To follow the drumline of a song and enjoy it is to have an acquired taste. Now if you don’t, I’d suggest you come down to PCC to acquire some, as we have the coolest drummer ever!
He’s the epitome of zeal and enthusiasm as far as I can see and he makes the drums come alive at Petra Christian Centre every Sunday.
His passion and excitement just make me smile whenever I come to church or I’m at rehearsal, and he just exemplifies the fact that you should do what you love.
Vocalists get all the glory and are in the limelight all the time, but ladies and gentlemen, I present to you someone who has been on my radar for quite a while now.
Efetama Ovie Oloko!
Enjoy!
1. Whenever you drum, you seem so happy and you drum so effortlessly. What’s the secret?
Well I enjoy and love what i do, and anytime I’m on the drums I’m giving a service unto GOD my creator, so that is secret
2. Tell me about how you discovered and grew your passion for drumming
Hmmmmmmm, it all started in my mother’s womb.
When I came out of her womb, I hit everything I saw around me. When I was growing up as a kid, people close to me started calling me names, like ‘drummer boy’ , ‘band boy’ , ‘jazz guy’… lol… so many names like that. So I just grew up with the gift inside of me, with d help of my lovely late dad who believed in my gift. Back then, it was really hard to allow your child to do what they love. My sweet dad still believed in me. I never understood what I was doing while I was growing up, but deep down in me, I knew someday I would understand better. So I talked to my Dad that I love what I do but I don’t know how to go about it. So my dad bought me some music tapes , books and movies. One I could remember then was ‘Drumline’- lovely movie. So when I’m done with my normal school work, I just go straight to music surfing. So, that’s how I started growing passion for drumming.
3. Who is your mentor in the art of drumming?
My one and only mentor is PAPA RAY- a great music icon; not just a drummer but a musician to the bone and a father to many.
4. Do you see a future as solo drummer?
No and why I said no is that I see myself as a musician, not just a solo drummer; someone that does good music to bless lives.
5. Tell me about the music that has shaped your drumming ministry as well as your character.
It’s Gospel and Reggae music, because to me, these two genres of music are very spiritual. If you don’t have the right mind for it, you can’t connect well. So these genres of music have changed the way I do things and the way I relate to people around me.
6. What do you think is the place of the anointing in your drumming ministry?
First, you need to know that GOD is the giver of any gift a person has. So for me, the place of anointing in drumming is to have a right relationship with the Creator, GOD. Then he will open to you things that you have not heard before. He will show you when to hit the cymbals, toms or saner to change a gig. So that’s my own belief.
7. If you could take up any other vocation, what would that be?
Hmmmmm , it’s got to be music or nothing else.
8. What is your favourite genre of music?
Reggae music
9. What are the things one has to give up to be a successful drummer?
Successful drumming:
1. You must be ready to learn from anybody, and you must have a good attitude, such that everybody can come close to you.
2. Master your art very well. Learn everything you need to know about your art, and not just only your art but things surrounding it in general, and above all put GOD first in all you do.
10. How has church and/or Christianity influenced your style of drumming?
Very well. I was born in church and I grew up all my life in church started playing drums in church, so church and Christianity have been a huge influence in my life. My style of playing the drums is because back then, we understood some drum styles while playing in church, like the Worship style we used to call it then , Highlife , Calypso, Makosa and so many like that, before we started knowing something like 3/4 ,4/4, 5/4, 6/8, 7/8, 9/8, 2/4 and so forth, because when we started growing older we saw that there was a need for studying more on the thing we do and getting the right information but the Church and Christianity have been the best all the way.
