Oguachuba: I Was A Street Beggar

One of the most sought-after music producers in Nigeria, Samuel Oguachuba, otherwise known as Samklef, tells P.M.NEWS Entertainment Cafe about life, career and relationship with Wizkid

What are your plans for 2013?

We thank God for 2012 and also thank Him for witnessing 2013. As far as I’m concerned, this is going to be a great year for me because last year, I was busy investing and laying foundation for my music school, studio and all that. But this year, no time for play. This January, I will be dropping like two videos. Basically, it is going to be a great year for me.

Was there any memorable achievement for you in 2012?

Yes. It is the fact that I’m where I am without the help of any record label. I have been able to invest or get something for myself that I can hold on to. In 2012, I was able to settle down; I got married and had a son. Much negative stuff happened too, but at the end of the day, everything worked out for good. In 2012, I was part of the Tuface to America. Later, Jesse Jagz and I spent about one month trying to study the American music industry so that we can add more value to ours. We did this because the most important thing in life is value. Basically, 2012 was like laying the foundation for 2013.

What did you target in 2012 that could not be achieved?

Many things. I wanted to shoot a video, but could not. I was supposed to sign an investment deal, but it didn’t work out. But I’m not regretting because every disappointment is a blessing. Right now, everything is well planned.

Can you shed more light on the negative stuff you encountered in 2012?

It was in the news that I was deported from the United Kingdom. It was mind-boggling because it was a set-up. The people called me a fraud for no reason, but all the same, we are still strong. That didn’t stop me from doing my creative stuff.

What actually happened in UK?

It was a big set-up for me. I didn’t go for an award and the organisers got angry that I was coming to the UK for another promoter’s event. They took it too far, but all the same, we are still in the game. That doesn’t stop me from travelling.

How was the experience starting your music career from the church?

I lost my dad when I was very young and I went through a lot of storm in life. Later, I met some young guys, who were in music. I had also been listening to the likes of D’Banj/Don Jazzy, Cobhams and P-Square, so I wanted to be like them. Terry G started the first music group, Pinnacles, which I joined. It was a gospel music group. Later, the group disbanded and I formed another one, One Voice Crew. I was playing keyboard in a church at Pen Cinema then. At a time, I looked at the lifestyle of my keyboard teacher and didn’t pray for it; I decided that I wouldn’t be playing keyboard for the rest of my life because I wanted to drive good cars and be comfortable. So, I met some guys doing music production and I fell in love with the game. I was alone on the streets, no support from anybody. Eventually I started working in a corporate company called Sound Factory, but before then, I was working in a studio called Back2Black. That was where I met Vector and some other people and started building a foundation for myself. I started customising my name on my shirts, shoes and all that, just to register it in people’s mind. It was in that process that I did Durela’s My Life, which brought me to the limelight. It was like a journey. From the church, I met different people who made the dream a reality. Life is about opportunity, meeting the right people at the right time. After Durela’s My Life, I did Tease Me for Wizkid. From there, I did Jonzing World. It was Skales who introduced me to Banky W and Wizkid. From there, they invited me for the production of Tease Me and some other songs. It was then that I realised that there’s chemistry between me and Skales; he’s a positive, hardworking guy who knows what he wants. We did a lot of songs together. But before you knew it, I did Molowo Noni for myself. I actually tried to get a record label, but it didn’t work, so I decided to take things slowly. I decided to set up my own studio and office. Right now, I’m self-made, self-signed, not under any record label.

Many hip-hop artistes in Nigeria started singing from the church, but virtually all of them sing secular music, not gospel. Why?

Some people will not like me for what I’m about to say right now. Everybody started from the church, but the churches don’t show love to artistes. Most of these pastors don’t care about you; they don’t even want to know what you are going through. I had been to a church where the pastor told me that I was selling my talent. Most pastors are dream killers, so they forced these people to the secular world. Most of these people take their time to learn musical instruments and they are adding value to the church, so they need to be appreciated and encouraged. For instance, I was collecting salary from the church, but when I realised that it was like a trap, I stopped it because if they refuse to pay you, instead worshipping God, you will start rebelling against Him. I told myself that I was not going to be collecting salary again. While I was playing in the church, none of the members bothered about what I was going through, but God has been good to me, not the church.

Is that what discouraged you from playing gospel music?

Yes. If you notice, more gospel artistes are trying to go onto the secular terrain now. Terry G started from the church; I used to follow him to a Redeemed Church. He has been a star right from the church.

At what point did you discover that you can sing?

I started playing rock music. One day, I went to a studio and they were playing Copley’s music and I loved it. I realised that my voice range is closer to that kind of music, which is on a low pitch, so I started playing rock. Even when I started production, I introduced the rock feel to it; that’s what makes me unique.

How will you describe Samklef as a singer, instrumentalist and producer?

Samklef is a businessman, an entrepreneur. I do almost everything: I edit and direct videos, I produce music and mix… I do almost everything. The only thing I don’t know how to do is to kill because I don’t know how to carry gun. But I have killed mosquitoes. Basically, I’m a businessman, I can play the keyboard, drums, I’m also a motivational speaker because my life is a testimony.

Which of these things do you enjoy most?

I like chilling with my friends. I rarely listen to music. I’m not that kind of guy that listens to music very well; I don’t know the lyrics of songs.

What’s your favourite genre of music?

Rock. I love songs that are very cool.

That sounds strange, considering that many hip-hop songs in Nigeria music industry, which you belong to, don’t fall in that category? 

Nigerians like dancing. The truth is that you don’t need to remind them of their problems. You don’t need to sing about the problems of Nigeria because they’ve been there even before we were born; there is not light, water and the roads are not good. When you sing about such things, it’s telling Nigerians what they already know. So what you need to do is sing about things that will take their mind out of those problems, at least, for that moment.

You are no longer close to Wizkid. What went wrong?

I don’t know what went wrong because I’m still a cool guy. Change is a constant thing in life. Everybody has plans for how they want to do their things in life, so I don’t think I have any issue with him. We don’t belong to the same group; they only came to me when they needed me, and if they feel they don’t need me anymore, it doesn’t stop my relationship with them, which is still cool. If the time comes for us to work, we will. He is working with other people at the moment and they doing fine. It doesn’t stop me from doing my business.

There are rumours of a face-off between you and Wizkid?

There is nothing like that. I’m cool and he’s cool too. We still talk to ourselves.

What’s your view on the music industry?

We are getting better, but still have a long way to go. The only thing is that the media don’t understand the music chain yet. I don’t want to mention names, but when I see the categories of some awards, I get disappointed because they don’t know how to categorise music; they don’t know genres of music. All the same, most of the songs we are doing are Afrobeat.

The artistes can also be blamed for that. Most of them don’t specialise. What do you think?

I won’t speak for anybody, but for me, I’m an eccentric artiste. I play any genre of music I can lay my hands on. I can play fuji, hip-hop and all that. The way the industry is being controlled is part of the problem.

The industry has no structure?

Yes, there is no structure. Everybody is just doing their stuff.

If you are in position to make the change, where will you start from?

It’s the publishing rights. For instance, when some producers get old, they can still get something from their works. Right now, you produce hits and get peanuts, while the artiste is playing big shows and getting all the money. All the producer has is the name. I pray that concerned companies will come to Nigeria and work on that.

So, producers are less appreciated in Nigeria?

Yes, that’s the truth. Sincerely, we are not appreciated. If not for the fact that I’m a businessman, I wouldn’t have got to where I am now. It is something that I knew before coming into the game. That is why invested in other things. When you produce a hit for an artiste, he doesn’t care about you anymore. He feels you’re riff-raff. That is when he will even say that your beats are substandard.

Is this part of the challenges you had with Wizkid?

I don’t know o. I’m not going to say a word about that.

Iyanya said when he was recording Kukere, he had just N1, 000 in his pocket. When you were singing Molowo Noni, what was on your mind?

You see, what you say about yourself matters a lot. People should be careful about what they say about themselves because there is power in the tongue. I didn’t have my own studio when I did the song, but today, I thank God. A lot of people know my story, and I’m sure that when they read this interview, they will shed tears.

I learnt you were once a beggar on the streets of Lagos?

Yes, in 1999, I was a beggar in Lagos/Maroko axis. I did that for six months. I was sleeping under a truck because I was homeless. Nobody cared, no friend. The only friend I had was God, then my music. I lived a lonely life for some time. That actually reflects in my songs. Most people get it when they don’t know where you are coming from. If people know where I’m coming from, they will appreciate me more.

What was the turning point?

It was when I worked on the album of a girl called Simi. After that, people started knowing me, even in my church, Daystar. It was a gospel album I produced, mixed and marketed. Later, I did Durela’s My Life before meeting Wizkid, which was actually the main turning point.

How much were you paid for your first production?

It was produced on a disket and I was paid N2, 000.

Are you fulfilled now?

Right now, I’m being celebrated by family members and friends. I just thank God for everything; He has been faithful.

Where were your family members when you were begging on the streets and sleeping under a truck?

I was alone.

Why?

I can’t disclose everything. I was just alone at that moment. I lost my dad when I was 11, so things went wrong. I don’t want to say much about my family because they might be reading this.

What was your childhood like?

I was born in an Air Force barracks. I did all the police-and-thief routine and all that. It was fun, but I miss my dad.

—Bayo Adetu