By Victoria Ige
Multiple sources have informed NET that Fuji music icon and veteran bandleader, Sikiru Ayinde Balogun, who had been ill for months, has passed on. Popularly called Barrister, the 90s hit-maker was reportedly on admission in a London hospital, until he died this morning.
Sources say Barrister was moved to London from Germany where he had earlier sought treatment for an undisclosed ailment. Before Germany, he had earlier undergone an operation in India ‘to remove excess fat from his body’ according to family sources.
One of his wives identified as ‘Yinka told friends this afternoon that Barry has passed. No official statement yet from the family and and one of his closest friends Buhari Olooto insists the musician is still alive. ‘I will let you know once I confirm anything contrary’ he tells NET. ‘Lets wait and see. And even if he dies, you will know now; because we will all be at his burial and we will see his corpse’.
A close associate of King Sunny Ade, one Mr. Ige, who spoke on his behalf said although Barrister was on the hospital bed for long, his death still came as a shock because everybody was praying for him to recover. KSA particularly sent messages to him, praying to see him back very soon. Mr. Ige said the painful aspect of the death is that Barrister was a stabilising factor in the fuji brand of Yoruba cultural music, adding that his role is crucial and would be difficult to fill. PMAN President Dele Abiodun was also in shock when he learnt of Barrister’s demise, he tells NET, ‘we are in a mourning mood. It’s so sad. I don’t know why it had to happen‘.
It is widely believed that Barrister died at St Mary’s hospital, Praed Street around Paddington in London. But a spokesperson at the hospital who gave her name as Caroline, tells NET, ‘I have gotten a lot of phone calls concerning this but I am sorry, I cannot give any information on any of our patients because of our confidentiality agreement.’
Barrister is mostly remembered for his moster hit Fuji Garbage. Believed to be the ‘originator’ of the genre, he took to music full time after a short stint in the military (1967-1970).
25 comments
Inna lilahi wa ina ilaehi rajihun,may his soul rest in peace!!!.
May his fujicius soul rest in piece. Amen.
we came from him(allah) and we shall return to him…may his gentle soul rest perfect peace
…omo odere shefawu,ati omo alamu salawu ni ayeye ni ibadan may ur soul rest in perfect peace,may allah grant him aljanat fidua,amin.Gudnite omo tapa lenpe…
GONE TOO SOON…..
AS AT WHEN NEEDED FOR UPCOMING ARTIST OF HISTORY
I WAS SO SHOCKED AND DEPRESSED AND IT’S PAINFUL….
BARRISTER IS GONE NOW……..WE MISSED YOU SO MUCH BUT GOD LOVES YOU SO MUCH
MAY YOUR SOUL REST IN PERFECT PEACE AND YOUR LEFT HISTORY CAN NEVER BE ERASED
GOOD BYE THE KING OF FUJI
IBADAN OMO AJORO SUN
omo elesin kelele
sun ire ooo
I steel can believe fuji icon is no more.pls teii mi its a dream
BIKU SE NAGBARA TO KO SI OLOGUN TOLERI TI IKU SE , ALH. SIKIRU AYINDE IS GONE MAY UR SOUL REST IN PERFECT PEACE AMEEN…………….TABAANI
It is stil like a dream dt d fuji icon is no more. I pray dt all fuji fans nd musicians wil b able 2 acept dis gud beleivers. I pray 4 continuity in d fuji industry. Lastly,i av 2 say sori 2 king saheed osupa who has just lost his “baba baba” . Oba orin, all eyez on u. Allah wil see u thru.
Barry,we are missing u already. King saheed osupa should take heart, cos we are stil behind him.
(Iku iku iku) awaye iku ose iku oseyi tan omu olore lo baba oni nure lo odabo odigba odigbere baba sure oooo
ALL I KNOW IS DT EVERY BODY IS GOING 2 DIE ONE DAY.REST IN PEACE BARRY WONDER.
It's a pity,we lost a music icon with a lot of phylosophy.Just as we are unable 2 find d likes of Late Ayinla Omowura,Yusuf Olatunji a.k.a Baba L'egba,Abibu Oluwa after their demise. we can never find another Sikiru Ayinde Barrister as d vacuum and legacy he left behind will be difficult 2 fill.We will never 4get all your educative and phylosophical songs.u are indeed a fuji prophet of our time.oma seo,Barry has gone and gone 4eva.oma seo,Barry have gone without a goodbye.Adieu,omo Agbajelola.R.I.P Omo Odere Shifau.We love u but Allah loves u most. may Allah give u an eternal rest.sun reo Barrister.
odi inu igbo ka to ri eye bi Okin,
odi nu odan ka to ri eran bi Erin,
otun di aye a tun wa ka to ri iru
eyan bi OMO ODERE SHIFAWU.we all missed
you,
you siad bari as past but i don't believe that, is alive MFR FATHER before FATHER. we need you and we will miss you if it's true that you past.
hello
It's just a great loss to Nigeria especially Yoruba race entirely. We all love you Alhaji Agba, but Allah loves you better. As a matter of fact, the originality of Fuji Music is gone. Toni rese o ba fingba mo, eyi t'o ti fin sile kole parun. Father of them all is gone. Sun ree o. Ina lillahi, waina ilaehi rahjihun.
Rest in peace
Mr fuji we love you but allah loves you more than we do. Your death is a pain for all nigerian. May your soul rest in perfect peace BARRISTAR
omo odere shefawu,ati omo alamu salawu ni ayeye ni ibadan may ur soul rest in perfect peace,may allah grant him aljanat fidua,amin.Gudnite omo tapa lenpe… .
ki olorun bawa tesi afefe rere ki olorun mafi iya sare je
May almighty Allah grant him aljana firdaus & be wit his family
may all might allah bless u …………………………………………………………………………………………..,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
baba be
Inalilai wainailehi rajihun, meaning, we all came from God, and we must all get back to their