Peters
Film-maker
and music director, Clarence, is the son of afro juju creator, Sir
Shina Peters. He talks about his father in this interview with GBENGA ADENIJI
How was growing up like with your father?
I didn’t grow up with my father; rather I
grew up with my mother, Clarion Chukwura. Most of what I know about my
father are what a lot of people know about him. I was born in Ibadan,
Oyo State. I used to stay in Mammy Market area in Ibadan with my
mother. Premier Hotel is located up a hill and my mother used to tell me
when my father was performing there. I used to look at Premier Hotel
like (Mount) Olympus. My relationship with my father started five years
ago.
Were there times he tried taking you out?
We never had any such time. I started
having a relationship with him five years ago. When one starts having a
relationship with one’s father when one is older, one tends to
understand a lot of things about him which one will not understand as a
kid. I understand a lot of his mistakes; I relate with his mistakes and
empathise with them. I understand where he was coming from. When we have
discussions now, I understand the conversations more, which I am not
sure I would have if I were still a kid. There were no picnics or
walk-in-the park stories between my father and I, but there are many
things to gain and learn from his wealth of experience as an artiste and
a man. Our relationship is more on the standpoint of his wealth of
knowledge in the arts and as an artiste. We have an artistic
relationship.
Is that artistic relationship an influence on your career?
Yes and no because like I said earlier,
our relationship started five years ago. A lot of the motivation to be
in the arts came from my mother. She however did not tell me the path to
tow. She left me to follow my dream. When I made up my mind and told
her what I wanted to do, she exclaimed: ‘Thank God.’ She always told me
that I am from a creative background. Initially, I didn’t want to do
music. I never wanted to be involved in it. When I was young, I examined
my father’s mistakes and flaws and decided I didn’t want to inherit any
of them. I stayed away from piano lessons and other music-related
things that could stimulate my interest. I know I love music and
pictures. It was later that the passion came naturally. I had wanted to
play football. However, football didn’t come naturally to me but film,
music and pictures did. I am not sure I embraced entertainment because
it is my father’s area. I didn’t grow with that. I think the influence
grew from my mother’s encouragement in ensuring that I was constantly in
a creative environment. Although it was impossible during the 80s and
90s to be in the arts and not be influenced by the music of Sir Shina
Peters. In that regard, I can say his music also influenced me.
What do you mean by his mistakes?
I will direct you to interview him to
tell you some of them. But let me tell you that my father is a man who
lives life to the fullest. He has experienced life. If a man pushes
himself to experience life, there is no way such a man will not make
mistakes. This is because in order for one to make the experience
complete, one will have to make mistakes and learn from them. It is even
tougher when one is an artistic person. It is easy for an accountant
to outline how he or she wants to live his or her life. He or she can
say I will do my job well and live well. But a creative person cannot do
such; he or she cannot write or paint what he doesn’t know. Even if
such a person wants to fake the experience, he has to make his audience
understand it. So, my father had a wide range of experience as an
artiste and with it came mistakes which he learnt from. I also try to
learn from them so that I don’t make such mistakes and if I make same
mistakes, I will know how to deal with them.
Have you ever watched him perform?
Yes, I watched him perform when I was a kid. It was in Ibadan. I also watched his rehearsals at Premier Hotel.
What is his idea of punishing any erring child?
My father doesn’t know how to punish a
child. He believes a child will die if he beats him or her. You also
have to understand that he had a very rough childhood. So, the art of
raising kids was not something he had the opportunity to learn. He was
knighted by the Queen at a young age and he started singing so early. If
one experiences such at a tender age, one will not lead a normal life. I
think it is part of the sacrifices artistes sometimes make if they want
to be great. People look at some artistes today and marvel at their
achievements. But they don’t know the sacrifices they made especially
those who are not from an influential background. If my father had a
better chance and was dealt with better cards, he would have been a far
better father in the conventional sense. But what he lacks in that area,
he makes up for in being a better father in experience. A child cannot
play some pranks and think my father will not know. Perhaps, some
fathers will handle such a situation by beating the offending child but
my father will probably not take it that way. He tells a child where he
will end up if he treads certain paths.
What is his favourite meal?
I don’t think my father has preference
for any kind of meal. For somebody like him who travels a lot, I don’t
think he has a special meal.
Would you say his brand of music is still relevant?
Both Juju and Fuji are no longer relevant
and my observation is not in a bad way. The only reason why these
genres are not relevant is because we have no sense of archiving. We
have no sense of history and referencing. Everybody believes most of
what we do nowadays is afro beat whereas what we do is a fusion of juju.
Analyse afrobeat and you will discover it is still normal jazz over
African percussions. The evolution of juju is afro juju. Now, take
afrobeat and play it pure, young people will get bored listening to it.
But once it is funkified, the funkified aspect of that genre is afro juju. My father knows why he called his juju afro juju while Fela named his music, afro beat.
He used to be an apprentice to Fela. He said when he was with Fela; he used to play the fast drum pattern of Dum dum tintin dum dum before
Fela told him to slow it down. If the slow pattern is for Fela’s music,
young people will listen to it because it is Fela and his music is
spiritual. But if one wants people to move, the drum will be in a fast
pattern. My father doesn’t even like playing afro juju. It is a fact. He
is extremely grateful for what the genre has done for him. You need to
see him play an acoustic guitar. Afro juju is not music to my father. He
loves to play classical music. Afro juju only puts food on his table
and pays his bills.
How do you feel being a son to him?
I have not really thought of it. I
haven’t really given it a thought. I am grateful for the fact that he
is a legend. I am also happy that I can say this is who my father is. I
can also point to what he has achieved in the industry. But I don’t
flaunt it.
How has his name opened doors for you?
I am one of those whose fathers’ good
names have yet to open doors for. It is because I started my career from
the scratch. I have been a personal assistant, sound engineer and music
producer from the scratch to the top. In fact, the name gives me more
challenge because both my parents are known in the entertainment
industry. I think it is until I start moving to the generation my
parents appeal to that their names will start opening doors for me. I
think when my business starts moving to that kind of environment, my
father’s name will start opening doors for me. I have not worked my way
to that realm.
How does he relax?
My father enjoys being with his friends. In such mood, they drink beer. Like I said earlier, he knows how to live life.
What is his schedule like?
His schedule is always hectic. He likes calling himself a hustler.
How often did he visit you when you were studying in South Africa?
I think it is very important you ask him this question because he is the only one that has an answer to it.
Which of his songs do you like most and why?
I am not attracted to my father’s body of
works. I am mostly attracted to his choice of percussions and the
melodies. I am enthralled by the way he does it. I think my father’s
best performance for me was when I was in his house one day. There was
no light and he was drinking a bottle of Gulder. He took his acoustic
guitar and played for an hour. I know that he has not done his best work
yet. Nigerians are ready for him to do his best work but he doesn’t
believe they are ready for him. Those who know him will agree that he
has not done his best work
Why do you think people identify his music more with women?
Any artiste whose songs don’t appeal more
to the female folk cannot be a legend. It is same with the music of
Michael Jackson. Women are the ones that connect quickest to music, so a
singer needs to appeal first to them. Most men listen more to more
aggressive music, music that puts them more in an energetic mood. My
father studied the market well before releasing his songs.
What is his favourite car brand?
I know he likes strong cars. He is a
brand person. If a brand is big and strong, he will go for it. He likes
German cars. He has a great taste for fashion.
How close are you to him?
I am not the closest physically to my
father but because of the arts; we share strong perspectives and
connections that make us really close.
How did he handle misunderstanding with your mother?
You will need to ask them because I don’t want to put my hand in that area.
What is your view about the controversy generated by the grammatical blunder he once made which he later sang about?
My father is one of a kind but some
people did not understand him then. On the grammatical error you talked
about, he was then expressing himself the best way he could. A lot of
people make grammatical blunders deliberately while some don’t. It is
now something that is in vogue in music. So, I think he was ahead of his
time then. He also sang about women in a way that many people got
offended but it is done today in every single way.
What kind of father is he?
He is a fun father.
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