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Though the remains
of Fuji music legend, Sikiru Ayinde Balogun, aka Barrister, were buried
in his Isolo, Lagos sitting room, on the night of Thursday, December
30, it wasn’t exactly a unanimous decision. Barrister’s oldest child,
Dublin-based Razak, appeared not too comfortable with the idea of
burying his father that night.

“E wa ba broda mi
soro o, se o fe sun ti oku moju ni? Won ni won o ni sin won loni.”
(Come and talk to my brother, does he want to sleep next to the corpse
till day break? He is saying [Barrister] won’t be buried today), one of
the daughters of the deceased, with an Alfa (Muslim cleric) in tow,
said as she passed by.

Minutes before the
corpse eventually arrived at 24, Lamina Lawal Street, by 9.44pm,
another Alfa expressed similar sentiment, wondering why Barrister’s
firstborn, Razak, didn’t want the musician buried that night. King of
Fuji music, Wasiu Ayinde, the artistic chief mourner, reportedly, was
among those who prevailed on Razak to allow the Alfas lay Barrister to
rest.

Razak’s unhappiness
with the state of affairs, prior to the arrival of the corpse, was
evident as he seemed preoccupied with having an incidence free burial.
He politely declined to speak with reporters when accosted. “Gentlemen,
you all know what we have been waiting for since yesterday. It is when
it arrives and is laid to rest that I will be happy and you will also
be happy,” he said, promising to grant interviews as soon as the burial
was concluded.

Waiting for Barrister

The remains of
Barrister, who passed away at a London hospital on December 16, had
been delayed in the United Kingdom due to flight disruptions caused by
bad weather. Scheduled to return to Nigeria on Wednesday, December 29,
the arrival was the subject of much confusion, with spokespersons
giving conflicting information about the exact whereabouts of the
musician’s body and the Air France flight conveying it.

Thousands of fans
kept a two-day vigil at the Fuji maestro’s home as family members and
well-wishers waited, before his remains finally touched down at Murtala
Muhammed International Airport on Thursday evening.

A carnival-like
atmosphere prevailed around the deceased’s home, popularly known as
Fuji Chambers on Wednesday and Thursday. Though there was heavy police
presence on Wednesday to forestall breakdown of law and order from the
mammoth crowd, the numbers swelled on Thursday.

Men of the Lagos
State’s Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) squad joined regular and mobile
police in controlling the crowd which filled the whole of Lamina Lawal
Street on Thursday. Some fans who couldn’t find space on the street,
found alternatives on the fences of houses close to Barrister’s while
some climbed the decked roof of a two-storey building not far from Fuji
Chambers

While only
Barrister’s music was played on Wednesday while people awaited the
corpse, there were live performances and tributes on Thursday. Smart
traders also made brisk business selling souvenirs including CDs,
calendars, fez caps and polo t-shirts to the crowd including
Barrister’s extended family from Ayeye, Ibadan; Iwo in Osun State; and
the Salawe family of Lagos.

Performances

Ewi exponent,
Sulaiman Ayilara, popularly known as Ajobiewe, paid tributes to the
deceased in rich Yoruba lyrics before Ganiyu Sebutu, one of the three
anchors, gave a lowdown of Barrister’s albums and the history behind
each. The rough talking Akinola Eko, a KAI official, and Azeez
Abdulrahman, were the other anchors.

Tessy Yembra, who
danced to Barrister’s famous ‘Fuji Garbage’ video in 1988, entertained
waiting crowds with the dance again, 22 years on. She also disclosed
how she met the late musician. They met at Club Arcade after she
returned from Madrid, Spain, before Barrister requested that she dance
in the video. Yembra, who also danced for Shina Peters and some other
musicians, described Barrister as ‘father and mentor’.

The maestro’s
military past was recalled by a trumpeter blowing ‘The Last Retreat’
before Islamic musicians started a praise and worship session
(Asikiri). The Twins Alaka from Mushin opened the session with a female
singer coming next. Kutibi Anobi, head of all Muslim singers in Isolo,
involved the crowd in his own session. Another musician, Fatai Pele,
entertained the crowd with some songs from Barrister’s 146 albums.

Waka Queen, Salawa
Abeni, who was also at the house on Wednesday, was short of words when
called to address the crowd. “We must still thank God. It was his time
to leave. May Allah grant him Aljanat,” she said. Salawa ended her
address with ‘Ori Mi Ewo Ni Nse’, an old Barrister song.

Memories

Some members of the
public also testified to Barrister’s impact on their lives. Sakinat
Ajao, who started crying before she completed her speech said, “Alhaji
made my wedding day memorable in Iwo with his performance. We were
distraught when we heard Alhaji died…”

Sekinat Popoola
Williams, who made people laugh with her somewhat affected American
accent, told the gathering of her closeness to the deceased. “It’s not
only today that we will cry for Alhaji, we won’t stop crying because of
what he stood for. Alhaji is the only one who knows how to sing my
praise; no one can do it like him. When he starts praising me, I will
just kneel down and start crying.”

Grace Modupeola
Labaran and Akeem Olanipekun, both residents in the UK, also attested
to Barrister’s sterling qualities. The duo, who were among those who
received Barrister when he arrived in London after his operation in
Germany, said they were shocked at news of his demise. Head of youth in
the area, Abdulahi Yusuf, said they will miss Barrister because he
related closely with them and was their patron.

The musicians

The clearest
indication that it would not be a repeat of Wednesday’s no-show came
around 5pm when renowned musician and Barrister’s godfather, Ebenezer
Obey, arrived with Segun Adewale. The crowd, which the bouncers and
security operatives were having a hard time with, surged on sighting
them. Adewale later told reporters that his single, ‘Tribute to Ayinde
Barrister’ was released earlier in the day. Obey said Nigerians should
not be in a hurry to know what he will do for Barrister when asked.
“I’m going to surprise the world concerning Barrister, people should
just wait.”

Other Fuji
musicians including Ayinla Kollington, Saheed Osupa, Wasiu Alabi
Pasuma, Abass Akande Obesere, Sulaiman Adio Atawewe, and Askari Fuji
started arriving thereafter. Also in the train were Dele Abiodun, Shina
Akanni Scorpido, and Ayeloyun.

Some Alfas carrying
mats started sweeping the frontage of the house, which people were
still struggling to enter, around 8.54pm before the corpse was brought
in at 9.44pm. While the widows, children, and other relatives started
moving closer before the Alfas started praying over Barrister’s
remains, the pushing and shoving by the crowd struggling to get a
glimpse of the corpse intensified. Organisers were left no choice but
to shut the gates to the house.

Meanwhile,
relatives and others, who couldn’t hold themselves any longer, broke
down weeping. Husband to Barry Made, Barrister’s daughter, who sat on
top of Barrister’s Hummer jeep parked inside the house, kept repeating
‘Lai lahi…” Saheed Osupa, who had earlier betrayed emotions, also
joined those preventing the shoving crowd from disturbing the praying
clerics.

The corpse, which was still unpacked during the prayer session, was
lifted and taken into the sitting room for burial around 10.03pm,
finally closing the chapter on the life and times of Sikiru Ayinde
Balogun.