Daddy Showkey is an interesting character, as anyone who has met with him will agree. Our paths crossed again last Monday at the
dinner President Goodluck Jonathan had with the Arts industry. I like Showkey for his openness and frankness, although he could be a pain in the neck at times. I took interest in his music when I first listened to his track "If you see my mama, hosanna. Tell am say o, Hosanna. I 'dey' for Lagos, Hosanna. I no get problem, Hosanna." As always, I was not let down by his performance on Monday.
There was no air of formality around him as he performed. He moved freely on stage and at times off stage to send out his message through his song. He first performed his song titled: 'Somebody Call My Name.'
'Somebody call my name,' he sang.
"Showkey!" his backup singers chorused.
"People dey call my name."
"Showkey!"
At the last count, he moved swiftly to the far end of the stage and pointed at the backdrop as he continued to sing. He was not satisfied as his backup singers did not key into his 'malicious' intent. He was bent on poking fun at Goodluck's name. He moved towards the backdrop which had Goodluck's picture and name written on it. "Somebody call my name," he sang while pointing at the president's name on the banner.
"Goodluck!" chorused his backup singers when they finally cued in.
As if that was not enough, he went down to pull Kanu Nwankwo to the stage as he changed his song to another interesting one, 'If You See My Mama', the most popular of his tracks.
"Oya stand, well, well," he instructed Kanu as he brought the microphone close to the latter's mouth for his response.
"Hosanna" Kanu responded.
"You tall pass me," he said again.
"Hosanna," replied Kanu.
"But I strong pass you," Showkey said, while flexing his muscles as a show of strength. The audience could not help but laugh at the difference between Kanu's tall frail frame and Showkey's sturdy body.
"Hosanna," Kanu responded in spite of the mockery.
"Kanu bend down low," Showkey continued.
"Hosanna," Kanu replied again, at least to save himself from Showkey's antics.
"O ya bend down low."
"Dem tink say I be armed robber for Ajegunle but today I dey sing for president. Kanu, your life na testimony."
"Hosanna."
"Shame to bad people!"
Perhaps there is a similarity between Showkey and Kanu as Showkey rightly observed in his song. Showkey once said in an interview that he failed his secondary school certificate exams. He was not a brilliant student, but led his school at a singing and dancing competition at Agboju.
Despite his fame, Showkey still lives in Ajegunle where he was discovered some years ago. Many stars of his standing would have abandoned their neighbourhood to seek a new life, but Showkey has never done that. He believes such stars have no idea about where they are coming from, allowing their dreams to overshadow them.
"As for me," he said, "I was sleeping in Ajegunle and dreaming to become somebody in life. I sleep with these people and my prayer is that God should not take me away from this neighbourhood."
Even in the face of difficult growing-up years, Showkey was determined to succeed. Like he said in his song, "today I 'dey' sing before president." I admire his courage and the fluidity of his lyrics.
