The Fuji genre began as a modification of the Ajisari Muslim prayer and later Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister became the widely recognized founder of the genre, popularizing it across Nigeria and abroad. Other Fuji artists like General Ayinla Kollington, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshall, Abbas Obesere, Pasuma and Saheed Osupa have made considerable impact on the Nigerian entertainment industry and solidified Fuji’s place in it.
A genre conceived in Lagos Island and other areas of South Western Nigeria, Fuji has always retained its major function as being a tool for social interaction. The earliest Fuji shows were performed to fun-seeking audiences (hence the Faaji tag) and Fuji, crafted from hypnotic drums like the Iya Ilu (the mother drum) and Bata, provided many visitors with the vibrant and Afrocentric entertainment they so craved.
Soon people would begin paying for local shows and the artist, knowing he had to groom a community of loyal supporters would make efforts to appeal to everyone, singing about everyday events and infusing as much they could about every person’s reality.
Praise singing is inevitably etched onto the dominant themes in Fuji and this was how its artists got into palaces and played for royal families, returning home richer and wielding royal favor. But there was always need for more money, and so Fuji artists would frequently play at special ceremonies (weddings, political gatherings, burials, naming ceremonies, society events, etc.), reaching the core of their paying base and got clout off that. A majority of them also self-distributed their albums or partnered with the then-thriving Alaba marketers who paid an agreed sum and took ownership of the work.
For many years this has remained the business model around the consumption of Fuji music and other fledging genres followed the template: gather underground buzz, grow a community, cater to them and expand where necessary. For Fuji artists, this was cost efficient as they shunned the Western (and ideally contemporary) model which maintained the use of record label structures, public relations agencies, touring, etc. Most Fuji artists were independent and relied on these self-controlled avenues of
income.
A question arises however. How efficient is the traditional Fuji model in the present age? Remember these are times marked by templates built around digitization. Nigerian pop in the past few years has been the darling of the key in its global penetration. Can Fuji artists replicate the digital success of the Burna Boys and Davidos? No doubt there’s a paying market and the question is, how best Fuji can fuse both worlds; that is, transcend from a communal art form to a contemporary business opportunity?
From the 14th of December, FUJI: A Opera will be hosting 5 days of interactive activities and conversations which are sure to provide great insight into the genre. On Thursday the 17th of December, we’ll be in conversation with KWAM 1 and Saheed Osupa, two living icons of the genre. Our theme is “Recognizing the Past, Re-Imagining the Future” and these talks will recall the history of Fuji, its key periods and players, and crucially, discuss its business model and how it can successfully tap from digitalization while maintaining its core base.
Our moderators are the veteran dramatist and arts connoisseur Yemi Shodimu and Lehle Balde, a revered journalist and communications specialist. I can’t imagine a better place to learn of Fuji and what more, this particular program is open to anyone who registers.
Register now at Eventbrite. There are limited spaces available.
Also follow us on social media @fujiopera for more interesting updates.
