A renowned Juju artist, Shina Peters, has
blasted the federal government saying enough appreciation is not shown to the
Nigerian entertainment industry especially veterans like him.
The Afro Juju creator bared his mind in a chat
with us at the official commissioning of the Copyright Society of Nigeria house
on Sunday, in Lagos.
He said, “I will like to thank God for his
grace for people like us to witness this occasion despite the federal
government’s refusal to acknowledge veteran Nigerian musicians. Rather than recognize
us, they are busy pumping millions of dollars into football.
“We have been saying this for so long that if
you can carve a body for football, why you can’t do the same thing for
entertainment. Nigeria is a recession now; we the artistes are fending for
ourselves with the proceeds from our music. However, these funds are hardly
enough because of piracy and other issues.”
The 58-year–old singer, who started his career
as a guitarist with General Prince Adekunle, one of the pioneers of Juju music,
also revealed that he has been able to keep body and soul together with the
quarterly payment of his royalties from COSON.
He said, “I have four platinum evergreen
albums and that is supposed to keep me and my family going. I am not even
supposed to even sing again but live on royalties from my music. Thankfully
COSON has been paying us what we really earn and deserve quarterly.
“I will
love to implore Nigerian artistes who are yet to join COSON to do so as they
can because they don’t know what they are missing out big time. How can we be
working all our lives as a musician without having something to show for it.’’
Although he turns 59 in a week’s time, the
spritely singer displayed no signs of slowing down just yet. He said he would
continue to defy his age because he is a born musician.
“I may be getting old by age but I am still
young at heart. As the originator of Afro Juju, which comprises high tempo
music with rigorous dancing steps, I will continue to dance to my music my age
notwithstanding. My age has nothing to do with the way I dance, it is inborn
and I can never stop doing it,” he said.
SSP, as he is fondly called, released his
debut album as a solo musician, Ace (Afro-Juju Series 1), in 1989. The album
went double platinum and was the career breakthrough that made him a household
name in the Nigerian music industry.
‘Shinamania’ produced by Laolu Akins was
released in 1991, winning three awards at once with a Platinum Disc for selling
more than 250,000 copies.
SSP currently has 16 album releases to his
credit.
He is the father of renowned music video
director, Clarence Peters – a product of his affair with Nollywood actress,
Clarion Chukwura.
He is married to Sammie Peters.
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