"The Day Buhari Danced Fuji" - Wasiu Ayinde K1 Recounts Encounter With Mr President
Excerpts from Fuji legend Wasiu Ayinde Anifowoshe recent chat with The Nation
You strike me as a gentleman. However, I see so much bitter rivalry among Fuji musicians irrespective of age differences, even though Yorubas are known to respect elders. Is this situation due the nature of the genre? Does the genre excel in feud? Is this what the fans enjoy?
We have all manners of people, people with different training and that has a lot to do with what you are talking about. As they say; show me your friend and I can tell who you are. I don’t want to condemn anybody, on the same genre of music that I do but, may be those in the genre before us; Yoruba type of music generally may have set the wrong foundation.
You can imagine finding yourself in a field where you are exhibiting God’s gift and you think you can misuse it because it’s a gift from God. God that gave you the talent wants you to be humble but you are not, you will live that way and end that same way. But we will continue to campaign for good living among us. Fuji music is the beauty of music entertainment in Nigeria, especially among the black tribe that so much appreciate the use of words and proverbs.
So, it has nothing to do with the genre…
No. It’s not about the genre but about the individual. It happens in the hip hop world and other genres too. The likes of Sunny Ade and Ebenezer Obey who play Juju music had their own share too.
You often refer to late Ayinde Barrister as your father in music. What are you doing to ensure that his legacies remain?
It is different when you, as an individual want to do something and it is another thing when majority of people don’t share the same vision. A tree doesn’t make a forest. Good enough, I am a true musical son of the late Barrister, I see him more than just a musical father, I see him as a true father in all ramifications. Unfortunately, I am stepping back a bit because this great man has his own biological children that are grown up and well-trained. But I don’t want to castigate the family, but I have made my pronouncement and I hope that after now they will see reason with my pronouncement.
Are you referring to the 5th anniversary of Barrister’s demise which you did not attend, and what was this pronouncement?
Exactly… My position was that for a man of Barrister’s caliber, we should not be thinking of funfair at all time, we should as well think of something to energize the public, and make the society to see what the man stood for during his life time. That was my advice to his children. I took a step back because they are grownups. I wanted to give them the opportunity as grownup adults to take decisions over the affairs of their late father.
What exactly did you propose?
What I actually proposed was that there shouldn’t be funfair, what we should do is we hit the world in a different way; like holding a musical seminar where we bring scholars to come and advice and talk about music and what music truly means. I wanted us to start that way and continue to grow the initiative.
Then later, we can raise a foundation out of that whereby many families will love to see their children doing a thing like that and say if this is happening for real then something good can come out of the life of my child who is doing music. However, they wanted funfair and I cited reasons I won’t subscribe to that: this was a man who had done so well to propagate the image of his nation, himself and his family. A man who had set a standard, who had fought very seriously to establish a genre of music that many other are benefiting from and so on. You don’t just do funfair in his memory and end it like that.
What is the position of Fuji Music Association of Nigeria (FUMAN) in this scheme; do they also share in your vision?
When I made that suggestion, I expected people who have something upstairs to grab and develop it. I can’t be fighting people, I am not getting younger but older and I have enough responsibilities on my sleeve that I have to take care of. So, if I’m taking care of one and it’s not properly seen I shouldn’t let it affect the others.
Sorry to deviate. How old are you sir?
I am 59-years-old
Thank you. When you referred to Barrister as your father in music, how do you mean; did you learn music under him or did he sponsor your education?
He raised me; I served tutelage under him and he could not do more than what a biological father would do for his child. He trained me to be what I am today. I served up to my master degree to call it PhD under his tutorial as far as music is concerned.
At what age did you start music?
I started music when I was eight years old and I think I have been with Barrister since I was nine years old and ever since, I have been serving him, I gained freedom the day he died. That was when I believe I was free.
Starting music at that age must have deprived you of some formal education?
No, it didn’t. But the fact still remains that everybody came to this world with a purpose and talent and I won’t be the first person to start music at such tender age. Michael Jackson of blessed memory also started young and many others.
How far did you go in terms of formal education?
I dropped out of school in my second year in secondary school.
I hear that one of your children just graduated in Law recently; such must be a way of making up…
A saying goes thus; show me your friend and I will tell you who you are. When you wake up and see good things happening around you, you see the way your friends are living, the way they are raising their kids, the plans they have for their children and you still want to be seen among these people, definitely you will inculcate their good habits. So I have always wanted my children to have all that I have lost and even greater and that has been the standard that I have set for myself with the help of almighty God.
Is the lawyer your eldest?
No she’s not.
Tell us more…
I have more than one lawyer among my children; I have an accountant, engineer and other areas as well. I have a lot of graduates among my children that went to good schools.
Music has taken you round the world; how much do you miss family life as a very busy man?
You can’t be doing what I am doing and not get to miss certain things. You will definitely lose your privacy, you lose your getting to do certain things in the normal way and your family must be willing to be ready to sacrifice that time for you. Even when my wife and children don’t see me the way they should, they know the situation on ground and they understand. And I try not to deny them of my time whenever I am free.
Is there any of your children who want to become a musician?
Yes, there are lots of my children that are already doing music
Apart from your biological children, is there any Fuji musician that you are grooming the same way that Barrister groomed you?
Yes, I’ve groomed a lot, encouraged many and have been carrying others along as far as Fuji music is concerned.
Why don’t we have collaborations among Fuji musicians like other genres?
There are lots of them doing collaborations but it’s not just common because it’s still the same Fuji music. Unlike hip hop where one sings and the other raps.
You did collaboration with Olamide…
Yes I have done with Olamide, 9ice, Blacky and a lot of them
Still on the rivalry among Fuji musicians; what does every Fuji musician wants to be referred to as King?
In the society today many people are crazy about title; it’s okay because brings fun out of what we do. However, I believe we should not be emphasising too much on that, rather the emphasis should be on the real benefit of what we are doing to the society; what it has to add to the lives of people listening to our music and the value therein. With my status now, I am not bothered about titles. Several times, I just tell people I am K1 de Ultimate.
What was the reason you changed your name from KWAM 1 to K1?
It was all about branding. I had a long list of names and I chose K1 de Ultimate because it is shorter.
You seem to be looking younger each time. What do you do to keep fit?
I can climb the stairs ten times a day so it gets me fit. I don’t want to look over-age and you want to stay fit to suit your mode of dressing. That is what you see me doing because if people see you looking over weight they will think you are a goner, but I am just starting.
Don’t you think you are asking for more trouble from your female fans?
At this stage I think what is more important to me is far beyond that. Now, you will hardly find me on the streets if I don’t have anything doing on the streets I want to be seen as a serious person. I will be in a position where people will come to seek for advice. I have had a fair share of it.
It is interesting the innovation you have brought into Fuji music. What instruments do you play?
I trained on keyboard and I am training on guitar presently.
How did you feel when President Buhari said he hasn’t danced in a long while when he danced to your music?
I felt great that the man truly knows what is happening around him. What he said was ‘I can’t remember when last I lifted my legs to dance but your music is good’. It felt good, especially coming from a serious-minded man.
If you were not a musician what would you have been doing?
Definitely I should have something doing as a responsible citizen.
Apart from music what other profession is close to your heart?
If I have the same opportunity, it’s either I go into business, or I might choose to be a lawyer because I believe in the rule of law. I believe in fighting a cause that’s worth fighting.
You have just unveiled your new publicist and announced your next album, what are your other plans for 2016?
I have a lot. I have shows both in and out of the country back to back and they run to the end of the year. A lot of tours across Europe and America and that is how it has been in the past 25 to 30 years, except when I was sick and operated upon.
After your lung-related ailment, were there times the doctors told you to slow down?
I was never asked to slow down. It was after my treatment that the doctor told me I was double charged for action.
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