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The burial of Fuji music maestro, Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, scheduled to hold on Wednesday, December 29, did not hold after all.

Thousands of relatives, associates and fans who had laid siege to his house, Fuji Chambers, at 24, Lamina Lawal Street, Isolo, Lagos, awaiting the arrival of his corpse from London went home disappointed.

Barrister died at St. Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, London, on Thursday, December 16 after a protracted illness.

Indications that
the funeral might not take place emerged in the afternoon when other
Fuji musicians who had reportedly camped at Melanko Hotel somewhere in
Isolo, came to his house, condoled with Barrister’s family inside and
left.

President,
Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), Dele Abiodun, Fuji
acts, Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, Saheed Osupa, Abass Akande Obesere and
Wasiu Alabi Pasuma all came to Fuji Chambers separately before leaving.

Waka Queen, Salawa
Abeni, and other Fuji acts, including Sule Adio Atawewe and Sunny T
Adesokan also came to condole with the family.

Eminent Nigerians
whom Barrister had praised in his records including Mufutau Lanihun and
factional chair, National Union of Road Transport Workers in Oyo State,
Lateef Akinsola, aka Tokyo, also came to pay their respects to the late
musician. The head of the Balogun family, Nasirudeen, couldn’t confirm
if the burial would hold around 3.30pm. “It’s a family matter, I can’t
confirm that,” he said.

Tortuous journey

Dayo Odeyemi,
director, media and public relations, Barrister Organisation, later
confirmed that the burial will not happen. He had, however, told
journalists earlier that the plane was Nigeria bound after a stopover
in Dubai. “After leaving Dubai, the plane has also stopped in France
where it is now delayed. We are expecting it to take off anytime soon
so, if the corpse arrives today, he will be buried latest 10am tomorrow
morning,” he later said.

Thousands of fans
jostled to enter the house to pay their respects to the late Fuji
musician but were barred by bouncers adorning t-shirts of the Barrister
Organisation and a handful of policemen. There was however heavy Police
presence on the street to forestall breakdown of law and order.

Chair, Music
Advertisers Association of Nigeria (MAAN), Waheed Oyediran Mosebolatan,
disclosed that the body ordered its members across Nigeria to close
their shops till 4pm on Wednesday in honour of Barrister.

Barrister’s body eventually arrived at the Murtala Muhammed
International Airport, Lagos around 7.17pm last night. It had however
not been processed for conveyance to his house as at the time of filing
this report. The burial will hold later today.