There is absolutely no doubt that Cobhams Asuquo is deeply committed
to his craft which is music and he is one of the most gifted musicians
and producers we have in the country. The bundle of talent has brought
sunshine to our lives and churned out many hits. In this interview, he
talks about his mum and the sacrifices she made for him as a special
child.
When last did you see your mum?
My mum has been out of town for about two weeks, but I saw her few days before she left.
What’s her name?
Gladys Omasiri Asuquo.
What does she do for a living?
My mum has done many things. At a point, she was a clerical officer, and
she resigned her job to take care of her family, and she traded
everything out now and again. But right now, my mum is a full time
mother flying from city to city looking out for her children and
grandchildren. I think she is enjoying that stage of life where you get
to be a mother and a grandmother.
What are the favourite things you remember about her?
That’s a very tricky question and one that will leave your mouth feeling
sore. I had many me moments with my mum. Like my phone conversations
with her to this day are some of my favorite things. So every time I
spend with her is precious. Whether it is phone conversation or being a
six-year-old remembering her making pancakes for us. You see my mum
makes the best pancakes in the world. My mum used to cut my hair, I
thought that was just interesting and she did a great job for me.
Fortunately, because she is alive and around with us, we continue to
experience the joy of being with her.
What number are you among her children?
I am the last child.
So you are the baby of the family?
Yes, because you are never too old to be your mum’s baby and I guess yes, that will make me the baby of the house.
So you two are well bonded?
Absolutely, I am close to my mum and I love her very much. I love her to
bits and my mum makes it easy for you to love her. She is a woman with a
good heart. When I do what I consider an act of kindness, I hear my
sister’s and mother’s voices because they are some of the kindest people
I know.
What’s her favorite food?
I don’t think she is someone who will bother about favourite foods. She
cooks for us and eats, and just keeps it moving. So that test doesn’t
always work for her well.
Which of her dishes do you enjoy most?
She makes lovely pancakes, and because of where we are from, she makes
amazing pounded yam and white soup. She makes this very special riverine
delicacy called onunu, which is made with yam and plantain with fish
stew. It is just absolutely off the chain and I love it. My mum is a
cook and that’s one of the things she knows so well and for her, cooking
isn’t just a family chore, but a gift. Something she knows how to do
very well and even her friends appreciate her for it.
So what’s the relationship like between your mum and your wife?
Like I said, I think most men marry women who are in a way like their
mothers. So my wife and my mother are two amazing women who are very
kindhearted. They take each other into consideration and respect their
roles in the lives of their children and its significance and all that.
It is an amazing beautiful relationship. My wife has a lot of respect
and love for my mother and likewise my mother. So it’s a great
relationship and that’s why I am enjoying a lot of peace in my home.
Growing up, was your mum a very strict person?
Very strict is not how you will describe my mum, but she was strict
enough. She would use her hand if necessary, she did not overdo it. I
was stubborn but handful and I can’t remember her using a cane. My
mother had the ability to handle me and she handled me well.
What about your dad?
Dad was very loving and understanding. He was my encyclopedia. He had
answers to all my questions and when he didn’t, he would go to the
office and come back the next day with answers for me. So he was good
like that. They both spoilt me. They were very affectionate, not just
two of them but everybody in general was very affectionate with me. But
he didn’t fail to discipline me for that purpose. He was a good mix of
everything. A good mix of love and some toughness were necessary.
Does your mum have a pet name for you?
Yes, she does and I am not telling you. (Laughs)
What’s the greatest thing your mother told you that you still hold on to?
You will become something in life. She said that from when I was a
child. She always said it. Then I didn’t know what it meant at that
time. I think those words propelled me and re-engineered the universe to
work in my favor. So such a strong positive confession can do a lot in
the life of a child even though they may not know the meaning. She does
that till to day.
As a special child growing up with your mum, what were the
sacrifices that she made that when you look back, you give a deep
gratitude to God for giving the grace?
Like my mum leaving her work and didn’t have any formal training on how
to take care of a blind child. I feel like, she put her life on hold.
She put her life on hold for her children. Like her children became her
new life. So that’s amazing; her determination to see me and my
siblings succeed was boundless; and now she still goes to great lengths,
travelling from Lagos just to see her kids in school, bringing them
whatever little she could give. My parents did not have much but we
still had a lot of love. They gave that to us and it propelled us.
That’s one of the most valuable things that we still carry till today. I
can trust that even when members of my family don’t have anything to
give you, I can trust that they can give you love and in a lot of cases,
that is enough because when there is love, people can go out of their
way and do so much more. So we are family of love.
