Not dating ourselves from inception has helped us
The quad of Patricia King, Olugbenga Oyebola, Odunayo Ojo and Michael Abdul forms the gospel music group called Midnight Crew with their popular gospel hit track “Igwe”. The group’s spokesman, Abdul, in this interaction, tells KEHINDE OYETIMI, their story as well as challenges. Excerpts:
What is the story behind the coming together of the four of you?
WE were all students of the Yaba College of Technology in Lagos. While we there, we had this choir called the Original Love Choir. It was a non-denominational choir. Somehow we found ourselves in that choir. I will like to say that destiny found us. In choir everywhere, there would be top shots. We were the top guys at the choir then. Eventually at the end of our programmes in school, we felt that the 11 of us that were always together could start something else so that all the fun that we had while serving God at school would not just end. That was how we started Midnight Crew on November 8, 2001. We started as 11 people.
How then did your group reduce to four?
I think it was the wind of time. Some of us took different decisions. Some said “Oh I am getting married. My husband is in Canada. I have to go join him.” Some decided that “Oh I have just finished from the polytechnic system. I think I want to step up. I want to do my master’s programme. I think I can’t mix music with study.” Other reasons followed until the number was reduced to four.
The name of your group fascinates me. The word “midnight” naturally evokes fear. Now when that expression is made to qualify the word “crew”, it sounds sinister.
(Laughs…) It sounds sinister. We know that everything God created is good. It is for a purpose. Nonetheless, we started “Midnight Crew” based on Judges Chapter 6 which was divinely given to us. Remember I said that we started as 11 people. In Judges Chapter 6, Gideon had a mission to tear down the altars of Baal. The Bible records that he couldn’t do the job alone. He therefore decided to gather ten other men to help and they became 11. The Bible then records that because Gideon was afraid that he and his men went at midnight to perform the task.
For us, we refused to see the fact that it was because Gideon was afraid that was why he led his men at midnight but rather it was in the morning that he got victory. Weeping may endure through the night but joy comes in the morning. So we decided to take on that act of theirs which involved going at midnight and decided that their name must be midnight crew. Our mission statement is to tear down the altars of religion and put the praise of God on the lips of all men. Somehow our vision sounds alike. We decided to then go with the name Midnight Crew going by what Gideon and his men did.
How do you arrive at a collective inspiration as gospel artistes?
We get inspired ultimately from God and from the calling. Our vision also guides us during inspiration. We also get inspired from daily experiences. The basis of our establishment is to put the praise of God on the lips of all men. Any other thing is secondary.
Your hit track for a large number of people is “Igwe”. Outside that, many people are finding it difficult to identify with other tracks of yours. What led to that track and how do you intend to replicate a similar music followership that “Igwe” enjoys in your other music tracks?
After we started Midnight Crew, we were majorly Yoruba people. We found ourselves using a lot of Yoruba songs and we had just a few Igbo influences within the group. So sometimes we did Igbo songs. After ministrations in some churches, we are chided for singing too many Yoruba songs in an Igbo-concentrated church and the other way round in Yoruba-concentrated churches. That became a burden for us. God orchestrated our movement. We got the song “Igwe” which represents the major ethnic groups and that changed everything.
What we have decided is basic. Our decision is that we will follow through with our vision. If that vision changes and we get distracted by “Igwe”, we may just lose it. You would just find yourself chasing after “Igwe” when you are actually expected to be chasing after the people. Initially there was that pressure of catching up with “Igwe”, but we decided that “come, not every child will be the same. If you give birth to a child that becomes a president, know that not all your children will become presidents.” The best thing for us is to put in the best in our music and follow through with the vision. That is basically what we have done. After “Igwe”, we have released another album which we are about starting to get promotions on. That is the way we are taking it.
Don’t you foresee a breakup in your group in the near or distant future?
I think what we fear most is what comes at us. When you put your attention on what you fear, it comes strongly at you. You may find yourself resisting until it breaks it. We have decided that breaking up is not our focus. The vision is our focus. What I have discovered by research is that what every artiste needs is a platform. A group is an artiste but the individuals that make up that group are artistes. The group must give each person a platform of expression. If that is missing there will be reactions. I believe that if everybody is well catered for within the group, everything will fall in place. There shouldn’t necessarily be strife.
The fact that a group starts and ends is not a bad thing. In Midnight Crew, we have decided that it is not an issue. Every vision is for a time. Not every vision will last forever. As a matter of fact, we also have single artiste that does not last.
The Midnight Crew is made up of two ladies and two gentlemen. You guys look so wonderful that one would have concluded that marrying each other would have cemented the bond of the crew.
(Laughs…) We are all married but to separate people. We are not married to each other in the group. That decision was taken when we left school. We were young then and it was natural to say that we should date one another. We made that rule that we were not going to date each other in the group. Apparently, there were other groups which did well but the problem they had was that they were dating one another. Eventually the group did not last.
Did that decision help to stabilise your relationship?
It has helped. Imagine your girlfriend and you being in the group and I talk to her anyhow, you will not like it…
Laughs…
That decision has helped us.
What has formed the most difficult challenge for you guys in the group?
We had many. We earlier had financial difficulties. Recording our songs was also a challenge. Initially, we did not charge a fee but to get sustained it became necessary. We also had the challenge of after “Igwe” what next. A lot of people kept calling and it was difficult to get things straight. We had to ignore the pressures and get our pressures that we could handle.
How far has “Igwe” taken you?
It has done very well. As a matter of fact, the song became popular in January, 2008. We are approaching January 2013 and we still have that great attention. We are still booked till next year. It is fantastic.
The Midnight Crew
What is the story behind the coming together of the four of you?
WE were all students of the Yaba College of Technology in Lagos. While we there, we had this choir called the Original Love Choir. It was a non-denominational choir. Somehow we found ourselves in that choir. I will like to say that destiny found us. In choir everywhere, there would be top shots. We were the top guys at the choir then. Eventually at the end of our programmes in school, we felt that the 11 of us that were always together could start something else so that all the fun that we had while serving God at school would not just end. That was how we started Midnight Crew on November 8, 2001. We started as 11 people.
How then did your group reduce to four?
I think it was the wind of time. Some of us took different decisions. Some said “Oh I am getting married. My husband is in Canada. I have to go join him.” Some decided that “Oh I have just finished from the polytechnic system. I think I want to step up. I want to do my master’s programme. I think I can’t mix music with study.” Other reasons followed until the number was reduced to four.
The name of your group fascinates me. The word “midnight” naturally evokes fear. Now when that expression is made to qualify the word “crew”, it sounds sinister.
(Laughs…) It sounds sinister. We know that everything God created is good. It is for a purpose. Nonetheless, we started “Midnight Crew” based on Judges Chapter 6 which was divinely given to us. Remember I said that we started as 11 people. In Judges Chapter 6, Gideon had a mission to tear down the altars of Baal. The Bible records that he couldn’t do the job alone. He therefore decided to gather ten other men to help and they became 11. The Bible then records that because Gideon was afraid that he and his men went at midnight to perform the task.
For us, we refused to see the fact that it was because Gideon was afraid that was why he led his men at midnight but rather it was in the morning that he got victory. Weeping may endure through the night but joy comes in the morning. So we decided to take on that act of theirs which involved going at midnight and decided that their name must be midnight crew. Our mission statement is to tear down the altars of religion and put the praise of God on the lips of all men. Somehow our vision sounds alike. We decided to then go with the name Midnight Crew going by what Gideon and his men did.
How do you arrive at a collective inspiration as gospel artistes?
We get inspired ultimately from God and from the calling. Our vision also guides us during inspiration. We also get inspired from daily experiences. The basis of our establishment is to put the praise of God on the lips of all men. Any other thing is secondary.
Your hit track for a large number of people is “Igwe”. Outside that, many people are finding it difficult to identify with other tracks of yours. What led to that track and how do you intend to replicate a similar music followership that “Igwe” enjoys in your other music tracks?
After we started Midnight Crew, we were majorly Yoruba people. We found ourselves using a lot of Yoruba songs and we had just a few Igbo influences within the group. So sometimes we did Igbo songs. After ministrations in some churches, we are chided for singing too many Yoruba songs in an Igbo-concentrated church and the other way round in Yoruba-concentrated churches. That became a burden for us. God orchestrated our movement. We got the song “Igwe” which represents the major ethnic groups and that changed everything.
What we have decided is basic. Our decision is that we will follow through with our vision. If that vision changes and we get distracted by “Igwe”, we may just lose it. You would just find yourself chasing after “Igwe” when you are actually expected to be chasing after the people. Initially there was that pressure of catching up with “Igwe”, but we decided that “come, not every child will be the same. If you give birth to a child that becomes a president, know that not all your children will become presidents.” The best thing for us is to put in the best in our music and follow through with the vision. That is basically what we have done. After “Igwe”, we have released another album which we are about starting to get promotions on. That is the way we are taking it.
Don’t you foresee a breakup in your group in the near or distant future?
I think what we fear most is what comes at us. When you put your attention on what you fear, it comes strongly at you. You may find yourself resisting until it breaks it. We have decided that breaking up is not our focus. The vision is our focus. What I have discovered by research is that what every artiste needs is a platform. A group is an artiste but the individuals that make up that group are artistes. The group must give each person a platform of expression. If that is missing there will be reactions. I believe that if everybody is well catered for within the group, everything will fall in place. There shouldn’t necessarily be strife.
The fact that a group starts and ends is not a bad thing. In Midnight Crew, we have decided that it is not an issue. Every vision is for a time. Not every vision will last forever. As a matter of fact, we also have single artiste that does not last.
The Midnight Crew is made up of two ladies and two gentlemen. You guys look so wonderful that one would have concluded that marrying each other would have cemented the bond of the crew.
(Laughs…) We are all married but to separate people. We are not married to each other in the group. That decision was taken when we left school. We were young then and it was natural to say that we should date one another. We made that rule that we were not going to date each other in the group. Apparently, there were other groups which did well but the problem they had was that they were dating one another. Eventually the group did not last.
Did that decision help to stabilise your relationship?
It has helped. Imagine your girlfriend and you being in the group and I talk to her anyhow, you will not like it…
Laughs…
That decision has helped us.
What has formed the most difficult challenge for you guys in the group?
We had many. We earlier had financial difficulties. Recording our songs was also a challenge. Initially, we did not charge a fee but to get sustained it became necessary. We also had the challenge of after “Igwe” what next. A lot of people kept calling and it was difficult to get things straight. We had to ignore the pressures and get our pressures that we could handle.
How far has “Igwe” taken you?
It has done very well. As a matter of fact, the song became popular in January, 2008. We are approaching January 2013 and we still have that great attention. We are still booked till next year. It is fantastic.
