Must Read: Meet Nigeria's most celebrated fuji stars K1,Obesere, Pasuma, & Osupa and their Hidden Story (Read here)

LORD OF FUJI

 We Make some Investigation in Fuji Industry and writes on the top 6Fuji stars in Nigeria  and their History that you may not Know check out the list below... .

Music giants who are currently nabbing shows and churning out albums for fans from far and near.

 The fine blend of sakara, apala, aro, afro, gudugudu and even a bit of highlife is the summation of this peculiar music genre berthed in Nigeria during the ’60s. It originated in the Western part of the country and has gained wide spread recognition beyond the shores of Nigeria, as we have top Fuji artistes per­forming outside Nigeria to large audiences, with a good number of fans.

The late Dr. Sikiru Ayinde ‘Barrister’ was the founder of this music type in Nigeria, and since after him, there has been quite a good number of flourishing artistes that are rocking the Industry scene with this style of music. It is for no other reason than this, that Showbeats has decided to bring to the fore, in a celebratory way, six of these super-Fuji-stars.

We Make some Investigation in Fuji Industry abd and writes on the top 6Fuji stars in Nigeria  and their History that you may not Know check out the list below... .
Music giants who are currently nabbing shows and churning out albums for fans from far and near.
 The fine blend of sakara, apala, aro, afro, gudugudu and even a bit of highlife is the summation of this peculiar music genre berthed in Nigeria during the ’60s. It originated in the Western part of the country and has gained wide spread recognition beyond the shores of Nigeria, as we have top Fuji artistes per­forming outside Nigeria to large audiences, with a good number of fans.
The late Dr. Sikiru Ayinde ‘Barrister’ was the founder of this music type in Nigeria, and since after him, there has been quite a good number of flourishing artistes that are rocking the Industry scene with this style of music. It is for no other reason than this, that Showbeats has decided to bring to the fore, in a celebratory way, six of these super-Fuji-stars.

 KING WASIU AYINDE MARSHAL 

KWAM1, as he is fondly called, is one of the fore­most legends of the Fuji music genre in 

Nigeria. Born as Wasiu Ayinde Adewale Omogbolahan Anifowose in 1957, he was a member of the late Sikiru Ayinde Barrister’s band (The Supreme Fuji Com­manders) that held sway between 1978 and 1984, and to­day, he (KWAM1) is alluded as the King of Fuji music in Nigeria.

This award-winning prolific recording artiste, also known as K1 De Ultimate, continues to update the fuji style. In addition to incorporating such Western instru­ments as keyboards, saxophone, and electric guitar, KWAM1 has expanded his musical vocabulary to include rock, funk, and hip-hop influences. Although he initially sang Koranic chants and rhymes, KWAM1 has increas­ingly focused on youth-oriented themes.

The recipient of a Nigerian music award as Best Fuji Artiste of 1995, KWAM1 was named Best African Artiste at the following year’s WOMAD Festival in Reading, Eng­land. In May 2001, he was granted the title “Olu Omo” (Golden Child) by the king of Lagos, King Adeyinka Oyekan II. Recording as a soloist since 1980, KWAM1 had his greatest success with his 1984 album, ‘Talazo 84’, which introduced a new, turbo-charged style of music that be­came known as the Talazo system.

ABASS AKANDE OBESERE

He is another top-notch Fuji musician in Nige­ria who paved his way to stardom via his radi­cal song style. Often known as Omo Rapala, he hails from the largest city in Nigeria – Ibadan, Oyo state. He has impressed his name in the hearts of his fans with songs like, ‘Asakasa’, ‘Mr Teacher’, ‘Omorapala Overthrow’, ‘His Excellency’, ‘Effissy’, ‘Obaadan’, and oth­ers.
This Fuji artiste is known for a clean lifestyle, as he nei­ther drinks nor smokes. He had been involved in a ghastly motor accident, which he came out alive from, in April 2012. Controversially, he was jailed over a rape case in March 2014, but was later released on the grounds that there were no witnesses, and ultimately because he was found innocent. He is also known to have a long standing quarrel with ace Fuji artiste, Ayinde Wasiu Marshal.

He was initially signed with Sony Music but moved onto other labels after payment disputes. He is currently signed with Mayors Ville Entertainment an artiste management firm, a subsidiary of Maxgolan Entertainment Group, a re­cord company located in Lagos, Nigeria.

WASIU ALABI PASUMA (OGANLA)

This Kwara state-born artiste is both a Fuji musi­cian and a well known Nigerian film actor. Popu­larly referred to as Oganla, he came into the music scene in 1984, and his big breakthrough to star­dom came with his debut album which was released in 1993 entitled ‘Recognition’. 

Born Wasiu Alabi Pasuma, the 49-year-old artiste has collaborated with several top-of-the-line Nigerian musi­cians such as Bola Abimbola and King Sunny Ade. As an actor, he’s featured in Nigerian films like ‘Iyanje’ and ‘Aleni­bare’, amongst others. This award-winning musician per­forms not just within Nigeria, but also outside the shores of the nation, to a good number of fans.

Pasuma Wonder also dabbles with the hip-hop genre of music, and he released his debut hip-hop album titled ‘My World’ on the 2nd of August, 2015, wherein he featured hip-hop music sensations like Olamide, Tiwa Savage, Orit­sefemi, Patoranking and others. Some of his songs include, ‘Oga Nla’, ‘Ogede Ti Pon’, ‘Baby Whyne Am’, ‘Oruka’,Change ‘Am on Fire’, etc.

KING SAHEED OSUPA (OLUFIMO)

He is also another powerful force within the music industry as far as Fuji music is con­cerned. He hails from Ibadan in Oyo state and his birth name is Saheed Akorede Okunola. In 2008, the late Fuji music founder and legend, Ayinde Akande Barrister, conferred him with the title, ‘King of Fuji’ for his unique talent. Born into a music family, his father, Moshood Ajiwere Layeye was a Wéré musician and an elder cousin to the late Ayinde Barrister.

This 47-year-old graduate of Business Administration from The Polytechnic, Ibadan, showed great versatility by venturing into the hip-hop world, with wave-making singles like, ‘Womi’, ‘Vanakula’ and ‘African Beauty’. He has also produced several successful studio albums as a Fuji artiste.
He has been nominated for a good number of awards, including the FIBAN Awards in 2013, and the Nigerian Achievers Awards in 2015. He won the City People’s Choice Awards for the Best Fuji Musician of the Year in 2015 also Win Award of "THE MOST SENTITIVE MUSICIAN" presented by the council of chiefs and youth of Ebute- igbooro In Lagos , amongst others. He is also a Nigerian film actor with films such as, ‘Igba Iwase’, ‘Eni Eleni’, ‘Ose Maami’, ‘Iku Oba’ and ‘Onibara Ogunjo’, etc.

SULE ALAO MALAIKA

Sulaimon Alao Adekunle, is without doubts anoth­er notable Fuji musician, known to music lovers worldwide through his stage name, MALAIKA and also as KS1. He started playing and performing mu­sic from an early age in a quranic school in Agege, a sub­urb of Lagos and further paying his dues through Wéré (the early morning Islamic wake up music during the Ra­madan season) in 1983 before forming his first FUJI band in 1985 known as Tekoye Fuji Organisation.
Unique for his call and response style, he uses instru­ments like ganagan, iya ilu, bata, apala, agogo, guitars, saxophones, etc, to embellish his exquisite vocal skill. His art has taken him all over the world for performances and he’s collaborated with other top artistes in the Nigerian music industry such as 2Baba, Davido, Artquake, Femi Kuti, Olamide, Dammy Krane, Fada U Turn, Jaywon and a host of others.
With multi-awards to his name, he recently bagged an endorsement deal with Tecno Mobile as their brand am­bassador. His ‘Mr Wonder’ album released in 1993, un­der the then Omo-Aje Records Label (Babalaje), which launched him to fame, was only a stepping stone, as he has produced other wave-making studio albums.

ADEWALE AYUBA

Credited as the Bonsue-Fuji maestro, Mr John­son, as he is fondly called, is another grand Fuji artiste in Nigeria. He started singing at an early age as he participated in various local competitions. At age 17, he debuted with his way-pav­ing hit song that launched him to popularity dubbed ‘Bubble’ under his first album entitled ‘Ibere’ (Begin­ning). He quickly followed it up with another hit song known as ‘Mr Johnson Play for Me’, which also came under rave reviews and air plays.
The Ogun-state born artiste is a member of the Ni­gerian Red Cross and in 2012, he was conferred with the title Prince of Peace. He was involved in a filmic act dubbed ‘Mystery of Unity’, which was produced by Ebun Oloyede, where he acted as a journalist. He also launched a fashion line in 2013 with his long time styl­ist, known as the Bonsue Wears, which showcases the Yoruba traditional styles with an urban touch.

The 50-year-old artiste has been given several hon­ours and awards, including the much coveted KORA Awards in 2005. He has produced about 19 albums, in­cluding the most recent one he released in 2016, tagged ‘Happy People Remix’. His songs include, ‘Ariya’, ‘Turn me on’, ‘Ijo Fuji’, ‘Bale Ile’, ‘Mofe’, etc.

REPORTED BY: OSENI LEKAN