Fuji music
Encyclopedia
Fuji is a popular Nigeria
n musical genre. It arose from the improvisation Ajisari
/were music
tradition, which is a kind of music
performed to wake muslims before dawn during the Ramadan
fasting season. Were music
/Ajisari
itself was made popular by Alhaji Sikiru Ayiinde Barister.
and its environs.
The name, "Fuji," chosen for the new musical genre was conceived in a rather funny and unusual way. According to its founder aner]]: "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 in 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
, aaro, 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.
Generally, the lyrics are in the Yoruba language
. Due to its popularity with young Nigerians, Fuji is now featured alongside Nigerian hip hop
music.
, Shefiu Alao (Omo Oko),Sule Alao, Sule Adio (Atawéwé),Sulaimon A Wasiu Ajani, Mr. Pure Water, Igwe Remi Aluko, Muri Thunder,Karubey Shimiu, Adeolu Akanni (Paso Egba), Shamu Nokia.
Today, fuji music has continued to attract younger generations; there are now over 10 fuji singing kids (such as Shanko Rasheed, Wasiu Container, Kokolo, Global T, etc.,) that are doing extremely well in the industry. In this generation of singers, Wasiu Ayinde Marshall, known as KWAM1 or K1 De Ultimate, has been the most recognizable name in the genre since the mid - to late 1990s.
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n musical genre. It arose from the improvisation Ajisari
Ajisari
An ajisari is one who arouses others to pray and feast during Ramadan. He goes from house to house, as early as 2:00 AM, beating his kettle drum with a stick and singing at the top of his voice. This is purely a religious duty; it is voluntary...
/were music
Were music
Were music is an indigenous Yoruba music, which, like ajisari, is a way of using music to arouse the Islamic faithful to pray and feast during Ramadan festival in Yorubaland. Ajiwere or oniwere means "one who performs were music."...
tradition, which is a kind of music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
performed to wake muslims before dawn during the Ramadan
Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and...
fasting season. Were music
Were music
Were music is an indigenous Yoruba music, which, like ajisari, is a way of using music to arouse the Islamic faithful to pray and feast during Ramadan festival in Yorubaland. Ajiwere or oniwere means "one who performs were music."...
/Ajisari
Ajisari
An ajisari is one who arouses others to pray and feast during Ramadan. He goes from house to house, as early as 2:00 AM, beating his kettle drum with a stick and singing at the top of his voice. This is purely a religious duty; it is voluntary...
itself was made popular by Alhaji Sikiru Ayiinde Barister.
History
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 compositionsajiwere”” "rocked" LagosLagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
and its environs.
The name, "Fuji," chosen for the new musical genre was conceived in a rather funny and unusual way. According to its founder aner]]: "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 in leisure or enjoyment.
Fuji music is an offshoot of were
Were
Were and wer are archaic terms for adult male humans and were often used for alliteration with wife as "were and wife" in Germanic-speaking cultures ....
/ajisari
Ajisari
An ajisari is one who arouses others to pray and feast during Ramadan. He goes from house to house, as early as 2:00 AM, beating his kettle drum with a stick and singing at the top of his voice. This is purely a religious duty; it is voluntary...
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
Juju
A Juju is a supernatural power ascribed to an object.Juju may also refer to:-Geography:* Juju , one of seven districts on the island of Rotuma in Fiji* Juju , a village in the district of Juju on the island of Rotuma-Albums:...
, aaro, Afro and gudugudu
Gudugudu
Gudugudu is a traditional drum used by the Yoruba ethnic group of Nigeria. The gudugudu, being a member of the dundun family of drums, is said to mimic speech. Some commentators think that the gudugudu drum is so melodic and danceable that it can sustain a melody without accompaniment...
, 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
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, since the early 1970s. Also, he first brought his trade to the North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, particularly the United States of America in 1984. All these tours happened before any subsequent Fuji players ever left the shores of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
.
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.
Modernization
Since the early 1980s, Alhaji Kolynton Ayinla(Baba Alatika)is a name to be reckoned with as far as fuji music is corncerned. (Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde Barrister (before he changed his name to Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde Marshall), has gradually emerged (with hits like Talazo 1984) after tutelage under Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, -- Marshall had served under Barrister in different roles such as his instrument packer and notably as his road manager. He served under Dr Sikiru Ayinde Barrister for 15 years. Marshall's style evolved through the early 1990s as he added youthful vigour to it. By the end of the 1990s, his brand of Fuji had become one of the most popular dance genres in the country. Another act, Adewale Ayuba, though more of a Juju musician, dabbled in Fuji style and also took the nation by storm in the early '90s. He managed to give off a vibe of class, though Fuji music was more popular amongs Yoruba Muslims, as opposed to Juju music. His brand of Fuji, termed "Bonsue Fuji" was clean, and lively, appealed to young and old alike and was hard not to accept. Ayuba clearly did an excellent job of staying away from any feud with any other musician. He still performs today and has many followers.Generally, the lyrics are in the Yoruba language
Yoruba language
Yorùbá is a Niger–Congo language spoken in West Africa by approximately 20 million speakers. The native tongue of the Yoruba people, it is spoken, among other languages, in Nigeria, Benin, and Togo and in communities in other parts of Africa, Europe and the Americas...
. Due to its popularity with young Nigerians, Fuji is now featured alongside Nigerian hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
music.
Continued growth
Popular modern Fuji musicians in Nigeria include (Sir) Shina Akanni, Alhaji Rasheed Ayinde, Adewale Ayuba,Alhaji Abass Akande Obesere (PK 1); King Dr Saheed Osupa (His Majesty), Otunba Wasiu Alabi,(Ijaya 1) (Pasuma Wonder); Bola AbimbolaBola Abimbola
Bola Abimbola is a vocalist, recording artist, and record producer from Lagos, Nigeria.- Musical career :Bola’s career in music began at the age of nineteen with his first recording - Silifa Bamijo which featured a Yoruba-language version of Michael Jackson's Don't Stop Till You Get EnoughBola has...
, Shefiu Alao (Omo Oko),Sule Alao, Sule Adio (Atawéwé),Sulaimon A Wasiu Ajani, Mr. Pure Water, Igwe Remi Aluko, Muri Thunder,Karubey Shimiu, Adeolu Akanni (Paso Egba), Shamu Nokia.
Today, fuji music has continued to attract younger generations; there are now over 10 fuji singing kids (such as Shanko Rasheed, Wasiu Container, Kokolo, Global T, etc.,) that are doing extremely well in the industry. In this generation of singers, Wasiu Ayinde Marshall, known as KWAM1 or K1 De Ultimate, has been the most recognizable name in the genre since the mid - to late 1990s.
External links
- africasounds.com - "FUJI BUBBLE" by Hortense Fuller
- All About Nigerian Music Industry