With AriyaRepete, Goldberg empowers fuji, juju musicians

The talent hunt competition is being embraced by more upcoming musicians who see it as a catalyst to greatness.

THOUGH K1’s (Wasiu Ayinde) perceived attempt to re-write the history of fuji music appears to have overshadowed events at the Goldberg’s AriyaRepete Roundtable held some months ago, the initiative, a talent hunt competition, is slowly achieving its aims.

At the forum held at the Airport Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos,  scholar and ex- Director General of the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC), Professor Tunde Babawale, had highlighted the benefits of both fuji and juju music. He had noted, amongst others, that fuji and juju are popular music exclusive to the Yoruba and that fuji was heavily influenced by traditional Islamic music called were.

The Professor of Political Science, at the University of Lagos, who touched on the late Sikiru Ayinde Barrister’s pioneering role, also noted that fuji music promotes moral education, social criticisms, information dissemination and is a unifier that allows people to network. Fuji music, he further held, generates employment, helps in the promotion of Yoruba language and in strengthening traditional institutions.

Babawale traced the  roots of juju to the old Saro (Olowogbowo) quarter of Lagos where the genre emerged from asiko music’ associated with area boys in the quarter. “Nigerian Breweries Plc is blazing a trail in cultural rejuvenation that other corporate organisations and individuals need to emulate,”Babawale had concluded.

It was during the discussion segment that followed that KI made comments that have earned him condemnations from fans of Barrister but for which he insists he has no apologies. In fairness to the megastar, he had begun by  outlining Barrister’s influence on his life and music but it was his attempt to point out that other musicians like Sikiru Omo Abiba and Ajani Ganiyu preceded Barrister; and that the late musician didn’t coin the word Fuji that continues to draw the ire of commentators.

Fuji, he submitted, got its name from faaji (celebration, fun)  as contained in expressions like Olowonsefuja/kinifuji e. “Our forefathers used fuji as a freestyle word,” he had added.

But instead of allowing the controversy to be a dampener, Goldberg has continued full throttle with the AriyaRepete initiative, a talent hunt competition for fuji and juju musiciansacross the South-West, the beer’s catchment area.

The ongoing AriyaRepete qualifiers have not only provided a platform for expression and entertainment, they have also been an avenue for discovering new talents and skills improvement. For instance, talents in both juju and fuji music have been discovered during auditions held in Osogbo, Abeokuta, Ota and Ado-Ekiti ahead of the ones taking place in Akure, Ibadan, Ilorin, Ijebu Ode and Lagos.

The quarter-finals, taking place in Akure, Ondo State on June 30, promises to be a big affair  as not less than 50 artistes will seek qualification for the semi-final happening in Abeokuta, Ogun State  on  July 7  and the final on July 14  in Ibadan.

Expectedly, some of those already qualified for the quarter finals are hopeful of a good outing and being among the 10 that would make the semi-final and the five that will contest at the grand finale. The grand prize of N1 million naira and a recording deal for the winner of each category, they say, is too good to be missed.

Gbolahan Ogunleye, one of the fuji artistes that made the quarter finals at Ado Ekiti said: “Qualifying for the next round is not enough for me; I need to enhance my skills to be better prepared.”

Temitope Adeniyi, a juju musician, who qualified from Ota, disclosed he would work harder to clinch a spot in the next stage, adding: “It is time to train more for a better place in order to get to the semi-final.”

It’s the same for juju musician, Tajudeen Olusola David, who qualified from Ekiti. “I want to make Ado-Ekiti proud when it comes to being crowned the winner,” he declared.

Portfolio Manager, Mainstream Lager and Stout Brands, Nigerian Breweries, Emmanuel Agu, reiterated the objective of the initiative this way: “The brand is using AriyaRepete to extend its drive to discover new talents in the two indigenous Yoruba music genres and the move is in line with its commitment to promote the culture of the people of the south west.”