“KSA sir, you are, indeed, one of the greatest positive things to come out of Nigeria, nay the entire African Continent. You are a worthy Yoruba and Nigerian ambassador plenipotentiary.”
Chief Sunday Adeniyi Ishola Adegeye, aka King Sunny Ade (KSA) Sir, you once philosophically stated in one of your numerous timeless evergreens that “Bi egbegberun eniyan ba ku ni Satide, mon daju wipe orin awa yin Oluwa la o ko, ni ile isin ni ojo isin to ba tele. Ki la tun fe ba Olorun fa bi O ti se nsise? Niwon igba ti emi mbe, ireti mbe…”
The above literally means, “If thousands die on Saturday, we would still be singing ‘praise You Lord’ during church service the following Sunday. Can we question God on how He works? As long as there is life, there is hope…”
Indeed, and as you rightly said in another memorable track of yours, “eni ba ni arojinle, yio o le mon ope da.” The King of World Beat, yours is a life that cannot but be celebrated, in spite of all.
KSA sir, you are not the only person born on that fateful day, 22 September, 1946. Many of your age mates scaled through the hurdles to survive the vicissitudes of life, while several others have passed on to the great beyond. Many of your contemporaries chose the same career path. Many of those who chose to be musicians are unheard of today.
Baba Elesin ni Bariga, you not only survived the last 77 years, but you are living and excelling, towering far and above your peers. By a dint of hardworking, dedication, commitment and having a strong faith in God, you rose from Ondo, your place of birth, to become a Global Citizen. Your fame looms larger than your person across the world. It is not by your making. You are the vintage example of what God Almighty says in the Holy Book that: “I will bless those who I want to bless.”
For more than six decades, and still counting, KSA has been dominating the music scene, bringing joy and happiness to many homes and countless numbers of people…the rich and the poor, the high and the low…through the instrumentality of good songs and melodious tunes coming from his guitar.
KSA sir, you are not called the Master Guitarist just for the fun of it. Indeed, you were once rated as the World Number 54 and the only one rated in Africa (1982). Your dexterity and prowess on the guitar and stagemanship remain second to none, even till your very old age. Your music cuts across all religious and ethnic lines, drawing cult-like followers across the globe.
KSA sir, you are, indeed, one of the greatest positive things to come out of Nigeria, nay the entire African Continent. You are a worthy ambassador. Several musicians, cutting across all genres, attested (and are still attesting) to your popularity, fame and wide acceptance outside the Nigeria shores.
One thing worthy of emulation about you is this: Despite your fame and the great height you have attained, your humility and respect for those far below you, both in terms of successes recorded and age, are unassailable. You personify meekness. You are, indeed, a DOVE, a rare specie in an entertainment world dominated by sheer arrogance and bigmannism.
KSA sir, it is in the light of the above that I join millions of your fans, followers and admirers in Nigeria and around the Globe to wish you a very happy 77th birthday.
King Sunny Ade, my prayer is that you will live the rest of your years in good health, sound mind, happiness, joy, long life and prosperity. Sir, you will never know any sorrow or mourn again over your wives and children. O ti n dara ko dara mon, ko ni je tiyin, loruko Jesu Kristi.
Happy 77th birthday to the gentleman and humble KSA, the King of World Beats and the Golden Mercury of Africa.
Long may you live, and in good health, sir.
•This is an adaptation of the piece originally written by the author to celebrate the music icon on his 75th birthday in 2021.
