Alhaji Wasiu Alabi, better known as Pasuma, is a household name among lovers of fuji music. He made his mark in the early ’90s when he came out with his debut album, Recognition. He built on that success by going on to win the Best Fuji Artiste award with another sell-out album, Orobokibo, in 1995. Since then, he has remained among the top among the practitioners of that traditional genre of music. In this interview with SEGUN AJIBOYE, Pasuma talks about his music and why he is yet not married, among other interesting issues. Excerpts: YOU are famously called Oganla, but what does this really mean? Oganla is a family. It simply means the big boss and I am the head of the family. You were previously known as Arabambi, so why the change of name? We are simply trying to change the face of fuji music. While doing that, we also need to change my own identity. You’ll agree with me that when you serve somebody for some years, you will naturally want to become independent someday. So, that was what happened. I decided to be on my own and I sat down with my fans and managers to decide on what to do. We first came up with the title: The big boss. But that didn’t suit what we wanted, so we simply translated it to Yoruba, which is Oganla. The belief in some quarters is that the change of name was as a result of a clash between you and KWAM1. How true is this, especially bearing in mind the fact that you were previously Arabambi 2? There is no truth in the rumour. We never had any clash. K1-De ultimate is a leader and an elder. He had been around long before we came in. And he is someone that I respect. I decided to pitch my tent with him in the beginning because I see him as a role model. The truth is that I took up fuji music because of him. It was an album he released in 1984 that inspired me to take music as a profession. I was in my final year in the secondary school at the time. So, when I left secondary that year, I just decided that I wanted to sing. But I also had plans to surpass him. As a role model and somebody who inspired me to take up music, there is no way I would fight him. But at the same time, I needed to be on my own without any fight. I also know that he would never have allowed me to go, if I had called him and said I wanted to leave. So, that was why we made it a surprise! Are you saying you are in good terms with him? Sure, we are in very good terms. As a matter of fact, we will be playing together this weekend. You just raised a point, which has caused a lot of arguments among your fans. It is about your age. You said you left the secondary school in 1984. But you don’t really look that old… Some people judge me by my looks. But the truth is that I was born in 1967. I hear people argue about this too, but what can I do about it? I thank God for giving me this baby face. You’ll see some people and you will not believe that they are much younger than I am because they actually look older. But as I said, I thank God almighty for His grace. This takes me to another recent rumour about you and popular actress, Ronke Odusanya, popularly called Flakky. It is being rumoured that you are planning to get married to her. How true is this? (Laughter) Flakky is a friend; and moreover, people will talk. But is it true? No, it’s not true. However, I cannot tell you that it cannot happen later. But for now, there is nothing like that on the card. But why are people speculating? As I told you, people will talk. If they see you together, especially when both of you have been separated for a couple of years and people are now seeing you together again, they will talk. So, the next thing is for them to go to town about the story that you are back together again. I cannot be angry because there are many people who would wish that such a rumour could be said about them. But you see, many women have been linked with you in the past. But each of these relationships ended just the way it started. I’m not sure there is any woman at home. I mean do you really have a wife now? There are lots of women that have been linked with me. But you see, I need to take my time and not rush into anything that may make me end up in tears. But many are already saying that you may end up not getting married. Let me tell you something, I have a 23-year- old child. You’ll agree with me that I need to take my time and be very careful about my choice of woman. So, what kind of woman are you searching for? I need a woman that will love me and my kids. I don’t want a woman that will come in and take my kids as rivals. She has to see them as hers and take care of everyone under my roof. Marriage is not something that you should rush into. Is that the reason why you are not married yet? If, for instance, I get married today and the marriage packs up maybe one or two years after, what will the people say? You see, it is better I take my time. After all, it is better to be late than never. So, I take it that that the perfect woman who will love you and your kids with equal measure is yet to come your way. Don’t worry; she is on the way. It may even be sooner than you think. Some people are actually waiting on me and expecting that I do it. Let’s talk about fuji music. Since the death of Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, some people believe he died and went away with fuji music. What is your impression? Alhaji did not take away fuji music. The genre is still waxing stronger and going places. For now, Alhaji Kollington Ayinla is the most senior, while Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde is the one ruling. But the truth is that fuji music can never die. The house of fuji is intact and we are doing our bits. But there is a kind of confusion in the house of fuji. You are all fighting one another and it’s like a house in commotion. But all these are really not new. Whatever that is happening now is not new in any way. If you remember, there has always been rivalry among fuji practitioners. If you remember, the rivalry between the late Sikiru Ayinde and Alhaji Kollington Ayinla was a healthy rivalry. It was for the progress of fuji. All that has come to an end now and everybody is now working to have a successful career. You cannot see any fuji musician singing abusive songs now. But what are you all doing to make the rivalry in the industry a healthy one? For now, the Music Association of Nigeria (MAN) has said everybody should stop any abusive song. They have said they would not sell the work of any artiste who abuses anybody with his music. And that is the way things are for now. It seems it is easier and more profitable to sing abusive songs than singing positive and constructive songs. No, that’s not true. If you look at people like the late Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, Alhaji Kollington Ayinla and Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde, they have all sung very nice songs. I mean evergreen songs that would last a life time. So, it is not as if Fuji music thrives only on abusive songs. At the same time, if you listen to the music of younger fuji musicians like me, Saheed Osupa and others, you will realize that we too can sing good songs with the use of parables and innuendos. Moreover, as I said, we cannot sing abusive songs anymore. So, people will begin to see the best of Fuji music from now. Your first album was released in 1993. The album, Recognition, is regarded as your best by some music aficionados. What is your view about this? You know, we recently went back to the studio to do a remix of that particular album. We did that because we realized that people love it. And with the way people are reacting to it, we have concluded plans to do the video. You know that I don’t do anything aside from what my fans want. And I can see that they really love that album. Is the album your best so far? I won’t agree with that. You remember that it was my third album, Orobokibo, that gave me the Best Fuji Artiste award. You had your first recorded work in 1993. So, how has the journey been for you as a fuji artiste? The journey has definitely been rough, tough and sweet. It was rough when we started out and tough we when got to a point. But we thank God today; I can say it is sweet because we have been accepted by the people and my name as a fuji artiste has become a household name. After you won that award in 1995, what exactly did it do to you? Did it put you under any pressure? There was no pressure at all. Rather, it reinforced my self-belief. And after that, I said to myself, ‘I should do more’. That is the way it has been ever since. You will really appreciate the award when you realize that the likes of Barrister, Kollington, Ayuba, Wasiu Ayinde and others were still at their peak at the time. To be picked ahead of these great people meant one thing to me: that I cannot afford to fail and let my people down. So, we called ourselves together to review the album to know why everybody is hailing it. After that, we now said to ourselves that we need to do more and even produce better albums. After receiving that award, it made you to want to work harder and do more. But we no longer have such awards now. How does this make you feel? You see, in those days, it was very glamorous to win awards. Artistes worked very hard to come out with their best, knowing that whatever they did would determine their success in the industry. For instance, it is awards that the organizers of the Benson and Hedges Music Show used to pick the artistes that would feature in the show. So, you worked very hard to make sure that you were selected. It was very good in those days. But what you have these days is awards for hip-pop artistes. They are the ones stealing the shows now. You just said something about hip-pop artistes. Do you fuji artistes feel threatened in any way? Not at all! Why should we feel threatened? The truth is that it is the hip-pop artistes that should feel threatened. Check out their songs, I mean the lyrics, then, you will know what I am talking about. They are making use of our songs and styles. If you talk about me, I have featured in several hip-pop works. I am doing my thing and they are doing their things. So, there is no reason for me to feel threatened. Of all fuji musicians, you seem to be the only one that has done more collabos with hip-pop artistes… (Cuts in) As I told you, I have featured more than any Fuji artiste in collaborative works with hip-pop artistes. In 1997, I featured with The Remedies. I have recorded a number of firsts as a fuji artiste. For instance, I was the first fuji artiste to feature in the Celebrity Takes2 reality show. I was an ambassador for Glo, among others. So, would you say you have an edge over other fuji artistes? You just said it yourself and I appreciate you for that. What’s your vision for fuji music? Fuji music is still waxing stronger. I believe that fuji music will take over the stage from hip-pop in the next five years, at the most. What will you describe as the height of your career in the last 20 years? I still look back to the day I got my first album in 1995. It was a memorable day for me because the big names in fuji music were all there and I was picked as the best among them. I still look back to the day with nostalgic feelings. And which day would you describe as the worst? The Yoruba have a saying that if a man suffers for 20 years, he will forget about it if he tastes the good side of life for one day. So, I simply want to forget those hard days. But they are many. If you have an opportunity to ask for only one thing from God, what will it be? I will ask for long life. I know that He has given me the talent; so, with long life, I know that I will fulfill His promise in my life. Who is the closest to you of all the Fuji artistes? I see them as colleagues. We see one another as friends and relate as such. The closest people to me are God and my mum. A lot has been said about your closeness to your mum. How close are you? We are very, very close and everybody knows that. I talk to her every day. Aside God, my mum is the closest to me
Posted on: Wed, 25 Jun 2014 06:07:37 +0000
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