Sango-Ota in Ogun state was thrown into a mournful mood last week Sunday 17th of December, 2017, when popular Ogun Fuji Musician, Ganiyu Ayinde, died mysteriously. The sad news spread like wildfire as many couldn’t hold back tears because Ganiyu died at a point he started gaining momentum in his career.
Many of his fans took to their Instagram pages to express shock on his death. While some who saw him months ago revealed that Ganiyu didnt show any sign of dying soon, another fan of his, explained to City People that late Ganiyu Ayinde was sick for 2 months and he was getting better before his death was announced on December 17th, 2017.
A few years ago, when City People had its Maritime award, Ganiyu Ayinde was the one on bandstand. Many of the, freight forwarders couldn’t get enough of him as he got many guests dancing for hours. Let’s tell you a few things about Ganiyu and what he told City People before his death.
Alhaji Ganiu Ayinde is a Fuji musician, who shared the same tune and voice with popular fuji star, Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde aka K1. He started singing right from his days in primary school before he took it up as a profession when he got to the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic where he studied Business Administration. He was born in Sango metropolitan area of Ogun State into a family of popular Islamic cleric, Sheik Yusuf. Months before his death, City People’s GBOLAHAN ADETAYO caught up him at an event where he spoke about his music career and many more. Excerpts:
When did you discover you could sing?
I can’t really say, but I started a very long time ago, it’s been over 2 decades. I am a kind of person, who loves music right from my days in primary school. I attended Moshood Abiola Polytechnic popularly known as Ojere where I studied Business Administration, but found out that music is what I love to do. I had no one to teach me music; I just started by beating tables, tomato tins and that was it.
Which means you started from Ojere?
Not at all, I started doing this right from my days in Primary school and continued when I got to the secondary school. I also started singing because by then, I believed I had grown up and when I got to higher institution, it has become something big and I kept pushing until we got to where I am.
When did you start professionally?
I don’t really know the specific period, but I know that it’s more than 20 years. I just started emulating and broadened the scope K1’s tune. I started from primary school, continued at secondary school and higher institution opened. I didn’t change the tune since then.
Why K1’s style?
Normally, it is not as if I did that purposely, but I found out that that is the way God wanted it to be. I only listened to old musicians such as Ayinla Omowura, Yusuf Olatunji and co, but I discovered that K1’s style was the tune I started with and I found it difficult to change. Assuming I had a boss, I would have said he influenced that, but it is rather unfortunate. I tried my best to change, but it didn’t work for me.
Since then, have you been fortunate to work with K1?
Not at all. We only met once at a show where I performed and he was also one of the artistes to perform. That was when the Baale of Isolo was celerating and he came exactly when I was about ending my performance and he wanted to see who was singing like him. That was about 10 years ago and since then, I have not set my eyes on him let alone work with him.
Can you tell us how many of you who sing like K1?
We are many, I know myself, Kolade Onanuga, Ramon Akanni in Osogbo, he is my friend and Ganiu the one who is based in Ijebu. There is another one in Agege called Muyideen Asore and a friend Skilo, who is late.
If not for music what would you have been doing by now?
If not for music I am sure I would have been a writer by now because I love writing a lot. I am gifted with writing and I write well.
Don’t you think that you would earn more respect as a literary person than being a musician?
You are right, but God gave us different talents. There are situations whereby some people can speak well, but to write is their problems, while some can write, but they can’t speak fluently and that was how it was created, I just know that God gave me the privilege to write and sing. If not for music, I may have been working at City People magazine by now.
What do you do when you don’t have a show?
I do go to club, and I sometimes love to be at home alone listening to music. And I have some other businesses which I’m involved in.
How did you master K1’s style of music?
First, I appreciate God on behalf of my band boys because they are also blessed when it comes to drumming; I listen to his music a lot especially when I don’t have anything doing.
Do you have any regrets?
Yes, when I first started, I passed through some challenges, but I just believed that with God, all things are possible. Yoruba adage says “if one has challenges for 20 years, he/she will definitely overcome one day. “It was bitter then and my thought was that it shall be well with me one day. During the trying time, I didn’t lose faith because I knew God just wanted it to be like that, so that I could move forward. These are the things I can say I passed through, which would have prompted me to quit.
Can you throw more light on that?
What I mean is that, at parties, where we were playing, people would not spray us with money, meanwhile we hired the instruments on credit. Sometimes, area boys would come and scatter musical instruments we’ve arranged. These were challenges but I didn’t relent.
How many albums do you have?
Yes, I did one for Ogun State governor, Ibikunle Amosun, not too long ago and it is entitled “Mission to Rebuild”, it is an album I did for Ogun State generally and it took us a lot of money to achieve, but thank God for the government’s compensation.
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