Fuji music

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Fuji is a popular Nigerian musical genre. It arose from the improvisation Ajisari/were music tradition, which is a kind of Muslim music performed to wake believers before dawn during the Ramadan fasting season. Were music/Ajisari itself was made popular by the likes of Alhaji Dauda Epo-Akara, the deceased Ibadan-based "awurebe" founder and Ganiyu Kuti or Gani Irefin.

Fuji is a percussive style of music, relying on complex interlocking rhythms played on a variety of traditional drums, while also incorporating drum machines and keyboards in its modern incarnation.

The Muslim community in Lagos metropolis (consisting of Lagos Mainland and (central) Lagos Island -- Isale Eko) had a sizeable number of ajiwere acts - who are regarded as the forebearers of the modern fuji music. These early performers drew great inspiration from Yoruba Sakara music style (using sakara drum but without the violin-like goje instrument -- which is normally played with an accompanying fiddle). The long list of notable Isale Eko ajiwere performers during the early Independence years included Sikiru 'omo' Abiba, Ajadi Ganiyu, Ayinde Muniru Mayegun a.k.a. "General Captain," Ajadi Bashiru, Sikiru Onishemo, Kawu Aminu, Jibowu Barrister (under whom Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister performed), Ayinde Fatayi, Kasali Alani 'Jolly Lawa', Saka Olayigbade, Ayinla Yekinni, Bashiru Abinuwaye, etc.

Varying styles were beginning to evolve by this time, and it was not unusual for a few to play mouth organs between Ajiwere interludes within their compositions. Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister was the lead singer/composer of the popular ajisari group, Jibowu Barrister, under the leadership of Alhaji Jibowu Barrister (mentioned above). Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister and other young ajiwere "rocked" Lagos and its environs until around the time Nigerian Civil war crisis (1966-1970) took many youths (including Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister himself) into the military draft.

It was Sikiru Ayinde who first named his music Fuji thus giving him the right to be FUJI CREATOR. The name - fuji - was conceived in a rather funny and unusual way, according to legend. Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister once said that he came up with it when he saw a poster, at an airport, advertising the Mount Fuji, which is the highest peak in Japan. "Fuji," in this context, should not be mistaken for the Yoruba word "fuja," or "faaji," meaning leisure or enjoyment. ("Onifuja" or "Onifaaji" is Yoruba for 'a socialite, or one who relishes in leisure or enjoyment'). It was the acceptance of his new brand of music by the public that made others who were once WERE singers to follow suit and started caling their music Fuji. Although it was MONSURU AKANDE who first waxed an album among ALL the WERE/AJISARI singers but it was Sikiru Ayinde who first waxed an album labelled FUJI, it was him who gave the meaning of his creation (Fuji Music) as "combination of musics, consisting of Sakara, Apala, Juju, Aaro, Afro, Highlife ", it was him who defended his handiwork when Fuji was called a local sound. It was him who took Fuji out of the country to other parts of the world.

Lately, controversy have been gathering around Sikiru Ayinde Barrister's authority as Fuji Creator. Some says it is Jibowu Barrister and some says it Saka olayigbade that created Fuji. The fact is, Jibowu "Captain" Barrister was not even a singer but the leader where Sikiru Ayinde Barrister was the lead singer of the group. Saka Olayigbade NEVER played Fuji, he started playing Sakara after he stopped performing WERE.

The confusion and controversy came as a result of people's failure to differentiate between WERE and FUJI. WERE/AJISARI was a once in a year event that took place in the muslim's month of Ramadan. Fuji is a carrer/professional music. Saka Olayigbade and others started playing SAKARA after they stopped performing "WERE", Epo Akara created his own brand of music called "AWUREBE" after he stopped performing "WERE". Sikiru Ayinde created his own brand of music called FUJI after he stopped performing "WERE"

Sikiru Ayinde is not one of the Pioneers of WERE/AJISARI (although he started playing WERE when he was 10 in 1958) but the likes of Sikiru 'omo' Abiba, Ajadi Ganiyu, Ayinde Muniru Mayegun a.k.a. "General Captain," Ajadi Bashiru, Sikiru Onishemo, Kawu Aminu, Jibowu Barrister (under whom Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister performed), Ayinde Fatayi, Kasali Alani 'Jolly Lawa', Saka Olayigbade, Ayinla Yekinni, Bashiru Abinuwaye. Many of these "WERE" pioneers did not make carrer out of music after they stopped playing WERE, those who did (Saka Olayigbade, Kasali Alani & Co)started playing SAKARA. They NEVER played Fuji. NONE OF THESE "WERE" PIONEERS EVER CLAIMED TO HAVE CREATED FUJI.

Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister fully recognised that WERE pioneers were his elders in the WERE kingdom and accorded them due respect accordingly. He onced waxed a record, "Iba fun gbogbo agbagba ti n be ni le yi ninu oniwere....... e je ko yemi Ayinde Ade o"; He mentioned the names of the likes of Sikiru 'omo' Abiba, Ajadi Ganiyu, Ayinde Muniru Mayegun, Ajadi Bashiru, Sikiru Onishemo, Kawu Aminu, Kasali Alani 'Jolly Lawa', Saka Olayigbade, Ayinla Yekinni, Bashiru Abinuwaye showering them honour and requested that they should let it be well with him.

It is important to mention that Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister as a war-injured was posted to Armed Forces Resettlement Centre for rehabilitation, though playing part-time and was already releasing albums. By 1976, when he fully discharged from the Nigeria Army - launching himself into full-time studio recordings and party performances at the advice of Ebenezer Obey- he was already the sole star in the forefront of the pack, churning out hits after hits. His success undoubtedly fuelled the emergence of fuji as a mainstream genre in the mould of other Yoruba popular music such as Apala, Sakara and Juju in particular. The popularity blossomed particularly amongst party-goers, socialites and business tycoons.

After Barrister, other Fuji musicians started emerging. Some of them former "WERE" performers and others purely joining the Fuji trend. Around the turn of the decade, the brand of fuji played by Alhaji Ayinla Kollington, himself a discharged soldier-turned-singer and hitherto somewhat lesser-known, also started gaining ground - having broken into the local dancing charts, aided by introduction of traditional Yoruba bàtá drum in part, and open feuds followed by challenges in some of the lyrics launched in his regular abusive and vulgar recordings particularly against Sikiru Ayinde Barrister. However, the two have be friends since their ajisari day , but Kollingnton Ayinla's struggle for equality with Sikiru Ayinde turned their friendship south. Down the road between 1970 and throughout 1980s, many talented fuji singers made some noticeable impacts in the party scenes. These included Fatai Adio, Saura Alhaji, Student Fuji, Rahimi Ayinde (Bokote), Ramoni Akanni, Love Azeez, Waidi Akangbe, Sikiru Olawoyin, Agbada Owo (who prematurely experimented with the guitar), Iyanda Sawaba, Wasiu Ayinde Barrister (before he changed his name to "Marshall,") and also the Ibadan quatro of Suleiman Adigun, Sakaniyau Ejire, Rasheed Ayinde, and Wasiu Ayinla.

Fuji music grew steadily popular throughout the ensuing two decades, especially internationally thanks to the original exploits of Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister -- who performed it to foreign audiences first (UK, 1978 and USA, 1985/6). It got to the extent that it almost edged out Juju music locally in terms of popularity were it not for the unrelenting efforts of Nigerian superstar King Sunny Ade, as Juju music declined dramatically with the exception of grand old names like King Sunny Ade and Ebenezer Obey. At a point, there was a rumour of a brief professional "beef" between Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister and King Sunny Ade. It is on record that throughout the late 1970s and until late 1980s, its creator and trademarked flagbearer, Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, was the musician to beat, as many other popular musicians/singers in the country (Late Ayinla Omowura, Dr. Orlando Owoh, Alhaji Ayinla Kollington, etc.) took turns to take a swipe at him. Fuji music as a distinct Nigerian genre was synonymous to the sole name of Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister for the most part of these decades, thus earning him -- perhaps appropriately -- one of his many modern monikers - Mr. Fuji.

Since the early 1980's, Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde Barrister (before he changed his name to Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde Marshall), has gradually emerged (with hits like Talazo 1984) after tutelage under Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister -- Marshall had served under Barrister in different roles notably as his road manager. Marshall's style evolved through the early 1990's as he added youthful vigour to it. By the end of the 1990s, his brand of fuji had become one of the most popular dance genres in the country.

Today, most fuji musicians originate from the Mushin area of Lagos State. By and large, the lyrics are in the Yoruba language. Due to its popularity with young Nigerians, fuji is featured alongside Nigerian hip hop music. For instance, Nigerian hip hop artists like Tony Tetuila have featured singers like Pasuma in their works.

Popular modern fuji musicians in Nigeria include Wasiu Alabi, a.k.a. Pasuma Wonder; Alhaji Abass Akande Obesere; Konkolo, Shefiu Alao a.k.a. "Omo Oko," Wasiu Ajani, Mr. Pure Water, Bola Abimbola, (Sir) Shina Akanni, Adewale Ayuba,king Saheed Osupa, Remi Aluko, Muri Thuner, Sule Alao, Sule Atawewe, Karubey Shimiu. Today, fuji music has continued to attract younger generations; there are now over 10 fuji singing kids (such as Shanko Rasheed, Wasiu Container, Kokolo, Global T, and etc.,) that are doing extremely well in the industry. In this generation of musicians, Wasiu Ayinde Marshall, known as KWAM1, has been the most recognizable name in the genre since the mid- to late 1990s.

Meanwhile, Sunny T Adesokan is another talented modern fuji artistes but not Yoruba by tribe and he has recorded many albums, he tagged to all his albums a special prayer track, that made him unique among others to his fans. Sunny T Adesokan popularly called "Omo 'Nna", is from Rivers State of Nigeria, settled in Mushin area of Lagos, proved his talent among Yoruba's that of same job. Sunny T Adesokan has a fuji/music ambassador could not be left out in fuji genre.

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Last updated on Saturday March 08, 2008 at 12:08:53 PST (GMT -0800)
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