He Would Have been 69 Today

Sikiru Ayinde Barrister was a man who worked hard and smartly despite the enormous unquantifiable amount of talents deposited in him. He was vast in both Islamic and Western Education, Infact, he was trained in Qur'an by the same teacher that taught popular Sheik Muyhideen and both were friends. While sheik chose direct sermon to preach to the People, Barrister chose Islamic "WERE" music which he later, for the first time, disputedly though, changed to Fuji Music when he introduced high life, juju, afro, reggae etc into it....He was educated......That is why, at a time when he released an album titled Fuji Garbage and his adversaries laughed at him thinking he didn't know the meaning of Garbage....Barrister taught them a lesson which silenced them all

"I studied Qur'an and also have western education, I also know the meaning of what I said. I know three things with similar pronunciation but different interpretation. One is Cabbage. Two is Baggage. Third is Fuji Garbage that I sang about. Cabbage is the one used for salad. Baggage is the load we carry when we are going somewhere, you can also call it luggage. But Garbage that I talked about is dirty things, waste and irritants. Recall, I have said before that I'm manure, I'm fertilizer, I'm refuse dump...."

In 1980, he went to Disney in Orlando and sang about his experience. And dared those who may argue with him to also proceed to "Orlando, Florida in America. They will know that world remains somewhere".....people from Nigeria actually trooped to Disney to see for themselves. This was why University of Florida gave him Honorary PhD in Music. Mayor of New York also honored him.

Because of his solid understanding of the Qur'an, Late Alhaji Ado Bayero Emir of Kano, invited him to come to his palace with his band, he turbaned him and put him on a horse, made him Sarki waka of Kano!! "Sabo de Abdullahi Emir Ado Bayero..."

Ado Bayero told him "your preaching, the deep words of the Qur'an that you use as message for the people are what impressed me about your music. That is why I gave you this title.

And Oba Oyekan of Lagos gave him Otunbaa'la of Lagos while Olubadan gave him Agbaakin Bobagunwa of Ibadan. Aro of Ilobu among others.

He was also a soldier on the side of Nigeria military during the civil war. It was there he got shot on his leg. He never fully recovered from the impact all his life.

He took Fuji Music to the world for the first time. Hee."I 've taken my song to European Countries, I've taken my song to America...Naija dance to fuji music, Akata(Black Americans) dance to fuji music, Ireke dance fuji music because Fuji sound is beautiful..."

No wonder Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde was the greatest Fuji Musician ever.....Artistic Composition, Distinction Sound, highly researched music were all his attributes.

He confronted Abacha government but before Abacha could kill him, he ran away to the United States of America where he stayed until Abacha died. Barrister was a citizen of America too.

President Obasanjo crowned it all when he gave him MFR in recognition of his contribution to national growth.

He would have been 69 today but the African International Music Ambassador, died in 2010!
His legacy definitely lives after him.