Many have said different things about the Late Legend of Fuji Music, Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister.
When those in his constituency (fuji circle) have undermined his proponent of fuji Music, Raggae star and ghetto soldier, Daddy Showkey has sent a strong
warning that whoever intends to rubbish the legacy of Dr.
Sikiru Ayinde Barrister would perish.
The Ajegunle born music star dropped the bombshell in an interview recently.
Excerpt
How did you meet Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde BARRISTER?
I met him for the first time around 1978/79. I have skill in
acrobatic and there was a show at NTV, the show was for Elders, it called
Barbic show, I used to go there to perform acrobatic display, it was there Barrister
saw me and developed an interest in me and asked me to be following him.
What was your relationship with BARRISTER
Hmmm! Late Sikiru Ayinde Barrister cannot be compared to any living fuji Act. When I was 8years old, I had a skill in the acrobatic display; I could also crow like a cock. I had a
brother/promoter then, that usually carried me to different parties/shows to
display my skill, it was at one of this shows that baba name me “Akuko” and he
always called me anytime he had an event.
There was a show at TBS around 1984 tagged 'Musical jamboree', I
was 14yrs old then, the bouncers at the entrance didn’t allow me to enter but
to my surprise, Barrister sent his manager outside to come and carry me.
I started a vacation job in 1985 at Wharf and this made me lose
contact with Barrister, on my way coming from work one day, I heard Barrister’s new album that was just released titled “Fertilizer”, I didn't have money with me to buy the album, I had to steal my mother's money to buy it. My mother had a JBC Tape and
that gave me the opportunity to always play the cassette. When my mother discovered I stole her money, the beating was massive.
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| Barrister during his hay days |
It was in 1994 when I released my first record, I told some of
my friends that I wished Barrister can bless the record, but they told me that I should not, they said anybody Barrister lay his hand on his head will never be
successful and will die of a headache but I told them, I wanted his blessings.
I heard of Barrister's show at FASLAK HOTEL for Demola Yakubu's
wife's 'birthday, there was a woman selling things at the gate of the hotel that
I approached and begged her to allow me to see Barrister, she was the one that
handed me over to Alhaja Yakubu that I wanted to see Barrister and she took me
to his room upstairs, when Barrister saw me he shouted my name “Akuko gagara”
and I told him my mission, he asked the Alfas in the room with him to pray for
me and he himself blessed my cassette, he gave the Alfas unbelievable amount of
money as “owo adura”, then one of the Alfas said my record will sell beyond my
imagination but I should not forget that day and what Barrister did for me.
The party started around 7pm and Barrister was on stage before I
entered the party ground, he was singing and quickly changed it when he saw me
'Awon kan lo mo ohun to se won ti won ko lati jo, Daddy Showkey maa wole, omo
Baba, Daddy Showkey maa wole omo Ayinde, iwo naa a dagba lola Olorun Oba'. He
then opened his briefcase and sprayed me money, which I also did but he
ordered his manager to give me back all the money, when I counted the money, it
was #280,000.
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| Daddy Showkey |
After that day, I told my doubting friends that am alive with no
headache and my record did sell well.
Any unforgettable things BARRISTER did for you?
Thank you! The same 1994 Raskimono took me to Abuja for a
concert and that day happened to be Barrister's birthday, I didn’t know he was in Abuja, we even lodged at the same hotel (Transcorp).
On that day as I wanted to open the entrance door, I didn’t know
it’s a sliding door and I fell down, people there did make a jest of me but
immediately the door opened, I saw Barrister and he carried me up and said a day
will come, those making jest of me will praise me back.
He advised me that all the money Raskimono gave me for the
concert should be spent wisely. The total money was #15,000 as Ajegunle boy, I
gave my mother #10,000 and took the remaining #5000 to Madillas and bought some
clothes and also bought beers for my friends.
It was those friends I bought beers for that later reported me at Ajegunle Police station, that I was just spending money, that they didn't the source of the money, the DPO at the station was Taiwo Olakanu and IPO was Baba
Laso.
I was detained but there was a day the DPO's cousin visited him and told him, there is a new musician in town that he played at a show in Abuja, that same day, they were planning to show me on TV as an armed robber, the IPO brought me to DPO office and his cousin saw me and told the DPO that I am the musician. It was at the station they signed me for my second show for Unilag student.
After the show, I was released and I went to Barrister and
explained everything to him, he then advised me to get a bank account. The
account was opened with Citizen Bank, Barrister and Dr Patrick Obubo served as
my guarantors.
I was a guest artiste at a popular musician 40th birthday
celebration in 1997, it was at the party that I was called that my wife was rushed
to the hospital for labour. On getting to the hospital, the Doctor told me to
deposit some amount of money but that time I was financially down due to a promoter that refused to give me my foreign trip money.
A thought came to my mind to approach the musician I left his
party, on getting there I was told he was resting, I waited for long but to my
surprise, two female visited the man and the security told them in Yoruba
language, that the musician did not want to see me. The security didn’t know I
could speak Yoruba. I left there and decided to visit Alhaji Barrister since the house was not far to that musician house, on getting there, I was told Baba
travelled to Ibadan but his manager called him and Baba started singing
“…..mori waya, mori waya ni Isolo….the next thing baba asked his manager to
give me #25000 for the baby, #25000 for the mother, #25000 as hospital bill etc
the total money I collected that day was #250,000. In fact I will never forget
that day in my life.
On getting to the hospital, the Doctor told me to leave the
money.
Why Barrister each time you had one issue or the other?
Thank you, Baba is an extraordinary human being and I believe he is right beside God in heaven. My first house at Ojodu, Barrister gave me 250 bags of cement and 500 pcs of blocks to start the work. If Barrister were two in Nigeria, things would change. His music gave me wisdom and makes me a different human being, even many people in Ibadan believed I was his son. His son Barry Showkey took his stage name from my name. I am not a Fuji Musician but anybody that talk ill of Barrister Legacy will perish.
What was your mother's reaction towards Barrister?
Remember I told you his first music album I bought was
fertilizer and I stole my mother's money to buy it.
I was at the naming ceremony of my good friend, Pasuma's child, my wife and Pasuma's wife put to bed a day interval, on the naming ceremony day, when I reached there I saw only Malaika, Remi Aluko and Atawewe and I asked Pasuma why didn’t he invite Barrister but he told me baba would not come, I and my Lawyer (Abdul Kehinde) rushed down to Barrister house and I went straight to his bedroom and I told him Pasuma is celebrating his child naming but baba told me, nobody invited him, even he didn’t know but I told him, he is aware now and he must go, but he said he was engaged and gave me a reasonable amount of money to give Pasuma, which I will like Pasuma to disclosed by himself and I told him the following day is my own daughter's naming as well, he gave me #250,000.
On getting back, I gave the money to Pasuma, he was surprised
and he gave me #150,000 out of it.
On the day of my daughter's naming, everybody was around and I
told them, I was waiting for Baba to give my child name but he later sent a message
that Iya Eko was sick and he needed to visit her.
Around 7pm that day when we have rounded off, I just saw a
cooling van coming in front of a car, guess who came out of the car? It was
Baba, he apologised for coming late, and that was how the party started all over again.
My mother was just crying that the man you stole my money to buy
his album, did come to our house to visit you. Today my son, you have
achieved in life.
Your advice to fuji Acts
Everything will become a thing of the past, they must not let baba's legacy to die,
Fuji music will continue to go back until they all come together to celebrate the founder.
I will honour Barry without anyone of them if Barrister were to sing in English the world would have celebrated him.
