Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, called Alhaji Agba, on the social scene, was the man who blazed the trail for a new music genre he called Fuji. He sold what could be described as a blend of a potpourri of different Nigerian music put together and enthralled music buffs and celebrities who bought into it gaily dancing to it with uncommon verve. Ayinde Barrister’s unrelenting efforts succeeded in turning a Ramadan period minstrels, who went from one Muslim’s home to another to wake the faithful to take their early morning food for the preparation of the day’s fast into regular bands that are invited for different kinds of celebrations and social events. The man has left his footprints on the sand of time as he didn’t create a kind of music that makes the social scene bubble with joy but also created jobs for the band boys making a few of the people ruling the music waves at the national and even international levels.
It is, therefore, not a surprise that today, Fuji music is in a hot contest of social scene control with other genres of music such as Juju, Apala, Sakara, Aguda rock-in-roll, afrobeat, rhythm blues and reggae just to mention a few. It could be asserted that in order line of emergence, fuji could be said to be most recent among the Yoruba music genres. Fuji came to rule the social waves as the reformatory stunts of Were music by its pioneer, the Late Sikiru Ayinde Salami Barrister, was irresistible to non-muslim celebrities and socialites who savour the thrilling sway of Fuji music with relish… It was a surprise to most observers of the social scene that Were, minstrel music played only during the Ramadan fasting period became the vogue, surging as it were in popularity and became the toast music among hosts and celebrators across the religious divide in the country.
As its level of acceptance rose, suddenly becoming loud on the social scene, it spread its tentacles and influence to a wider area. From the waking-up of the Islamic faithful during the Ramadan fasting period, where artists gained approval and were given an elbow room that daily became wider and wider with time to perform at social events. Quickly, it grew in acceptability among people of different religious divides as a brand that not only plays but also entertains hosts and guests alike at naming ceremonies, weddings, the crowning of kings, a celebration of chieftaincy title, house warming and even burial of the elderly. Earlier, Fuji music, without fear of contradiction, came from the stable of Were music genre. Fuji music came and was embraced by fans as a brand that could be said to give them what most of them are looking for in music. At inception, Fuji music admirers were only Muslim fans during Ramada. It was to add a light mood effect and pep to the dour and physically body- weakening atmosphere during the fasting period, especially waking the faithful for early morning food to prepare them for the day’s fast.
Barrister was a master of his game as he drove his fans wild, enthralling them in a giddy of exuberance as they wiggled their buttocks to synchronise with the beating of his drums and rhythm of his lyrics. Mostly, his entertaining efforts and palpable resolve to inflate fans’ sensuality, was mostly appreciated with wads of mint Naira notes literally sprayed on his body and sometimes fans were so thrilled that bundles or wraps of Naira notes were thrown at him to urge him to give his best, thus, taking them to the height of their satisfaction. He became a regular feature at events and occasions organized by the rich, wealthy who were the makers and shakers of social gatherings and celebrations. As time unfolded, he even succeeded in catching the attention of those who dictate the pace in the corporate world, barons of commerce and industries, while not releasing from his leash the men and women controlling the social scene. Every one of them was grit to his mill. Thus, Ayinde Barrister was smiling at the bank after playing at every event or occasion where he had been invited to perform. As he grew in popularity, he ventured into the international arena for entertaining fans and admirers outside Nigeria. Conscious of the presence of Yoruba people out Nigeria, Ayinde Barrister saw it fit to go and entertain such pockets of Yoruba settlers in the country of their residence and took the Fuji message to different countries on the West Coast of Africa. He didn’t stop at that, he went further, taking the gospel of Fuji music to Europe, the United States of America (USA) and Asia. His endeavours earned him recognition and awards in Europe and US.
In London, in 1983, he held a grand where he performed Fuji Garbage that later led to the production of one of his greatest LP, Fuji Garbage. The same year he performed in Los Angeles and his performance was so impressive that the City University of Los Angeles awarded him a doctorate degree in music (PhD) On another occasion, he went to Florida on what could be tagged hospitality tour with a Lagos-based socialite, Buari Oloto, and sang a song about Disney world. A make-belief feature that gives reality to happenings in the cinema and film. The mayor of the city was so much and lauded Ayinde Barrister to express appreciation for his music.
Ayinde Barrister’s sojourn in the US and Europe was not beneficial to only him. Besides selling Nigerian culture to the wider world with attendant commercial benefit, it had also spurred many other Fuji artistes to travel to the white man’s countries to make names and money. Besides the money, the intermittent presence of the Fuji artistes in the US and Europe to entertain pockets of Nigerians in such countries and their hosts have produced many film and video clips that are evidence that the white people also dance to Fuji music. Fuji artistes’ visits to such countries also served as a reminder for Nigerians abroad not to forget home. Today, that Fuji music has become a feature on the international music scene is evidence of what could be rightly described as a great work of Ayinde Barrister. Thus, he has literally denounced home critics who, at inception, described his music as parochial and local as he hit the world stage with a bang that cannot be ignored.
On February 9th, 1948, the family of Salawu Balogun, a trader from Ibadan, who was a butcher at Ita Faaji beef market, in Lagos, gave birth to a boy, who was named Sikiru Ololade on the eighth day. Sikiru as any of his contemporaries went to Muslim Mission School, Lagos for his primary education. After his secondary education, he gained admission into the Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, Lagos where he took up secretariat studies, typing and other related commercial subjects. He later went to work at the Nigerian Breweries, Iganmu, Lagos as a secretary. During the Nigerian civil war, he joined the army and went to war. In one of his records recalling his experience at the war front, he praised Colonel Adeniran under whom he said he fought at Abagana, Awka and Onitsha.
It was after he left the army that he went full time into music, taking it as a career. In 1965, he produced his first record and it was quickly followed up in 1966 with an LP. One after the other, the African Song Limited owned by the late Chief Abioro produced many of Ayinde Barrister’s LPs. He later established his own record label, Siky Oluyole Records where he churned out many of his later LPs. He died on 16 December 2010
–Tajudeen Adigun
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