- Wasiu Ayinde dedicates music to truth
By Banji Ayoola
Fond memories of late Fuji music legend, Dr Sikiru Ololade Ayinde Balogun, MFR, popularly called Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, were evoked strongly recently among his circle of friends, fans and admirers nationwide at the maiden edition of Fuji A: Opera where he was conferred posthumously with a special ‘Creator Award.’
The award was presented to the family of the late hero and received by his eldest son, Rasak Balogun, and his two wives and children.
Also, a mural was unveiled in honour of Barrister’s legacy by the creator and executive producers of ‘Fuji: A Opera’ and the President of the Fuji Musicians Association of Nigeria, Sikiru Ayinde Agboola.
Besides, the event, according to The Nation, doubled as a celebration of the life of Fuji Music’s legend.
‘Fuji: A Opera,’ a week-long programme that focused on revitalising and reimagining the Fuji musical genre for a new audience, also paraded a VIP preview of the exhibition.
The date of the rare honour coincided with the 10th year remembrance of the passage of the Fuji Icon.
The event’s grand finale ended with an invitation-only live music showcase that featured icons of the genre including Sule Matute, The SK Sensation Band, KS1 Malaika, Saheed Osupa, and the headliner act, K1 De Ultimate – on stage for one night only.
The stage was set for the right mood as the Fuji veterans treated the crème of corporate and social Nigeria to their signature sounds, rich vocals, and instrumental prowess. It was an evening of appreciation for the Fuji genre.
The evening ended with Wasiu Ayinde alias K1 De Ultimate ushering the Creator and Executive Producers onto the stage for a final sing along to his iconic crowd-pleaser ‘Omo Naija’.
At the occasion, Wasiu Ayinde declared that he had dedicated his music to the truth.
His words: “I‘ve dedicated the whole of my music, to stand by the truth and always advise and talk to people. That’s why my relationship with a certain section of politicians gives me a listening ear.”
He stressed that he uses his music as a tool to speak out to both the government and the citizens of the country, saying: “They (politicians) are ready to listen to me at any time. They listen to my suggestions, and they let my suggestions work nicely for them. And anyone that does so, has something good at the end of the tunnel for them because I didn’t go to them for primary reasons of collecting money.
“So I got sincere with my suggestion to them every time and they do listen. Unfortunately, in every society, we have a good one and the bad one. My concern is do to people what is necessary, Nigerians don’t need too much from a politician. Somebody wants to leave work at 5 pm from Victoria Island and go to Mowe Ibafo and within a time travel of 30 minutes, you are back to forgetting that you’ve gone for work. So that is my concern. That’s why I want to advise the government, why there must be an effective railway system where it is not necessarily everybody must own a car and stuff. You can imagine somebody living in New Jersey and works in New York. So those are the things and we’re using it as we use it.”
Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, a prolific songwriter and a foremost fuji musician, who was regarded as a pioneer of fuji and were music, and who was born on February 9, 1948, died on December 16, 2010.
Since his first break into music in 1965, he released over 70 studio albums before his passage at 62.
He was born to the family of Salawu Balogun Adakejabiesu at Ayeye in Ibadan, to a father who was a butcher and mother, a trader. The young Sikiru had his early education at Muslim Mission School and the Model School, Musin, Lagos. He later studied typing and other commercial related classes at Yaba Polytechnic.
He started playing music at a young age as an ajiwere singer during the period of Ramadan in Lagos and he continued playing music in between various jobs.
He worked as a typist for Nigerian Breweries and was later enlisted as a clerk in the Nigerian Army during the Nigeria Civil War
He served in the 10th Brigade of the 2nd Division of the Nigerian Army under Col Adeniran and fought in Awka, Abagana and Onitsha.
On his return from the war, he was posted to the Army Signals Headquarters,Apapa and later to the Army Resettlement Centre, Osodi.
He left the army to become a full-time musician and proceeded to start a full-fledged band of 34 percussionists and vocalists called the “Supreme Fuji Commanders”.
In 1966, Ayinde Barrister released his first LP record. During the time, he usually played with his band at events around Ebute Meta and Lagos mostly to Muslim clients.
He released further records under the label African Songs Limited before starting his own label Siky-Oluyole Records. The LP’s released under African songs included Bisimilahi (1977) and Ile Aiye Dun Pupo/Love In Tokyo (India Sound) (1976).
By early 1980s, he and Fuji music had become accepted by all religions in the country. He went on to record various albums including Iwa (1982), Nigeria (1983), Fuji Garbage (1988) and New Fuji Garbage (1993) under his imprint. He had a popular record titled Reality (2004).
He had a couple of successful shows in London in 1990 and 1993 performing what later became known as the Fuji Garbage sound.]
His Fuji Music is a blend of earlier traditional musical genres of Apala, Sakara, Awurebe and others.
With Fuji Music, Barrister revolutionised traditional Yoruba music while still projecting traditional values of good behaviour, respect for elders and the struggles against life’s forces. He often used his music as a tool of commentary on issues of national concern, especially, politics. He was blessed in the art of praising enigmatic, eulogies and on lessons on death.
Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister earned so many notable awards during his lifetime and music career. The most significant is the conferment of the honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) by the then President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2006, President Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo.
The honour is believed to be based on his album Precaution released in 1995, the record that detailed the whole issues confronting Nigeria as a nation and possible solutions to the national problems.
His famous releases include the following:
- Ejeka Gbo T’Olorun (7″; Niger Songs ??) (1966)
- Vol.1: Waya Rabi
- Vol.2: Alayinde Ma De O
- Vol.3: Mecca Special
- Vol.4: Itan Anobi Rasao
- Vol.5: E Sa Ma Mi Lengbe
- Vol.6: Ori Mi Ewo Ninse / Majority Boy (1975)
- Vol.7: Ile Aiye Dun Pupo / Love In Tokyo (India Sound)(1975)
- Vol.8: Fuji Exponent (1976)
- Vol.9
- Vol. 10 (African Songs, 1977)
- Bisimilai (African Songs, 1977)
- Omo Nigeria (African Songs, 1977)
- Olojo Eni Mojuba (Siky Oluyole, 1978)
- Our Late Artistes (Siky Oluyole, 1978)
- London Special (Siky Oluyole, 1979)
- Fuji Reggae Series 2 (Siky Oluyole, 1979)
- Eyo Nbo Anobi (Siky Oluyole, 1979)
- Awa O Ja (Siky Oluyole, 1979)
- Fuji Disco (Siky Oluyole, 1980)
- Oke Agba (Siky Oluyole, 1980)
- Aiye (Siky Oluyole, 1980)
- Family Planning (Siky Oluyole, 1981)
- Suru Baba Iwa (Siky Oluyole, 1981)
- Ore Lope (Siky Oluyole, 1981)
- E Sinmi Rascality (Siky Oluyole, 1982)
- Iwa (Siky Oluyole, 1982)
- Ise Logun Ise (No More War) (Siky Oluyole, 1982)
- Eku Odun (Siky Oluyole, 1982)
- Ijo Olomo (Siky Oluyole, 1983)
- Nigeria (Siky Oluyole, 1983)
- Love (Siky Oluyole, 1983)
- Barry Special (Siky Oluyole, 1983)
- Military (Siky Oluyole, 1984)
- Appreciation (Siky Oluyole, 1984)
- Fuji Vibration 84/85 (Siky Oluyole, 1984)
- Destiny (Siky Oluyole, 1985)
- Superiority (Siky Oluyole, 1985)
- Fertiliser (Siky Oluyole, 1985)
- Okiki (Siky Oluyole, 1986)
- Inferno(Siky Oluyole, 1996)
- America Special (Siky Oluyole, 1986)
- Ile Aye Ogun (Siky Oluyole, 1987)
- Maturity (Siky Oluyole, 1987)
- Barry Wonder (Siky Oluyole, 1987)
- Wonders At 40 (Siky Oluyole, 1988)
- Fuji Garbage (Siky Oluyole, 1988)
- Fuji Garbage Series II (Siky Oluyole, 1988)
- Current Affairs (Siky Oluyole, 1989)
- Fuji Garbage Series III (Siky Oluyole, 1989)
- Music Extravaganza (Siky Oluyole, 1990)
- Fuji Waves (Siky Oluyole, 1991)
- Fantasia Fuji (Siky Oluyole, 1991)
- Fuji Explosion (Siky Oluyole, 1992)
- Dimensional Fuji (Siky Oluyole, 1993)
- New Fuji Garbage (Siky Oluyole, 1993)
- The Truth (Siky Oluyole, 1994)
- Precaution (Siky Oluyole, 1995)
- Olympics Atlanta ’96 cassette (Siky Oluyole, 1996)
- Olympics ’96 London Version cassette (Zmirage Productions, 1997)
- with Queen Salawa Abeni Evening Of Sound cassette (Zmirage Productions, 1997)
- Barry On Stage cassette (Siky Oluyole, 1997)
- Mr. Fuji (Barry Black, 1998)
- “Millennium Stanza” (Fuji Chambers, 2000)
- “Controversy” (2005)
- ‘ REALITY ‘ ( 2008).
- Superiority
With additional information from Wikipedia
