Popular fuji musician, Wasiu Ayinde, aka K1 de Ultimate, was recently interviewed on Agbaletu Radiovision, and he spoke on several issues, including his relationship with the late fuji icon, Sikiru Ayinde (Barrister), and his grouse with another fuji legend, Ayinla Kollington. FAITH AJAYI brings excerpts
A lot has been said about the origin of fuji music. What’s your take on it?
On the history of fuji music, you can only tell the story of something that does no longer exist. Because, in telling the story, people are bound to distort facts and because the “actors” are no longer alive, nobody will challenge the story tellers. People will only take what they are told.
Tell us a bit about your relationship with the late Barrister.
Alhaji (Sikiru Ayinde) Barrister and I did a lot right from a young age. I lived with him right from when he was staying in one-room apartment. I was always there with him, and it got to a point that he insisted that he wanted to know my parents, so I took my mother to him. Afterwards, he accepted that I should continue staying with him.
I didn’t go to learn music from Barrister, because some people went to learn music from him; I just loved him from when I was little. I saw him as a role model and I moved closer and identified with him. He welcomed me, and I became his child. I learnt good characters and ideals from him.
It is said that you are currently not on good terms with another fuji icon, Ayinla Kollington. What’s the story behind your falling out?
I don’t want to join issues with Alhaji Kollington and I will never join issues with him. The only annoyance I have with Kollington is that when his mother and Barrister’s mother died, I did well for both of them. How would my mother then die and Kollington will be giving excuses that aren’t genuine enough. Let’s say this to the world. He said he called my phone and I didn’t answer. For somebody who joined hands with you to give your mother a befitting burial? The world stood still (for Kollington’s mother’s burial); I moved everybody that was movable, including governors and deputy governors. I handled the whole thing; all the finances 100 per cent. What could have happened (that would make him not attend my mother’s burial)? I want to know what happened but there isn’t anything that happened. I recall that I told Barrister (when his mother died), that it was an ‘ajo’ (a thrift society). Having stood by them for their mothers’ burial, does Kollington think it is “sorry” alone that he owes me, when he is alive and well? It wasn’t like he was stuck abroad, and could not come back to Nigeria. Let’s call a spade a spade; is the matter not enough to make me angry?
It was once reported that you abused Barrister. Is that true?
I have never granted any interview on this issue because it is heavy for me to say and accept that I insulted Barrister. What actually happened was that I had a friend who was also musician, and he had issues with Barrister. But, I did not have any issue with Barrister.
Father and child should not fight. On that day, at Liberty Stadium (Ibadan, Oyo State), the show featured Sawaba and. He was the one who insulted Barrister, not me. The only thing I told him was that the concert we just did, if the boss talked to me, he would do so in a way so as to forgive him because we both performed at the concert. But, I swear with all I have that I did not insult Barrister.
There was also a controversy surrounding your proclamation as the ‘King of Fuji’. Could you expatiate on that?
It was not done in secret; it was done openly at NTA Ibadan. Those who nominated me to be the ‘King of Fuji’ had their reasons for doing that. We had ‘King of Juju’, ‘Queen of Waka’; so, they wanted to have ‘King of Fuji’; but at that time, a major squabble was going on between the two senior players (Barrister and Kollington). The organisers told me that they felt if they chose between the two senior players as king, there would be “war”; so, they would rather settle for me. But, by settling for me, my boss ought to know that it is him they are honouring. That was what made me accept the title.
One of your former band members, Ayanlowo, recently accused you of several things. What would you like to say about that?
Why would Ayanlowo lie against me that I collected his blood sample and he did not know what they wanted to use it for? Was I the one that collected it (blood sample)? However, it is impossible for me not to forgive Ayanlowo. I was the one who gave him that name. He was not called ‘Ayankunle’, I was the one who gave him that name. When he joined the band and I facilitated his passport (Ayankunle Ayanlowo). He should tell people his real name, because I was the one who gave him the name he is bearing now. He enjoyed many benefits from me but he abused it.
Could you clear the air on the formal registration of ‘fuji’?
When I had the grace to put my name on it and call it ‘My Fuji”, I did not. I was the one that registered the Fuji Music Association of Nigeria, and put the genre as “fuji”. I was the one that registered it at the Corporate Affairs Commission. I wrote the constitution and volunteered my house for the constitution drafting committee, which I assembled. Some of the people in the committee were Fancy Aye Alamu, Muyideen Ashekun; and Waheed Akangbe as the interim president. Kolotiti was the secretary of the committee, and my personal secretary was the one typing all the memos. They had their meetings in my house and that was in the presence of my lawyer, Shola Abidakun
They should come out and say what I did. I did everything. They keep saying I’m bad. But, God used me to do many things but what did I get in return? These are the things I kept quiet about all this while and overlooked. But, they didn’t use it for good in fuji; rather, they used it to deface fuji in the eyes of the public and those who love fuji. They gave room for them to call us names.
You were criticised for posting a video showing you receiving a condolence call from President Bola Tinubu after your mother died. What do you have to say about that?
Asiwaju has been my brother for a long time, and I have known him from a young age. Our mothers knew each other. If you remember, during the call, when he was greeting me, he said that my mum will see her elder sister (Tinubu’s mum) in heaven. That is an acknowledgement of what I’ve been saying that we have a history together.
You are a Muslim but you have been seen at Celestial Churches. Can you expatiate on that?
I am a proud member of the Celestial Church. I even built a church. I have sought God through different religions. There is nowhere that God isn’t.
