sun
cornered him at a show in Lagos, Olu said "Yahoozee does
not promote internet fraud or Yahoo-yahoo. There was a time
the craze was all about Makossa. Now, it’s yahoozee
rave. Again, three things make the world spin around its axis.
They are wealth, women and wine. These are what the song is
all about."
The Ibadan Polytechnic graduate added: "In the song,
you heard me talking about a week-long activity that has to
be ended in fun. A lot of people must have had misconceptions
about the song but after working from Monday to Friday, there
is a need for people to rest from Friday to Sunday. That is
the gist of the song."
For over seven years, Olu has rocked every fun spot with many
hit songs to his credit. "First, it was Ibo lawa gbelo,
mi o ma le ti moto", he said, adding "Then we also
had Omotoyosi, Catch cold, Maintain in India, Alo Alo o and
the rest. Now, all alone with some friends, it’s Yahoozee!"
When asked on his relationship with his former partner, Olu
hinted that the relationship is still waxing stronger. "I
will be in Ibadan this weekend and I will sleep at his place.
One thing that many people fail to realise is that Tolu is
my blood brother. Nothing can tear us apart. Whatever problem
we’ve had remained a family issue. As for Big Bamo,
I don’t want to say anything about it", he said.
It would be recollected that Tolu had left the group for a
plum job with the Petroleun Price Monitoring Committee, (PPMC),
a subsidiary of NNPC. Many had speculated that this would
lead eventually to the demise of the group.
But Olu said he had anticipated that Tolu might not stay long
enough in music as "he never took music serious. He never
saw music as a profession. It was fun to him."
Dressed in jeans and suit with a cowboy hat, Olu’s other
stunning costume is his belt. Its buckle is made of wad of
Dollar notes. This according to the artiste is from America.
"You see, showbiz is all about presentation and appearances.
It it’s the way people see you that they would address
you. Olu is moving up. Everything about Mr. Olu Maintain has
got to change. There should be differences between a showbiz
person and the man there in the streets"
Olu further disclosed that the new album is dominating the
music market now having sold over 600,000 copies in less than
three months of its release. He promised that the music video
for the album would be more superb going by the preparation
he has put into it. |
