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Dearies, I can’t begin to tell you my relationship with the quintessential Bayo Odusami otherwise known as HOWIE “Muthaphuckin” T, a BEAUTIFUL SOUL that represented everything BRIGHT, WOW ! and CREATIVE in the Nigerian Music Industry.We’ve been friends since the late 1980s.
A promise is a debt, here’s the full payment…
Let’s fast-forward to early 2001.He’d been contracted as a top Mr Fix-it on tour with the round-the-country train of the music talent hunt dubbed Grab The Mic powered by the premium show organizers Benson & Hedges.While in the north, he buzzed my office line and excitedly gushed, ” Groovemaster, I’ve found the group that will give the other groups like X-Appeal, Trybesmen,Plantashun Boiz, Remedies and co a run for their talents especially when it comes to live stage performances,that is, dancing and singing.”
According to him, from the moment he set his eyes on the twins he did not only see the foreign currencies, he saw the world in front of the duo and told them so and took them firmly under his wings and together they soar..,landed atop the talent hunt tour train making its grand arrival in Lagos. “Go and write it down “,he continued, “they’re winning this competition not because they’re my artistes but because they’re well-received everywhere they’ve performed and I want you to take them as your personal assignment by using your influence in the print media especially within your colleagues to rally support for them. We’re coming to Lagos, you’ll see them. I will hand them over to you. Believe me, this boys are the bomb. They’re going to shake the music industry and scatter Africa to bits !”
Like Nostradamus, by 2003,the “bomb” had exploded everywhere by winning all the major music awards in Nigeria including a nomination at the continent-wide KORA as Most Promising African Group, this was three months after the release of their debut album titled, Last Nite featuring the single ” Senorita.”
Howie T climbed the heights with the multi-platinum selling twins ,don’t cram to understand, from 2001 to 2005 when the duo’s elder brother named Jude “Engees” Okoye took the driver’s seat as the new manager cum G O (General Overseer ).The rest you already know ,as well as when the twins relocated finally to Lagos, how he got them an apartment close to his house in Ilupeju ,plus the dues they’ve had to pay at the beginning ,how it really wasn’t a bed of roses but a BED OF PAPER CARTONS. Yes, while the star-stricken fans outside were screaming, “Peter and Paul !” “P-Square ! P-Square !!” the guys living inside the apartment were either lounging or sleeping on bed made of thick, brown paper cartons spread on the bedroom floor ! (No be say dem tell me o, I take my korokoro eyes see am) I was a witness from the paper bed to the foam mattress and from grass to grace..
Again, let’s quickly rewind to 2001 the year P-Square was annointed nationally,so to speak, in front of a large crowd and countless television audience. Venue was the Ikeja Skypower Ground. The stage was a beauty to behold. Everywhere was lit, literally. A chocolate rainbow of people had gathered to witness the Grand Finale of the Benson & Hedges sponsored Grab The Mic music talent hunt featuring an array of gifted yet unknown contestants (upcoming stars).At the end of the night, the relatively unknown P-Square came out as the eventual winner but I’m here to tell you it was a keenly contested talent hunt, so much that the runner up named SAMSONG could have won the hearts of the judges inclusive one or two top music journalists but for the fast-thinking Howie T who during a break rushed to the journalists area, appealed for their votes by way of round of applause and standing ovation. And when the contestants returned to the stage for the final round throwdown ,the bests of the others weren’t good enough but SAMSONG came with the stage presence and a big bangin’ voice while P-Square worked the boisterous crowd and swayed the Judges with the dancing and singing you’d think Michael Jackson and Usher Raymond were onstage dancing ,disguised as P-Square.
All Howie T wanted was a standing ovation for his boys and he got it from the hundreds of the screaming and wowing crowd.
NB :To honor his immense contributions to the uplift of the Nigerian Entertainment Industry, let’s keep the treasures he hurriedly left behind in our prayers. May his beautiful soul continue to rest well in perfect bliss. Amen.
