Today, Monday 16th December 2019 marks 9 years of the death of Chief Dr Sikiru Ayinde Balogun a.k.a. Sikiru Ayinde Barrister. In 1958 he created a unique traditional music style known as Fuji. When the fuji music icon clocked 60 he granted City People Magazine an interview on his life, how he rose against all odds to become one of Nigeria\u2019s greatest musicians, his relationship with Alhaji Kollington Ayinla and K1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How do you feel turning 60?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Living 60 years on earth is a long journey. To me attaining the age of 60 is a very long journey because I lost my father when he was 45 years old. Turning 60 means I have lived longer than my father which is a great achievement. Moreover, I have performed for 50 years as a musician which is also a great achievement. To me, music is Sikiru Ayinde Barrister and SikiruAyinde Barrister is music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Can you tell us a bit about your 60 years journey on earth?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I was born on 9th February 1948 to a polygamous house at No. 15 Oke Street, ItafaajiLagosIsland. I started singing in 1953 at the age of 5. I schooled at Mushin. I lost my father at the tender age of 10. While growing up I had nobody to monitor or tell me to do the right things. I was just determined on my own that I have to become a successful person in life. Then the journey was very rough and tough. For instance, I was once employed as a commuter bus conductor popularly called Danfo which plied Ajegunle to Idi-Oro Mushin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All I wanted then was to keep body and soul together and clothe myself. Also, I once worked as a goods carrier sleeping all night at Awolowo market, Mushin all to keep the good name of the family of 6 wives and many kids my father had. I tried to educate myself from proceeds I got from the odd jobs. I attended Muslim Mission School From there I proceeded to Mainland Model School also at Mushin where I did my First Leaving Certificate Examination also known as G2 in 1960.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I started my secondary school education in 1961 and had to stop in my third-year school because of financial constraint and I had no support from nobody. But I thank God today for giving me a sense of direction and I have lived carefully and tried to be a law-abiding citizen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Is there anything unique about your person and existence?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I have been born 3 times and on the same day, 9th February. That is why I love my mother so much. The first time, I was born as a girl named Kudi. I was given a mark on my back. When I was exactly 5 years old I told my mother I am going back, she begged and persuaded me but I died on 9th February.<\/p>\n\n\n\n My\nmother got pregnant again and gave birth to me on 9th February and I died again\non 9th February at the age of 3. Disturbed by this my mother made spiritual\nfindings about me and they told her I will come back as a boy but she should\nnever stop me from doing anything I want to do, that I will grow to learn and\ndo things my way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They also told her I will become a celebrity and she should not tell anyone or even me till when I am grown up. She was also instructed that my birthday should not be celebrated. She was further instructed that whenever I want to celebrate my birthday I should be stopped but she should find a means of distracting my attention. That is the reason why I have never celebrated my birthday. My turning 60 will be the first time I will celebrate my birthday. Since I have grown to know myself I fall ill exactly a week o my birthday every year. Every 9th of February I find myself in the hospital. Even when I turned 40 I only recorded an album and did a music video.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\nwas after then that my mother called me and told me she was told when I turn 40\nI will sing and dance to celebrate my birthday. While telling me she wept and\nprayed for me. When I turned 50 my friends and fans planned a big birthday for\nme but as God would have it that day it rained cats and dog till the next day\nand the party was disrupted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I don\u2019t know why God has made it so but anything after 9th February I will be alright. My mother understands all these and I think that was the source of the bond between my mother and I. And I did not realize all these but I know lots of people had always wanted to associate with me and while I was like age 10 I thought and behaved like a 60-year-old. That also reflects on my music. I don\u2019t have a composer. I write, compose and produce my songs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why did you decide to celebrate your 60th birthday?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I have Muslim clerics who are based in Senegal who have been praying for me since last year towards my birthday this year. Their instruction is that I will celebrate the birthday but not on February 9th, 2008. So I have consulted them and I told Wasiu Ayinde (K1) and together with City People Entertainment, they plan to celebrate my birthday on May 24th. I have the intention of going to Saudi Arabia so that I will be in Kabba Sherif and Medina to pray for more than a month before coming back to Nigeria. Though my fans in Chicago have planned a party for me on 29th March and those in New Jersey on 6th April.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How did music start for you?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I started singing in Mushin at the age of 10 in 1958. In 1964 I joined the band of Jibowu Rabiu he was the captain and composer of the band. I was with the band for 2 years after which we parted ways. I went to a record label known as Niger Songs at Abule-Oja near the University of Lagos. I produced my first album under that label in 1966.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The album is entitled \u2018EjekagbotiOlohun\u2019 it was released about the same time with King Sunny Ade\u2019s \u2018Alaanul\u2019Oluwa\u2019 Basically Were music is an awakening call for Muslims for the early morning meal. Were music metamorphosed into fuji music through my effort. People call me Fuji Music Creator but I because I don\u2019t want to be immodest I sang a song that people should stop calling me the creator of Fuji music. In my view, God created Fuji music I am just an instrument God used. I started to play Were Music in 1958.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I remember about that time that I was part of a singing competition in Lagos and I emerged the first position. By 1966 juju music, apala music and Sakara music were reigning. It was then I decided to create music that would encompass all the styles of music and would not be pure. Were music which was seen as an Islamic rendition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then I would sing different styles of music. By 1966 when I started singing professionally there was no one to support me. Fuji music is a combination of highlife music, afro, juju music, Sakara music and others. I sang to the amazement of people as I sang like Ebenezer Obey, Sunny Ade and Ayinla Omowura. All I was concerned with was how to make the music popular and put food on my table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then\nI have been a close friend to King Sunny Ade Commander Ebenezer Obey over the\nyears and we have spent good times together. While I call Ebenezer Obey my\nelder brother and boss, I call Sunny Ade, Ishola and he calls me Ayinde. Sunny\nAde is about a year and a half older than me. In 1967 I decided to join the\nNigerian Army. I served for 10 years and I was wounded at Awka during the\nNigerian Civil war. Now I surfer severe pains because of my age from the bullet\nwound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Relationship with Kollington Ayinla?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n KollingtonAyinla\nis my childhood friend. We grew up as friends and we love each other. We are\ngood friends and colleagues singing the same type of music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How did you settle the rift between you?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n As elderly people, I felt it was necessary to settle the rift between us. I came back from the United States paid him a visit and made him realize we were not getting younger and that it was necessary to set a good example for the younger ones coming behind us. And it is not until we abuse each other through music that we make money. I talked to him as a brother and a friend and he agreed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How many albums do you have to your credit?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I\nhave 127 albums to my credit. I have 115 released on Lati Alagbada Records.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Can we say age has slowed you down as a professional artiste?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n For instance, I have left anything like anger or hot temper. I prefer to avoid you than make me angry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What is your view on Money, Women and Fame?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Let me say basically that money is very essential for every human being. Money is the best thing that can happen to any human being. We use money to get everything we want in life. At the same time, it is the source of all evil. If care is not taken money has a bad spirit that will make any young woman or man misbehave. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As for Women, God himself loves women. There is a portion in the Holy Quran (quotes the Holy Quoran) that God himself desired to choose Aisha, Fatimoh and others as prophets among the women. Women are also as essential as money. Without a wife and money, no man is responsible. As for fame, it is principally the work of God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\nis no school to earn Fame or Stardom. And it is the only avenue through which anyone\ncan be known. Though famous artistes in Nigeria are not so appreciated like we\nhave abroad but with time we will get there one day. Fame is something to be\nappreciated especially by celebrities. It is only those God has chosen that\nwill become famous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Can you tell us how many wives and kids you have?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It\nhas been my principle not to disclose that. My religion (Islam) permits me to\nhave 4 wives as a committed Muslim but it does not stipulate how many children\nI can have. Basically I love to keep the number of children away from the\npublic. I am blessed with wives and children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even when you hit the limelight and brought fuji music to the fore there were controversies. Why do we have controversy in fuji music?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I would not agree that fuji music has always been trailed with controversy. What we had then were different Were groups who contended among themselves. We can say there were rivalries among the various groups who sang Were music during the Muslim Holy month of Ramadan. We had different groups like Saka Layigbade, Baba Ralia, my brothers Bashiru Abinuwaye, Maboyoje (my father\u2019s first son), Jolly Lawa and Aremu\u2019s groups. What we had then were a situation whereby a group will try to outshine the other. That was just rivalry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How did you come about the name Barrister?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n When\nI was very young, I acted and thought like an elderly person. Wherever I was\nand 2 other kids engaged themselves in any form of fight I always served as a\nwitness, judge or mediator. Then if there was any need to have a witness I\nwould be called upon because I would not lie or support anyone. I was referred\nto as \u2018Barrister Lawyer\u2019. Though everyone taught I would become a lawyer but as\nGod would have it I became a musician and so I adopted the name Barrister when\nI started singing. I did not know I would be this successful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How successful are you?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Glory\nbe to God. My success today can be ascribed to the Almighty God. Fuji music I\nknow will exist forever. Lots of artistes are coming up and it is a kind of\nmusic with a simple style. Personally I thank God. I am not rich neither am I\npoor. I can conveniently eat three square meals a day and take proper care of\nmy wards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What would you consider your greatest achievement and regret?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n My\ngreatest achievement is what I laid my hands on and is now been accepted by all\nand sundry. You would agree with me that the mention of Fuji music without the\nname of Dr. Sikiru Ayinde Barrister is not complete. That is enough legacy for\nme. As for regrets I have no cause to regret. Life itself is full of good and evil.\nToday I give glory to God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nowadays we have the issue of the leadership tussle in fuji music. What is your view on this?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It\nis not possible as human beings not to deal with the issue of leadership or\npolitics in a gathering of people. If we are all united there never have been\nChristians or Muslims. There is rivalry everywhere. The young men that are in\ncontention are doing that because they are young and active men. With time no\none will teach them when to be united and put a stop to all the rivalry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n K1\ndid something that will remain his legacy and that is putting together a body\nknown as Fuji Musicians Association of Nigeria (FUMAN). Wasiu (K1) is my son.\nHe was with me for 15 years. I thank God today he is my pride. If he offends me\ntoday and runs away, if he does not come back to apologise to me I will look\nfor him to tell him he has offended me. I have taken him as my first son He is\nthe Olori Ebi (head of the family).<\/p>\n\n\n\n So anything I want to do he must be there. Wasiu took after me, though as human being we have our differences but I will always tell him the right thing to do. I scold him if it is necessary. For instance, no one will ever call Michael Jackson James Brown and vice versa. Even if any of the fuji artistes is wealthier than I am which I don\u2019t think so they are not older than me. I know I am one way or the other trying to step aside because of my health but it does not mean I am quitting music entirely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I have done my best to settle the rift in the fuji music industry. Even if kollington\u2019s mother did not die my aim was to make peace in the fuji music industry, which I did and that is why I refused to join issues with him or release any album for the past 2 years. If I had released any album there would not be any way it will not affect Wasiu and Kollington. But I will ask myself what will I gain from it? I will be the one to lose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n