Premier Music executive, Michael Odiong, has berated the treatment of Nigerian music veterans by event organisers and corporate bodies.
He expressed his dissatisfaction in an interview with Music in Africa recently.
Odiong said that the music industry structure in Nigeria was not properly structured to benefit the veterans.
He said that most brands in the country focus more on younger generation of musicians who do not have long term value.
“It’s wrong in the sense that if you think that these younger ones, who do not really have that brand message but are using their face to sell music, are the ones who will bring in the money, then you have a long-term problem.”
He said he believed that corporates were often faced with the problem of paying newer artistes every time because the artistes they choose were often off-the-radar after some time.
“Because the same way those artists reign is the same way you’ll keep on paying new artists that will come in. Because they do not have lasting content.”
The label chief said that more support should be extended to the music veterans by booking them for shows.
He maintained that the older musicians still have what it takes to shut down shows.
“Why can’t you bring an Evi Edna to the same show to come and play? Two years ago, Blackky closed a show that Brandy and UB40 played. Nobody could meet his standard, even UB40 and Brandy.”
“So are we saying that we don’t have veterans who can be paid good money to come and perform? Why do we have to bring foreign veterans? Is it because they’re foreign?”