INTERVIEW: Why young Nigerian musicians are avoiding Fuji music – KWAM 1

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Fuji, one of Nigeria’s Indigenous genres of Music, has grown and gained global acceptance over the years in terms of fanbase and popularity. Still, many Nigerian musicians would instead take to afro-pop or pop music these days than Fuji, a trend Fuji maestro, KWAM 1, describes as worrisome. He speaks about the future of Fuji music in this PREMIUM TIMES interview, conducted at the late Ayinde Barrister’s first-ever colloquium held recently.

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PT: Why did you organise a colloquium in late Ayinde Barrister’s honour?

KWAM 1: Barrister is the symbol of Fuji music. He is the face that attracted many people to that genre of music; so he ought to be well celebrated. Moreover, we should be able to create institutions out of that establishment he made so that there would be a reason for people to learn many years to come.

For instance, the world believes in the role of Bob Marley as far as Reggae is concerned, and all credit today goes to Bob Marley, and that is the same way Barrister is to Fuji and Nigeria.

As we grew, we discovered our music, especially from the South-western part of Nigeria, which serves as an eye-opener and has complete representations of Nigeria’s colony.

We don’t have to wait until it is gone before creating our history through Fuji which God has already blessed us with Sikiru Ayinde Barrister as the Jamaicans did to Reggae.

But, still, it is not something we would wake up and rush into doing, you need a lot of consultation, and it is that consultation that we have had for this extended period.

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Because we need to put many people and things in place, many people are on their toes, and we need to seek professionals and ideas from people who know the endpoint of what we are talking about. That’s what took us this long.

PT: In what other ways are you looking at immortalising Alhaji Ayinde Sikiru Barrister beyond the colloquium?

KWAM 1: A better society is when there is an avenue for talks, where people come together to talk; such discussions would open our eyes to many things. If we don’t hold symposiums or colloquiums, how would we know how to tackle the problem?

PT: You were fundamental in establishing the Fuji Musician Association of Nigeria (FUMAN) while Barrister was alive. You remain committed to this cause many years after. Is this a legacy you want to leave behind?

KWAM 1: God will always use somebody. In my research, I realised there never was a constitution for America. Today, America is one of the world’s most successful political success stories regarding the rule of law. Barrister is my direct boss and mentor. He has nurtured me so well to realise the responsibility on my shoulder, so I need not be told when I believe that I am his future. Others would be my future, after me, so we had better start. That’s what informed coming together to get ourselves together and then draft a document that would guide us, leading us to forge ahead like a responsible, knowledgeable set of people.

Music before our time was not structured like this, and maybe they just felt they were doing it for fun.

I sought Barrister’s permission to go ahead and do this. There should be a formation of the Fuji Musician Association of Nigeria. He saw it as a laudable idea and project. So he gave me his blessings, and I went ahead, and that is what I did.

PT: There’s a lot of representation at the colloquium from Lagos State, but Barrister cuts across two states, but not much of Oyo state presence was felt?

KWAM 1: Oyo State; a state in Nigeria, Ogun State; a state in Nigeria, but it is not just about Oyo State alone. It is about the whole western state. Where Ajiwere, Ajisãrì find its roots, up till Kwara State where Ajiwere and Ajisãrì from the years past; the foundation of what is now known as Fuji started.

Ajiwere and Ajisãrì are being done in Ilorin, Ofa Kwara, Osun, Ogun, Oyo, being done in Lagos, it is not just about Oyo alone, it is about the whole of the South-west up to Kwara State. But, still, we will not wait until we have to get everybody on a seat before we initiate something good. So, let’s start from one place, and the rest will join us.

We know that what we have at hand is beautiful. We know we have a laudable project at hand, and everybody probably would not want to be seen as a testing ground. So, I am sure everybody will take their place in the next colloquium.

PT: What sacrifices have been made to see this come through?

KWAM 1: You want to build a nation; you must sacrifice a lot. What I am trying to establish together with other good people is something that will outlive me and many others. This is not about Wasiu Ayinde wanting to showcase his might. It is about something that concerns us all and the future of music.

PT: As some will ask, what happened to Fuji after Barrister Ayinde?

KWAM 1: Nothing happened to Fuji. Fuji has taken its place, and it is the only surviving indigenous music that cuts across and carries everybody along. And that is what the panel of discussants amplified during the colloquium.

PT: Speaking about the younger generation, why are young musicians shying away from Fuji?

KWAM 1: Shanko Rasheed is a new fresh voice, and I would say he is one of the youngest, and so is Kolade Onunuga. There was no way we could have showcased all of them during the colloquium, and it doesn’t mean we don’t have talented young Fuji stars.

PT: 11 years after Barrister’s death, we are yet to witness the emergence of successful Fuji acts aside from yourself, Adewale Ayuba, Wasiu Pasuma and a few others.

KWAM 1: I’m afraid I have to disagree that there has not been any new star. 9ice was one of the most vibrant and talented young men this country has produced, and he started as a Fuji musician. But unfortunately, some musicians don’t regard themselves as Fuji musicians because of the misconception that you must have a minimum of 15 to 20 band members to play Fuji.

PT: Is this a faulty notion?

KWAM 1: The reason those who played before us and the contemporary Fuji had a 20-piece band standing on stage is that they play different instrumentals with different meanings. Today’s young stars are not ready for such an expensive project. So they probably want to do something simple that they would want to sample.

I was able to say it all in the “Ade Ori Okin” track was a sample with few backups.

So we are going there, and we are getting there, where you would see one man and a few backups doing Fuji, and that can be possible where there are already notes everywhere.

In the last ten years, one of the things we have been clamouring for is that Fuji music must be written with notes. Finally, we have successfully achieved one with ‘Ade Ori Okin and can play the song anywhere because it’s on the note. Music teachers and people who have experience need to come together and acknowledge the masterpiece we created.

You will not be surprised to see a white band orchestra playing ‘Ade Ori Okin’ because it has music notes, just like Cobhams did last week. That is where we are headed, and we are getting there, so for the younger artiste who cannot carry a 15-piece band, we realise that we can carry as little as two samplers and achieve the same result.

PT: Would it be original as the live band?

KWAM 1: It will be original because what they are running away from is the large crowd. Okay, if we have notes that could be put together and have at least four backups, that is enough for a band that anyone could want to manage.

PT: Many pop artists make money via digitalisation, seeing that owning a standard live band is capital intensive. How can Fuji music take advantage of digitalisation?

KWAM 1: We are in a hurry, we want to see magic overnight, but common sense says to us that as much as we are in a hurry, we have to be very careful in getting some things done the right way. I can’t do it alone, hence the need for me to keep searching for people to bring up ideas on how we can go about it. I have very many hands working with me, and by the time we make some headway, the effect of what happened at this colloquium will be felt at next year’s edition.

PT: When do we expect to see the ‘Ade Ori Okin’ video?

KWAM 1: First, let us establish that not all successful songs or albums have videos. A video must make a statement; it’s not because it will take me only five dresses or people coming to shake bum-bum. The lyrics tell a story, so we are careful to shoot a music video that will cut across all ages and social divides.

PT: But there is a video in the works?

KWAM 1: Yes, there is. The video would be nothing like you have seen before. What we see of ‘Ade Ori Okin’ goes beyond Africa. We see white folks dancing to the track. They were genuinely dancing to the music.

PT: Speaking about the younger generation of Fuji artists, it is widely believed that before most musicians go on stage, they smoke and use hard drugs. What are the elders doing to sensitise the younger generation that you don’t have to be a tout before you can become a Fuji artist?

KWAM 1: Not Fuji artist, point of correction, but musicians generally. It calls for a lot of education from journalists to sensitise the younger ones, preaching to the world the kind of music you would love to listen to.

I don’t smoke, and I doubt if anybody has seen me smoke, but still on the issue of drugs, today people inject themselves with different things, they still feel the same thing. So it’s about everybody coming together to sensitise the younger ones. But it’s not peculiar to Fuji.

PT: Your advice to the younger generation?

KWAM 1: They should take their future so seriously. If I had been a drug user, I don’t feel I would be here because it wouldn’t last you long.

PT: Must musicians abuse and shade each other on track?

KWAM 1: We used to listen to foreign music when we were young, but many people ignore that foreign musicians abuse one another. We don’t notice it. We only pinpoint our own mistakes or what we see from us.

Drugs have been in the life of music in the western world over the years. To be a rock musician, you must be on drugs. It is like the norm over there, but that doesn’t make rock music for drug users.

We should be careful when trying to make comparisons in the wester world. But, let me tell you, the crime is 300 per cent higher than that of Nigeria.

PT: You are 65. What keeps you so young?

KWAM 1: Number one thing any living soul can do for themselves is taking cognisance of things around you and how you go around your life.

Despite my busy schedule, I still find time to rest, and I do not deny myself those things that make a good living; I do not deny myself good food.

It may interest you to know that there are a lot of drug users that don’t joke with eating good food and rest, and when you see them, you never believe they use drugs. But when you lose your mind and every time you don’t rest and eat good food, you will be stressed.

In other words, I rest, I eat good food, I don’t have to overdo things.

PT: You also love and feel loved?

KWAM1: Every responsible man always wants to love and feel loved. I am open to love, and I find time to rest my head on my wife’s shoulder. I’m the happiest when I am in my woman’s arms and place my head on her shoulder.