Birth of Fuji Music in Nigeria

Apala, a traditional pattern from Ogun state, it is one of the Yoruba state in Nigeria, it became extremely famous in the 1960s, led by artists such as Haruna Ishola, Ayinla Omowura, Sefiu Ayan and Kasumu Adio. Ishola who is one of the most Nigeria’s consistent hits producers during 1955 and his death in 1983, his apala record songs which alternated between slow and emotional and rapid and energetic. His lyrics were made up of improvised praise and passages from the Quran as well as traditional proverbs. His work then became a formative influence on the establishing fuji pattern.

source of picture: goldmyne.tv

Later in 1960s saw the emergence of the first fuji ensembles. Fuji was named after Mount Fuji in Japan, totally for the sound of the word, according to Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister. Fuji was a mixture of apala with the ornamented, free-rhythmic vocals of ajisari dedicated artists and was accompanied by the sakara, a tambourine-drum and Hawaiian guitar. Among the earliest genres musicians were Ayinla Omowoura abd Haruna Ishola; Isohla produced many hits from the late 50s to the early 80s who became one of the country’s greatest popular artists. Fuji increased steadily more famous between the 60s and 70s and became closely related with Islam in the process.

Fuji has been referred as juju without guitars; ironically, Ebenezer Obey once referred juju as mambo with guitars. Though, at its origins, fuji is a combination of Muslim traditional were music ajisari songs with aspects of apala drumming and vocal songs and brooding, philosophical sakara music; of these elements, apala is primary basis of fuji. The first musicians of fuji were the opposing bandleaders Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister and Ayinla Kollington. Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister began his fuji career in the early 70s with the Golden Fuji Orchestra; though he had sung Muslim songs since he was at the age of 10 years old. He first changed his orchestra’s name to Fuji Londoners when he came back from a tour to London, England. After a very long period, his hits such as Orilonise, Fuji Disco/Iku Baba Obey, Suuru and Oke Agba and later again changed the group’s name to Supreme Fuji Commanders with a bang Orelope that went platinum immediately. Ayinde’s opposing albums such as k obo simi lo’run mo e, in the 80s he released ijo yoyo, Lakukulala and American megastar and many others of his successful albums.