Lekan Animasaun, popularly called Baba Ani, leader of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti and Egypt 80 Band is also a member of Steve Rhodes Orchestra. In this interview with Bola Adewara, he speaks on his experience with Steve Rhodes and the contribution of the man.

At what time did you meet with Steve Rhodes?
That was in 1959 when I was learning how to play the Sax when I was just out of the secondary school. Towards the end of 1959, I became a member of Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) Dance Orchestra directed by Fela Sowande (now Late). The leader of the band then was Chris Ajilo. We use to have rehearsals at the NBC studio in Ikoyi Lagos where Steve Rhodes was a senior producer. That was my first contact with him.

I never knew you met with Fela Sowande. What was the NBC Dance Orchestra all about?
Yes, I met him but we were not together for long before he left for overseas. I wouldn't know much of the Dance Orchestra because around that time, in 1959, I was still learning under Chris Ajilo. After sometimes, he thought I was qualified enough to be in a band and so he brought me in. Other people in the band were Dele Bamgbose playing auto sax, Stan Plange, the Ghanaian guitarist, Sammy Lartey on Baritone. The band was already functioning before I was brought in by Chris Ajilo.

What do you know or remember of Fela Sowande?
He was a great musician, arranger and conductor. I think he did classical music and wrote a great deal of music, many of which are now performed by many philharmonic orchestras all over Europe and the US . He was a seasoned musician, a disciplinarian. I did not have any one-to-one interaction with him. I have no idea of why he left Nigeria but one could guess that he left because he was not being appreciated enough, or people who appreciated him better overseas invited him and he went there to stay till he died.

At what time did you join the Steve Rhodes Orchestra and why? What else do you want to achieve as it seem you have reached the pinnacle of your career with Fela Anikulapo-Kuti?
Well, after Fela's death, the family called a meeting and the spokesperson said nobody was ready to finance the band any longer. In fact, the actually word used by the man was that “nobody in the family was ready to finance the Animasaun's family” because that was the way they saw it.

But the band decided to stay together and it was decided that what you see is what you eat. This is the tenth year of staying together. We have been having some gigs both within and outside Nigeria. Some Italian friends of Fela like Avantario Michelle, Igidio, took the band to Italy .

Don't forget that the Afrikan Shrine had been taken away from us, and we could not play at Femi's shrine because there were some sorts of family's feud amongst the children. Also, they took away all Fela's instruments and we don't have a permanent place of our own. Some times, we play at The Den, located at Ikeja GRA and hanging around the places. It's a long sad story.

Like any profession, you can't abandon music for a time and go back to it, if you want to be in good form. So I looked around and there was no other band I could join to keep in shape except The Steve Rhodes Orchestra (SRO). It was the only refined band where I found discipline. I also found out that I could learn more from them.

I have been in the Afro Beat business since 1965. In the SRO, we have lots of young people from whom more experience could be acquired. That is my reason.

How fulfilling has it been for you?
Well, I am ok. Money is not everything and my along association with Fela has taught me not to be carried away by materialism. I am contented. I live as happily as I could. I eat what I want, not what I get. I don't pay rent. I live in my house. I go out reasonably dressed. I just sold my car because I intend to buy a new one. My children are doing fine. I have a loving wife. I am contented and I am healthy. I can't remember when last I went to the hospital. I take natural drugs, my wife and children don't give me problems so I am contented.

Has Steve Rhodes been shown enough appreciation?
In Nigeria , we don't appreciate our gems, just as it happened to Fela Sowande. I suspect that was why he left the country. Also Obafemi Awolowo, did we recognise him before he died? It was after his death that people began to say he was the best president we never had. Same is happening to Steve Rhodes.

Uncle Steve has not been shown enough appreciation. He has contributed so much in the area of organising shows and music concerts. He led the Steve Rhodes Voices (SRV) that flew Nigeria 's name abroad in the 1970s, probably when many of these today's leaders were still in schools reading about Steve Rhodes on papers.

In fact by now, we should have a Hall of Fame where these great people should be able to see their bust and read more about people's appreciation of them.

Not until 1977, nobody wanted his children to go for music. Music was considered a job for dropouts. The syndrome is still with us. Steve Rhodes raised a lot of us, showed a lot of us the way. He was a party to the improvement of the music industry. Times were when there were only two microphones in front of a musician. Steve is one of the people who fought to raise the standard of music production in Nigeria . He is a disciplinarian who brooks no nonsense.