Unknown to many, veteran actor, Taiwo Hassan fondly called Ogogo, is a singer who specialises in Yoruba poetry. He infuses the poetry with songs to make it melodious.
In a recent chat with Saturday Beats, Ogogo recalled that being a novice in the industry, a marketer stole N2m from him when he first ventured into music but he said he has since forgiven the marketer even though he refused to divulge the name of the said marketer. He however said the incident did not deter him from singing.
“After my illness, I released an album which I titled ‘Appreciation’ in 2009. It is more about Yoruba poetry. I had it in mind to produce the album but I had kept procrastinating. One day, I went into the studio with some of my younger ones and I produced the album. It was launched in America and was well accepted, so I decided to do the same in Nigeria. I produced the album but unfortunately for me, the marketer I was dealing with stole over N2m from me. I did not make noise about it; neither did I chase him about with the police. To be honest, I felt the impact of the theft but I thank God that I am hale and hearty today,” Ogogo said.
He, however, vowed never to quit his acting career for music. He explained that he did not venture into singing to jump on the bandwagon.
“I did not make money from my first album but because of the acceptance that I got, it motivated me to do a second one. I would never stop my acting career for singing. They are both entertainment and I cannot leave that industry even for politics.
“If I quit, it means I am telling the younger ones that the profession is not good enough. After my daughter’s wedding, I felt I should do another album. It is completed and I would launch it early next year with KWAM 1. I am not into music because some of my colleagues are doing it. Singing comes naturally to me because I come from a family where we are known to sing people’s praises and chants. Before we became Muslims, my forebears were masqueraders and praise singers; so it is in my blood,” he said.
