We fight and reconcile but can’t separate -Midnight Crew

Exactly 12 years ago today, four young singers, Ayo Ojo Onasanya, Patricia Uwaje-King, Mike Abdul and Olugbenga Ademola Oyebola came together to form a group called Midnight Crew. Today, as they celebrate over a decade together, they share their thoughts and journey so far with YEJIDE GBENGA-OGUNDARE and KEHINDE AKINSEINDE. Excerpts.

JOURNEY so far?
It has been good, there were the usual ups and downs but God has been our help. We made up our mind to go all the way. As long as God helps us, as far as we can, and the point is we see very far

The beginning
We met at Yaba College of Technology where we were in the same choir in 1999 and were just keeping it real. Everyone of us had that musical background before we went there. Along the line, the four of us started getting close and flowing well together musically. As we were moving on, we had one concert, it was very great and from there, we decided to continue this after leaving school. We put a lot into it while we were in school because we didn’t want it to end in school. We had to make up our minds to run with the vision and right now, we are the one chasing the vision. Initially, we were eleven –some got married and went to London with their husbands, some caught another vision, while some are into personal ministries and are doing well. One of them could not cope with engineering and music, so she opted out. It was not a break-up but a breakthrough.

Quarrels?
We do fight. Just like the tongue and teeth. First of all, we are friends. And then, we've realised that I need you in my life and there's something unique about you, so no matter the differences, we just have to reconcile. There's nothing that's beyond reconciliation. We fight but we settle it. We try to hear ourselves out and put ourselves in each other's shoes.

Moment when you felt like quitting?
Abdul
Never

Ayo
Its only someone who can't sing that will say that. We can all sing. The only one that can do that is someone suffering from complex.
Everybody is beautiful. And there's never been a time I want to walk out.

How did you compose the song ‘Igwe’?

Abdul
Igwe came from God. It’s a song God gave to us. It was evident in the way it was received. As a matter of fact, we did the song and it just stood out. That song first came out in 2006. Then it gained no expression. So we remixed it.

What did you add to it that made it a success?

Abdul
Well, We changed the production. We used much more serious and better sound production.  And I think time works for Igwe. I think it was just the time God decided to set a new throne and he put ‘Igwe’ on.

Awards?
Abdul
Many awards but we never bothered to count. As a matter of fact, we took two this year. Initially when we started getting awards, we told people to vote for us but now we don't ask people to vote for us because the awards keep coming in without vote.


What do you intend to achieve from your diversity?
Abdul
Igwe is about the first song that the languages are co switched and co mixed. I think it came from our previous experience. Before ‘Igwe’, we had a sort of situation that when we sang yoruba songs in churches where Igbos are predominant, someone would complain that didn't we know the church was dominated by Igbo and vice versa. I think God directed our path in the song. The song actually brought a lot of people together. Even the Hausa, whose language isn't computed in the songs were thrilled.

What has been your happiest moment together?
Ayo
Being together

Advice for upcoming artistes based on your experience.
Pat
Well, I won't just say that. It’s the vision the Lord gave to us that is driving us. The vision is to tear the wall of religion and put the praise of the Lord on the lips of all men. So,when we say okay, we've put the praise of God on the Yoruba's lips, we realise that we've not done for Hausa. This just kept driving us to achieving that. We've been able to achieve at least one song that all nations sing, which is the Igwe song. More functions and more assignments are still ahead of us. The fact that we obeyed God to start with, after obeying Him, we allowed him to direct us and thirdly we maintain the vision the Lord has given to us. Whenever we wake up, we realise we are going deeper into all the assignment.

What's your reaction, when people said you've not given a bigger Igwe?
Abdul
The fact that you gave birth to a child that became president doesn't mean that you won't give birth to another child even if they told you that the child will not be a president. Every child has its own purpose. Every album that we release has a purpose. It is not really our big desire to blow again. We want to reach souls. Whatever tongue God wants used, let him use. I have a testimony of nothing can stop me which was in our first album. We were in Lokoja and a woman came to us that she had been barren for years. And she kept listening to the song and she said the child is the fruit.

Pat
In the beginning of our lives when Midnight Crew started 12 years ago back in YABATECH, there was a young guy in school who felt like life was over for him. He planned to kill himself the day we were having a concert. We invited lots of people. While he was about committing suicide in his room, a friend knocked and asked if he would join him for the concert. When he came for the concert, he saw lots of people praising God. He wondered why these people were joyous irrespective of their issues. That was what changed his mind from committing suicide. He later told us that what he saw at the concert gave him hope.
Number two, one other lady testified that there's a song of ours that brought her mother out of the depression she had been suffering from. So, everything we do have a way of reviving and giving people hope. And since then, our part is to ensure that we inspire people.

Ayo
People chose each of these songs to bless them. God chose ‘Igwe’ to bless me


Why do you choose to come together as a group?
Pat
We didn't choose to come together. Destiny found us.

What brought about the name Midnight Crew?
Pat
Judges 6, where God told Gideon to go and tear up the wall at night. Ours is to tear up the wall of religion. When we were in school, we rehearsed in the midnight,  We saw lots of similarities in our role. On the last note, /Gideon and ten other men were given the role, making eleven men. When Midnight Crew started, we were eleven. The others got married, some went back to school, some had their ministry.
Before we knew it, we have four of us left. It’s like going to a barber to shave and someone saw you and say the hair looks good on you.

Gbenga
During my National Youth Service in Port Harcourt, I had a dream that someone would bring a letter to invite me to join a group. I was told to accept the invitation.  The following day, someone came with a letter from Pat, informing me that they wanted to start a group and the Holy Spirit told them I must be a member. Immediately I went to Lagos.  To meet the others in school because I was a year ahead of others. After then, I travelled to Lagos from Port Harcourt to attend concerts and other functions. When I finished my service, I came to Lagos to join the group fully.


Did you ever feel that you would be this successful?
Abdul
When reality comes, you can start crying. But the truth is, God would not do a thing for you without showing you. He will show you where he is taking you to. He will show you what He wants to make out of you. When it is manifested you would feel like crying because it is possible to make it. You just thank God that you made it.
 
Gbenga
It has not been easy really. We once sold our CDs in traffic begging people to buy our CDs. We ran around in Redemption camp to sell CDs. But we give God the glory on how far He has brought us. It is just by his grace.  

How do you handle admirers?
Abdul
The ladies are doing fine. They are Christians. They have the fear of God. I also have the fear of God and we are doing well together.
I am married.

How do you manage your family with your profession?
Abdul
Its the same thing either banking, engineering or music, you are all working.

Ayo
I will just say it takes the grace of God. It is work. Music is what I've been doing since I was little. Getting married and having children is what every woman wants. Women have a lot of room to handle a lot of things, pressure, people. For the womb to expand during pregnancy and goes flat after nine months, it signifies that a woman has lots of room to accept a lot. For me to manage my home, my husband and kids and the ministry the Lord has committed into my hands, it means God has put a lot of room in me. And it takes His grace.

Pat
I married a musician, we studied music together. He understands what it takes to attend shows, rehearsals. At times, if it is late, he would suggest I follow Ayo home or something. I think God saw he is going to take us very far. He packaged extra loads beyond what we were going to have. All the loads he has given us is something He knows we can carry.

Your perception of gospel music
Abdul
Gospel music is an assignment. It is not a business venture. If you sing gospel music for money , it will not last. It would be better you do secular music if you want to make money. Even singing circular music doesn't guarantee making money.

How are you exploring your individualities. Is it not an onset of break up?
Pat
Never. It is an agreement we had from the beginning that we would help each other to become whatever he or she wants to become. We tell each other to bring his or her dream and we would jointly put hands together to actualise it. I have my record label, Abdul has his.
Gbenga has a choir he is nurturing. He plans to raise a community choir of 1000. We all support it. I intend to speak to youths. I have others support. So you can see that nobody stops another to actualise his dreams. We have a vision and that's what we are pursuing as a group and as an individual.  We are acting on what God asked us to do.

Ayo
When it comes to individual performance, we can't all go to same places all times. There are times that there would be a request for a particular person because we are unique in our diverse ways. When someone wants Abdul's spiritual radicalism, especially youths, we give  them Abdul,while  others may want Ayo for her ‘Ewi’, we can't force ourselves on them. We have been doing it for a while but it is now people are noticing.We try to bless people in the way particular to them.   We even registered it as Music Limited.

Abdul
It is all about structure. Its like having a personal company and a group company. Each person has his own brand.

Culled: Nigerian Tribune