Bouqui to a large extent knows
her onions and she would not
compromise when it comes to
standards and setting standards.
In fact with all modesty Bouqui
is multi-talented. She did hard
core sciences and Further
Mathematics. She wanted to
study Medicine. She didn’t. She
ended-up studying
administration and music.
Bouqui has made the most out
of her talents and she’s enjoying
the rewards that come with
that. Above all, she preaches
Christ…she enjoys that too. Is
she averse to Nigeria? Find out
in this interview. Excerpts:
Why do you shoot your
videos abroad?
Well, I traveled five months ago
for my USA tour, so while I was
on tour I shot one in the U.K and
I shot one in Chicago. It wasn’t a
deliberate effort to shoot
abroad but it was because I was
there at that time and that was
what happened to all my videos.
It’s not like I am one of those
that would travel to South
Africa and shoot videos.
I was just there at that point
and I needed to do it. You know
I couldn’t travel down here at
that time because I live here and
I want to shoot the video here. I
love Nigerian producers and I
think videos are increasing. I
think the concept is good. I look
forward to shooting my videos
here but I’m always never
around and if I have to shoot a
video while I’m there I won’t
come around and spend money.
For instance I’m leaving next
month and if I have to shoot a
video then I would have to
shoot it there.
Are you doing something
permanent abroad?
Yes. It’s because I’ m always on
tour. The genre of songs I sing
takes me to different places and
by God’s grace I believe when
you are satisfying a need with
your songs you are fulfilling
your destiny. You know you are
answering questions of lots of
people. As long as you do
that,God will take you to greater
heights. I have decided to use
my songs to impact peoples
lives and God takes me to all
these places where people listen
to the messages in them. You
don’t have to do drugs, you
don’t have to smoke or abuse
alcohol. You can be positive with
your talents and gifts. So God
takes me to where they need to
hear the message in my songs. I
know they need to hear it in
Nigeria too, but I’m like an
arrow. The arrow won’t say to
the archer shoot in this direction
or the other. The arrow must be
patient… if you are in the
quiver, you have to stay put, as
long as you are sharp. When you
are called upon you just face the
direction of the target.
How have you been able to
blend rap and gospel?
Well, I’m not trying to blend rap
and gospel. I am a Christian and I
love God with all my heart and
what I do is to give my talent to
God. So the rap I do is not
because I am a rapper but that is
what I know how to do. That is
what I’m set out to be; a rapper
and God is using me for His
work. That is why a lot of
people miss it . They set out and
say they want to be a gospel
artiste and they don’t know Him.
But you can’t sing about the God
you don’t know. I sing about
Him and I know Him. He also
knows me and loves me too.
When I sing about Him, I sing to
Him, I sing for Him, I represent
Him. I can’t just say I’m a gospel
artiste and start messing around
tomorrow. I live according to
the dictates of the bible. So it is
not about singing gospel music ,
it’s about singing about my
passion.
What is your acceptance in
the church like here?
It’s awesome now; though in
the past people were like ha!
rap? A female gospel artiste? But
now people are getting to see
it… like I told you when you are
meeting a need you would be
amazed at people that call you
up. People that I grew up
watching on television now call
me up and tell me “I think you
have something special”.
It is believed that an average
female gospel musician
should wear a hat, no
trousers and probably no
jewelry, so what is your
view on that?
That is a stereotype and a lot of
people are breaking away from
that .They are enlightened.
People now realize that you can
actually use your talents to
worship God. Whatever you are,
you can come to God. The
reason many people backslide is
that people step out from who
they are to become someone
else. But at some point you
begin to backslide because you
are not comfortable. But if you
are you, then you won’t have
problem. This is me… I am fun,
and positively crazy … then you
remain in Christ.
A school of thought says
worldliness is coming into
the church. Do you believe
that?
The school of thought can say
anything , but it is true that the
world is coming into the church
and the church is coming into
the world. But you see, I believe
this is a personal walk with God
and you have chosen to walk
with Him. Everything people say
is water on a dog’s back as long
as you are living right. As long
as you’re going to stand before
him and give account of your
life, I’ve come to realize that you
can’t please people but you have
to please God. If you please God,
He will make your enemies to be
at peace with you. I won’t say
because I want to please you
then I tie a scarf. If I feel like, I
would. I remember I was invited
to the Foursquare Church I
think; and they said I could
come like this. But my spirit said
I should go there the way they
are because I was trying to
reach out to the people. What is
the point if I get there and the
people can’t connect with me
and they start saying, look at
her she is even wearing jeans?
So I went to get myself a funky
skirt and tied a bandana and
they listened to what I had to
say because the most important
is not me, because I wasn’t
selling myself. You see a lot of
people come to ask me how I try
to cope about other female
artistes. But I tell them the
difference is clear, I am not
trying to sell me but Christ. So, if
you want me to be Lagbaja
tomorrow I would, because I
want to get the message across.
It’s not about me… it’s about
God who I believe in.
What about the issue of
women wearing trousers
and make up?
You see in the old testament,
there were no trousers but
garments .Maybe they had
colors to differentiate them .
When I studied the genealogy of
men , they said men were
wearing the garments of
women so they would be able
to have access into their tents
and have sex with them. That
was why they said women
should not wear male attire and
men should not wear female
attire .
What was growing up like in
an academic environment?
It was fantastic. My dad was a
professor of biochemistry. We
grew up on the OAU campus in
Ife. We are six and I’m the 5th . I
grew up in a musical family. My
dad used to play the piano for
his church. My mum was in the
choir and my dad sings so well
too. As a matter of fact while
we were growing up we had a
family choir inspired by Sound
of Music. We were called Folayan
Family Singers. It was a vision
that started small when we
were kids and it’s growing now.
We had a vision to take Christ
through music to the world. I
am so happy I grew up in that
family… my kid brother over
there is the only boy and he is
also into music.
But because we grew up on the
campus and my mum was a
teacher we had to read and
pass. I was supposed to study
medicine, because I went to
pure science schools. I did
further maths, I did everything
but God has his own way and I
ended up reading something
else. I never thought of going to
do music full time but as an
undergraduate in Ife we had a
girls group. We used to rap and I
was just doing it. I was meant
to read medicine but I ended up
with administration. My going
into music wasn’t something I
planned for.
What happened to G Vibes?
We all went our different ways
to pursue our dreams. But I was
so consistent that it got to a
point that people started calling
me G Vibes.
What was your parents’
reaction ?
My dad didn’t like it, he said no!
My daughter would never
become a hoodlum. My mum
tried convincing him and
overtime they came to accept it.
I remember when I launched my
first album … then I saw my
mum on the red carpet and she
was so proud of me.
Was there a time you wanted
to pull out?
Oh! Yes I got so upset
sometimes that things were so
slow and I was a radio presenter
for eight years. So, I decided to
pursue my radio career and
dump music. I felt like pulling
out a lot of times… I went to
Cool FM and Freeze asked me a
question and I didn’t know it. So
I didn’t get the job and so I
focused on my music again and
I thank God… here I am today.
I’ve loved; I have died, I have
cried again and again. I’m happy
now God is using me …I have
traveled to over 15 states in
America . It’s about God and not
me because I didn’t contribute.
How do you handle your
male fans?
I think you have to dress the
way you want to be addressed.
It’s not only about your
dressing . It’s also about the
way you talk, walk and carry
your self . You know to every
action there is an equal reaction
to it. You will not see me talking
crap to a boy.
You know now people give me
my due respect even among my
friends because I don’t
compromise my stand. They
would say “ don’t crack jokes
here because Bouqui is here”.
There was a time I was at my
friend’s place in London and he
was like Bouqui get out and I
asked why? He said to me I
want to swear! I want to curse.
So you see even my friends
know that I would never take
nonsense. Standard is what you
create.
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