Fuji legend Akorede “Saheed Osupa” Okunola has stirred controversy online after revealing the role of traditional African practices in his rise to fame.
While performing at the 52nd on-stage celebration of veteran actor Fatai “Lalude” Odua on 30 March, he claimed that his success in the music industry was tied to such rituals.
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In a video that has since gone viral on social media, he asked two of his band members to use the “Isoye” charm to sharpen their minds for their work.
Saheed Osupa added that these practices were, in his opinion, more beneficial than conventional medicine prescribed by doctors.
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Myths
He mentioned seven “Kuluso” and seven “Atare”, stressing that these were not fetish objects but tools meant for personal growth.
The singer further clarified that, for him, these rituals were not about superstition or being fetish, but about supporting one’s well-being and progress in life.
He sang: “Using them didn’t make me a fetishist. Someone once told me, ‘Osupa, I want you to grant an interview.’ I asked, ‘Interview for what?’ He said it was to deny being fetishised. I told him, ‘I am one, and I can’t deny who I am.’
“I didn’t use juju (voodoo) to kill anyone, or do anything evil. I only used it to support my progress and career. That’s why, whenever I wake up, I give praise to my Ifa (oracle). I don’t know any deities beyond that. For me, it’s about making my life better.”
Fetish
The 55-year-old also challenged those labelling him a fetish, asking whether he should instead rely solely on medication prescribed by doctors.
He further explained that he regularly honours Ifa, the traditional Yoruba spiritual system, emphasising its important role in his life.
“When someone has no money, and their life isn’t going well, both situations are difficult. Even if a person isn’t very rich, they should at least be comfortable. If neither is the case, then it’s a problem. If I don’t engage in voodoo, what else should I use?
“Should I rely on prescribed drugs instead? Would that make me successful? Would Panadol make me rich? We’re all traditionalists; some people keep theirs private. People who say ‘I trust in the Quran and the Bible’ are lying and deceiving one another”, said Saheed Osupa.
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Response
The singer, however, faced widespread backlash from Nigerians after his remarks, particularly for claiming that those who profess belief in both the Quran and the Bible were lying to themselves and deceiving others.
Responding to the backlash, he maintained that he respects Christianity and Islam, noting that he believes in Jesus Christ and the Prophet Muhammad.
However, he criticised what he described as “eye service” among religious adherents, suggesting that many people are not sincere in their beliefs.
Saheed Osupa did not retract his earlier comments about using juju, nor did he directly address specific critics.
“Regarding the words in the Quran and the Bible, I have no issue with them. I am not against either. I believe Prophet Muhammad was a friend of God, my God, and that Jesus was a messenger of the Almighty. But hypocrisy towards God is not acceptable, and those involved did not have a problem with me personally; they had a problem with their God.
“What many of you don’t understand is that this goes beyond religion. You accused me of hypocrisy, yet you are doing the same, and now you are upset and speaking out. Many of you fail to see what lies beneath religious pretence. Hypocrisy may seem like a shortcut to success, but it comes with consequences”, he said.
