Barrister Raised Me But I Didn’t Learn Fuji Music From Him, Says K1 De Ultimate

Prominent Fuji musician, Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde, who is known in the music world as K1 De Ultimate, has clarified his relationship with the late music legend, Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, maintaining that their relationship was that of a father and son and not master-servant.

K1 De Ultimate stated this in a viral video during an interview with Agbaletu Radiovision. He explained the nature of the relationship with the late Barrister, the man reputed to be the creator of the Fuji genre of music in Nigeria.

Contrary to insinuations in some quarters that he learnt the music trade from Barrister as a trainee, the Mayegun of Yorubaland clarified that he did not live with the late musician as an apprentice.

He confirmed that some apprentices indeed went to learn fuji music from Barrister, but he instead loved the late fuji legend and embraced him as a role model and later became his child.

Wasiu Ayinde also disclosed that he learnt good character and good virtues from the man he once lived with in a one-room apartment.

“I didn’t go to learn music from Barrister, because some people went to learn music from him; I just loved him from when I was little. I saw him as a role model and I moved closer and identified with him. He welcomed me, and I became his child. I learnt good characters and ideals from him.

“Alhaji Barrister and I did a lot, right from a young age. I lived with him right from when he was staying in one-room apartment. I was always there with him, and it got to a point that he insisted that he wanted to know my parents, so I took my mother to him. Afterwards, he accepted that I should continue staying with him.”

K1 also denied a report that he once abused Barrister in an interview he granted, saying, ”I have never granted any interview on this issue because it is heavy for me to say and accept that I insulted Barrister. What actually happened was that I had a friend who was also a musician, and he had issues with Barrister. But, I did not have any issue with Barrister.

“Father and child should not fight. On that day, at Liberty Stadium, the show featured Sawaba. He was the one who insulted Barrister, not me.

“The only thing I told him was that the concert we just did, if the boss talked to me, he would do so in a way so as to forgive him because we both performed at the concert. But, I swear with all I have that I did not insult Barrister.”

K1 De Ultimate, as he is fondly called, also spoke about the controversy surrounding his proclamation as the ‘King of Fuji’, saying the title was not conferred on him secretly.

“It was done openly at NTA Ibadan. Those who nominated me to be the ‘King of Fuji’ had their reasons for doing that. We had ‘King of Juju’, ‘Queen of Waka’; so, they wanted to have ‘King of Fuji’; but at that time, a major squabble was going on between the two senior players (Barrister and General Kollington Ayinla).

“The organisers told me that they felt if they chose between the two senior players as king, there would be “war”; so, they would rather settle for me. But, by settling for me, my boss ought to know that it is him they are honouring. That was what made me accept the title.”

Also delving into his relationship with President Bola Tinubu, particularly following the criticism that greeted the recent telephone conversation between them when he lost his mother, he declared that the president has been his big brother for long.

“Asiwaju has been my brother for a long time, and I have known him from my young age. Our mothers knew each other. If you remember, during the call, when he was greeting me, he said that my mum will see her elder sister (Tinubu’s mum) in heaven. That is an acknowledgement of what I’ve been saying that we have a history together.”