Fuji Musicians, Family, Associates Gather in Lagos for Barrister’s First Colloquium

It was a day of posthumous honor for one of Nigeria’s late musical icons, Alhaji Sikiyu Ayinde Barrister as associates, family members and performing musicians gathered in Lagos on Wednesday to celebrate his arts at a first colloquium.
The anniversary colloquium was put together by another musician, King Wasiu Ayinde (KWAM 1) at the Raddison Blu Hotel, Ikeja.
The event, which attracted legendary musicians such as Chief Ebenezer Obey, Alhaji Kollington Ayinla, Alhaji Rasheed Ayinde Fuji Merenge, Wasiu Alabi Pasuma, Alahji Sule Adio Atawewe, and many others, witnessed live performance of the Fuji maestro’s major tracks.
The late Fuji act died in 2001.
Guest speaker at the event, a professor Performance Studies at the University of Ilorin, Jeleel Ojuade, who spoke on “Barrister’s Impactful Musical Exploits: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, said Barrister was both a philosopher as well as a musician in his lifetime.
“He was a fantastic creator and had flair for innovative ideas. For instance, he introduced the application of piano to Fuji music in performance. It really amplified the sound and performance as demonstrated in ‘Fuji Garbage’ series. This display of adaptation of different musical formats and instrumentation kept him at the top till he died,” Ojuade said
Ojuade told the gathering that the capacity of the late musician to dwell on current affairs was legendary adding that Barrister was concerned about moral, social, religious, political and economic crusades as embedded in his lyrics.
He said, “His albums addressed relevant and significant aspect of the economy, wellbeing, moral, sport and current and contemporary issues. It was to guide and correct anomalies among the people or to address topical issues.
Barrister built his brilliance at singing FUJI on philosophy and current affairs. Consequently, his song remains relevant from their time of release till today.”
Concluding that Barrister came, saw and conquered, Ojuade concluded thus: “When Sikiru Ayinde Barrister was alive, he was both a star and god of Fuji music. When he died, he remained a star and, at the same time, he turned an ancestor in the pantheon of the all – time great musicians who had bestridden this world like colossi that they were. Alhaji Agba had the voice, the looks; he was commendably confident and he had gripping and ear – friendly sound.”
In his recommendation, the performance don asked the government to immortalize Barrister by building a tourist centre that would be called Destination Fuji.
He said Barrister took the name of Nigeria to all corners of the world adding that nothing would be too much to preserve his memory.
He said, “Having being dully recognized nationally by the Federal Government of Nigeria while alive with the award of MFR, I call on our State Governors of Lagos and Oyo to assist in facilitating and constructing a gigantic “Destination Fuji” in honour of Dr. Sikiru Ayinde Barrister MFR, having done you honour by projecting your culture and taken your names and placing such on global maps (Ayeye in Ibadan and Salawe in Lagos). I strongly believe that such projects will generate revenues for the state and the entire FUMAN…A tourist destination as well.”
In his remark, Wasiu Ayinde said he had always embarked on projects that would preserve the memory of the late Fuji creator adding that though his actions had been mistaken at some points in the past.
The musician called for the government to declare Fuji music and as Nigeria’s only indigenous music.
One of the panelists, Steve Ayorinde, said Nigerians don’t have to wait till the death of their musical heroes to celebrate them adding that talented artistes who make impacts should be celebrated while alive.
Legendary musicians who were present recalled their days with the late Barrister noting that he was a major force in entertainment.