Popular fuji musician, Wasiu Anifowose, popularly known as ‘K1 de Ultimate’, is facing criticism over a comment he made about the genesis of fuji music.

K1 had, at an entertainment roundtable session in Lagos recently, allegedly said that the late Sikiru Ayinde (Barrister), widely acclaimed to be the creator of fuji music, only facilitated the popularity of the genre.

He spoke in Lagos on March 2 as a panellist on Goldberg’s Ariya Repete Roundtable, an event which serves as a precursor to the annual talent hunt and celebration of Yoruba indigenous music.

But the comment drew the ire of many fuji fans, especially those on the Barrister Fan Page on Facebook, who took to the social media to vent their anger.

Buhari Idowu, a fan of the late Fuji maestro, said, “Wasiu cannot rewrite the history that has been long and well established. It is very unfortunate that Wasiu treated the man whom he rode at his back to stardom.

“In his argument, Wasiu could not substantiate those existing before Sikiru Ayinde Barrister in the world of Fuji music. That shows his level of intellect; otherwise he is deliberately doing that thinking he could carve a niche for himself.”

Sikiru Ayinde Barrister [Photo: Thenet.net]

Another fan, Bojesomo Boje, while acknowledging the support enjoyed by Barrister following K1’s comment urged fuji fans to ignore his albums.

“How many defense counsels has SAB got already, even though he’s late? He is vindicated already and the best thing is for all lovers of SAB to reject all K1’s song,” he said.

“If you love Barrister, stop listening to all K1’s music and delete his tracks from your archive,” he added.

A fan, Quadry Oyejide, commenting on the claims that K1 modernised fuji, said, “Which modernization (did) he give Fuji? What
he called classical fuji is clearly Afro fusion with fuji which SAB (Barrister) has done in the late 70’s in fuji reggae and late 80’s when he did Fuji Garbage series 1.

“Wasiu (Anifowose) did not and has not added any innovation to fuji,” he said.

Another fan, Olabisi Aliyu, said, “Wasiu corrupts and adulterates fuji. His music has no finese. It is just an amalgam of noise. Let him come and explain in what way he had modernised fuji. He cannot even compare himself with obesere when it comes to creativity.”

But Adeyemi Neeyaaz, a fan of K1, apparently commenting in defence of the Ijebu-born artiste, said, “Either you like it or not, K1 Ayinde knows more than you people.”

Mr. Neeyaaz was countered by one Ganiyu Adewole, another fan of Barrister, who claimed K1 knows nothing about fuji.

“What (does) K1 know about fuji? Listen to his story about Fuji; a reasonable person will know that K1 is just being mischievous trying to distort the true story of evolution of Fuji music,” he said.

“But thousands of K1s can’t downgrade Barrister. Let K1 too work very hard to achieve what Barrister achieved in life,” he added.

Agbana Kayode, another fan, said, “Epo Akara fashioned out his Awurebe from Fuji. Would anybody say he did not originate Awurebe? In the early 70s, SAB transformed his own Were, fashioned it and originated Fuji Music.

“Therefore, his own kind of ‘Were’ music turned to Fuji; instead of others to maintain their ‘Were’, they joined Serki n Waka,” he added.

On his part, Idris Aloma, another fan who commented on the issue, said, “Wasiu is an ingrate. God used SAB (Barrister) for him to be where he is today.”

Mr. Aloma then asked rhetorically, “How many people has he helped in (Fuji) music industry?”

K1’s latest comment reinforced his long held opinion about the creation and spread of Fuji music.

In his 2005 album titled ‘Flavour’, he had argued that fuji preceded the late Ayinde Barrister.

In a track titled “Orin d’owo”, the acclaimed ‘King of Fuji’ had reeled out names of those he claimed played the genre before Barrister came on board to change the game.

But Iyanda Sawaba, a protégée of the late fuji maestro, in his reaction to the controversial account, disagreed with the claim; stressing that Barrister shaped Fuji music into what it is today.

Sawaba, also known as “Iyanda Ewenla”, said the late fuji icon was the “father of fuji music”.

While noting that the account was flawed, Sawaba, who in the late 1980’s was K1’a closest rival, said Barrister pioneered what is properly known as fuji.

“For me, Sikiru Ayinde pioneered fuji music. Wasiu himself can never deny that,” he had said.