The serene traditional town of Oro town, Irepodun Local Government in Kwara State, Southwestern Nigeria, hailed the Odetola family. The year 1967 made the family received a little bundle-gift. It was an occasion for rejoicing but it was just another one like many others before it and many more to come. The gift was a boy child. The name of the child is Abdul Wasiu Alabi Odetola who was born on the 27th November, at Mushin-Lagos.
The arrival of child is celebrated in the belief that it is a bringer of a blessing and each child is on a mission. Nobody was aware that the child will light up his family name to the universe with his rythms and rhymes. And he is the only child his mother had for the Odetola’s family.
Then after his birth, this child of history would later be known as someone, who the world cannot do without and that he would become a man of sterling qualities. His achievements will remain unprecedented and unmatched. All who ever rose to compare with him would fall short. He would successfully unlock the innate potentials and become a maestro and this was exactly the reason why his mother never objected his decision to be a fuji musician because she was not actually aware of how the glory of the boy would be celebrated. This is the gift that came in so quietly to his community and to his nation. He would achieve every level that may qualify him to belong to a class of elites, his life would teach lessons to the contrary. His life would teach that truly major index of greatness is not the material comfort enjoyed or in power acquired in one’s lifetime. He would show that greatness would not be measured by the exercise of authority, or determined by the number of wives, children, houses and vehicles a man accumulated. His life would prove that true greatness is engraved in the impact one makes on the society to which one belongs. Only to this enviable list will the name of Wasiu Ajibola Alabi Odetola be added.
Wasiu Alabi Odetola well known to be called Pasuma Wonder has became a part of Africa’s value system for the memory of great achievers to be preserved and transmitted as role models to the people or publics. He has radiated the virtues of hard work, perseverance, dedication, creativity, courage love and tolerance. These qualities help him to maintain his stance in the music line today. His music is not fared as badly.
This musical genre was made popular by Alhaji Dauda Epo-Akara, the deceased who based in Ibadan, was the "awurebe" founder and Ganiyu Kuti, a.k.a. "Gani Irefin".
The Muslim community in Lagos metropolis (Lagos Mainland and Lagos Island) had a sizeable number of “Ajiwere” acts. These early performers drew great inspiration from Yoruba Sakara music style (using the sakara drum but without the violin-like goje instrument, which is normally played with an accompanying fiddle). The long list of notable Isale Eko (lower lagos city) “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, 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 (harmonica) 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. Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister and other young “Ajiwere” "rocked" Lagos and its environs.
Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister is the creator of Fuji Music, who died at the age of 62 on Thursday December 16, 2010 at St. Mary’s hospital in London and was buried in his self-acclaimed Fuji chamber in Isolo, Lagos. He designed Fuji as the variations of Were/Ajisari musical genre.The name, "Fuji," chosen for the new musical genre was conceived in a rather funny and unusual way.
According to late Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister in his life time, said:
"I came up with it when I 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," which means leisure or enjoyment. "Onifuja" or "Onifaaji" is Yoruba for a socialite, or one who relishes leisure or enjoyment.
Fuji music is an offshoot of Were/Ajisari musical genre. In one of his early LPs, which he used to chide the unreasonable critics who dubbed his creation "a local music."
Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister explained that;
"Fuji music is a combination of music consisting of Sakara, Apala, Juju, Aro, Afro, and gudugudu, possibly highlife."
Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister did a tremendous job of popularizing his craft by taking it all over the world; he started touring the European continent, especially Britain, since the early 1970s. Also, he first brought his trade to the North America, particularly the United States of America in 1984. All these tours happened before any subsequent Fuji players ever left the shores of Africa.
Between 1970 and throughout the 1980s, other fuji musicians 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, Ejire Shadua, Wahabi Ilori, Wasiu Ayinde Barrister (he later changed his name to Wasiu Ayinde Marshall) and also the Ibadan quatro of Suleiman Adigun, Sakaniyau Ejire, Rasheed Ayinde, and Wasiu Ayinla emerged, all introducing their versions of Fuji music.
The arrival of child is celebrated in the belief that it is a bringer of a blessing and each child is on a mission. Nobody was aware that the child will light up his family name to the universe with his rythms and rhymes. And he is the only child his mother had for the Odetola’s family.
Then after his birth, this child of history would later be known as someone, who the world cannot do without and that he would become a man of sterling qualities. His achievements will remain unprecedented and unmatched. All who ever rose to compare with him would fall short. He would successfully unlock the innate potentials and become a maestro and this was exactly the reason why his mother never objected his decision to be a fuji musician because she was not actually aware of how the glory of the boy would be celebrated. This is the gift that came in so quietly to his community and to his nation. He would achieve every level that may qualify him to belong to a class of elites, his life would teach lessons to the contrary. His life would teach that truly major index of greatness is not the material comfort enjoyed or in power acquired in one’s lifetime. He would show that greatness would not be measured by the exercise of authority, or determined by the number of wives, children, houses and vehicles a man accumulated. His life would prove that true greatness is engraved in the impact one makes on the society to which one belongs. Only to this enviable list will the name of Wasiu Ajibola Alabi Odetola be added.
Wasiu Alabi Odetola well known to be called Pasuma Wonder has became a part of Africa’s value system for the memory of great achievers to be preserved and transmitted as role models to the people or publics. He has radiated the virtues of hard work, perseverance, dedication, creativity, courage love and tolerance. These qualities help him to maintain his stance in the music line today. His music is not fared as badly.
This musical genre was made popular by Alhaji Dauda Epo-Akara, the deceased who based in Ibadan, was the "awurebe" founder and Ganiyu Kuti, a.k.a. "Gani Irefin".
The Muslim community in Lagos metropolis (Lagos Mainland and Lagos Island) had a sizeable number of “Ajiwere” acts. These early performers drew great inspiration from Yoruba Sakara music style (using the sakara drum but without the violin-like goje instrument, which is normally played with an accompanying fiddle). The long list of notable Isale Eko (lower lagos city) “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, 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 (harmonica) 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. Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister and other young “Ajiwere” "rocked" Lagos and its environs.
Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister is the creator of Fuji Music, who died at the age of 62 on Thursday December 16, 2010 at St. Mary’s hospital in London and was buried in his self-acclaimed Fuji chamber in Isolo, Lagos. He designed Fuji as the variations of Were/Ajisari musical genre.The name, "Fuji," chosen for the new musical genre was conceived in a rather funny and unusual way.
According to late Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister in his life time, said:
"I came up with it when I 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," which means leisure or enjoyment. "Onifuja" or "Onifaaji" is Yoruba for a socialite, or one who relishes leisure or enjoyment.
Fuji music is an offshoot of Were/Ajisari musical genre. In one of his early LPs, which he used to chide the unreasonable critics who dubbed his creation "a local music."
Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister explained that;
"Fuji music is a combination of music consisting of Sakara, Apala, Juju, Aro, Afro, and gudugudu, possibly highlife."
Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister did a tremendous job of popularizing his craft by taking it all over the world; he started touring the European continent, especially Britain, since the early 1970s. Also, he first brought his trade to the North America, particularly the United States of America in 1984. All these tours happened before any subsequent Fuji players ever left the shores of Africa.
Between 1970 and throughout the 1980s, other fuji musicians 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, Ejire Shadua, Wahabi Ilori, Wasiu Ayinde Barrister (he later changed his name to Wasiu Ayinde Marshall) and also the Ibadan quatro of Suleiman Adigun, Sakaniyau Ejire, Rasheed Ayinde, and Wasiu Ayinla emerged, all introducing their versions of Fuji music.
To be continued!
Written and published by :
Teejay d' Oganla Brainbox
Teejay d' Oganla Brainbox
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