"I Bathe My Son & Prepare Him For School Everyday" – Cobhams Asuquo

Unlike most physically challenged people who rely on help from friends and family to move around, legendary music producer and singer, Cobhams Asuquo is different, He moves around the house comfortably, bath his son and do dishes as well. He was also a victim of bully, especially during his primary and secondary school days. In this interview with Daily Times, he talks about growing up, career, family and other mind-catching issues. Read excerpts below;

I saw you walking around the house without help. You must be a genius:
I don’t think there’s anything spectacular about that. The loss of sight doesn’t necessarily mean that you lose coordination or that you lose your baring. Since I can hear, I can smell and feel, all those of those factors still help me move around freely. Seeing is great actually but I’m used to my environment which helps me move around very well.

What was it like growing up in a barrack?
It was fun, wild and exciting. I consider myself a true barracks boy because I ran through the streets, played with tires, fought a bit as a child, until a girl 5 years older than me slapped me and for the very first time, I saw stars! After then, I realized fighting wasn't meant for me. So, I had fun and played. I had a life and totally enjoyed growing up there because it was a very eventful place where things always happened.

You must have faced lots of bullies, especially at secondary school
First of all, I’m a strong willed person. I do what I want to do and if I do what you want me to do, it’s because I want to do it. So, that wasn’t much of a challenge for me. By the time I got into secondary school, I had lost some time so, I was older than my mates. I was friends with my seniors in school at Kings College so bullying was something that happened to me in primary school. I had my share if it and regretted that I also bullied some people.

What did you study?
My university story is interesting. I studied Law up until my third year, after which I opted out to pursue music. Why Law, in the first place? Because I felt attracted and called to it. I was fascinated by the relativity and application of the law in a particular situation and how it can vary from place to place, the morals and details from God that govern this world. I loved the fact that Law allows you to argue and determine who is guilty and not guilty. Generally growing up, I liked to argue and see things from a certain stand point but, I guess, the university system made me lose the taste for it.

You must have fallen in love with some girl in the university
I had a regular campus life. There was a girl I was madly in love with before I got into the university so, that was there. So during the university days, I had music and friends around me to keep me company.

Your kind of music isn’t that popular in Nigeria. How did you manage to get shows?
It was all about the music more than anything else and by this time, I was more into music production than singing. So I was making music for almost everybody. I made ‘Catch Cold’ for Maintain in my year 1, ‘Faze Alone’ for Faze in my third year, ‘Maintain In India’ for Maintain either in my second year or third year so, I was working as a producer which was my focus not on getting shows and performing.

So were there times you asked why he created you blind?
I don’t think I’ve had cause to question Him because I haven’t had a bad life. The honest truth about life is that you can be sighted and unemployed and dealing with a heart condition and loss of loved ones, poverty and all and still question God. So I don’t think sight is a reason why I should question him for created me like this. I could easily have asked why He decided to bless me like this because obviously, He has blessed me in many ways. He has put me in a place where many people envy

Deaf and dumb people usually have this bad temper. Have you found yourself snapping at someone who looked down on you?
I don’t think I have the time for that. As a kid, I saw myself as perfect. I ran around and did everything my mates did. The realization of blindness dawned on me when my mates began to drive and I couldn’t. but that was quickly replaced by the thought that being able to drive is better but you’d agree with me that in Lagos traffic, you’d rather be driven than drive yourself.

You always say you are very romantic.
I guess you replaced your disability with being romantic, so women can like you I don’t think there’s anything to cover up about me. If I’m romantic it’s because it’s in my blood. I love to love because I was born and given a lot of love. My parents love me and I’m sure my father loved me until he drew his last breathe. My mother and siblings continues to love me till today. So it’s only natural that I show love to others. Yes, I am hopelessly romantic and it’s got nothing to do with whether I can see or not. It’s just who I am. It’s my person

So how romantic are you to your wife?
I don’t want to discuss that here but I’m romantic to her in a way she only understands But you wooed her somehow Yes. Were friends for many years even before I became Cobhams.  So when she came back from America and found that ordinary guy with so much force about him, she just wondered and asked what has changed and why people paid so much attention to me. So to her, I’ve always been the same person and that’s good for me because no matter who I am, I come back home to this one person who loves me and thinks the world of me, but who also realizes that I’m her friend and husband. If my duty is to give my son a bath or do the dishes then, that’s exactly what I’m going to do

You bathe your son
Of course! I prepare my son for school everyday and I love it.

Do you dress him up too, or you just bathe him?
I dress him up and take care of him because I’ve learnt to do all kinds of things.

N/B - This interview was published in the Daily Times newspaper dated Friday, December 26, 2014