Multiple award winning fuji star, Adewale Ayuba has cleared the air on his born again controversial story. In an exclusive chat with Sahara Weekly, he opened up on his career, new studio and host of other sundry issues
Q –. Can you tell us what you are working on presently?
R – We are working on digitalizing fuji music. We are trying to see fuji from a different angle. We want to put fuji music in a level where people can tap from,. Where you can easily send singles from your phone to another because the world now belongs to social media and we are trying to do what is in vogue. To realize this, we must have our own digital studio because 99% of fuji music is done by analogue studio. We want to make it crispy now.
Q – Arguably, everybody acknowledge your standard when it comes to fuji. Your own style differs from others. A lot of people blend with your style. What inspired that?
R – From day one of my life, my prayer has been to make fuji music popular. I want to be a preacher that will preach fuji to the western world. When I started, I had 5 albums that wasn’t even played at all and all my friends were mocking me in school that I was doing something local., I realized it’s not their fault, , its because fuji wasn’t doing well. In this fuji music, lyrics is supposed to be in Arabic or Yoruba but how do you want young ones to understand and appreciate Arabic and Yoruba? And that is why we started writing 50% of English and 50% of Yoruba in our songs. Even for foreigners, it will be understandable for them that way.
Furthermore, the sound of fuji music rhythm used to be slow so we made the tempo fast and thank God everything went fine.
Q – A lot of people had this general belief in those days that Fuji music is for illiterates but when you came on board, a lot of people believed that your level of education is why you were able to make it to the top and modernize fuji music, would you agree with that?
R- I can’t lie to you, it’s part of it. The reason is that education is life but at the same time, I’m a good listener. If you are working for me and I want to do something, I’ll call you to hear your own part before going on. I can call my gateman or anybody and that is why my producer can work with we smoothly.
Q – Another thing people appreciate about your brand is the energy. A lot of people believe you brought the energy into fuji industry. Where do you get the energy from?
R – I had an artist I always look forward to then. He was Micheal Jackson. Anytime I watch him, I marvelled with the energetic things he does. I also wanted to be like King sunny Ade because of his energy .That is the brain behind that.
Q – Interestingly, You just got a new studio, can you tell us more about that?
R – The studio you are talking about is to digitalize fuji music. I realize that I don’t need analogue studio alone. I need the combination of Analogue and Digital studio. There’s no analogue and digital studio in Nigeria, I’m not saying I’m the only one but it’s not much here in Nigeria because nobody wants to digitalised fuji . I’m the one that realize that we need to do this in order to make fuji music move forward. When I start, other artiste will join me. The push came from Late Ayinde Barrister. Before he died, he called me and told me not to let Fuji music go down and that I should do my own. He laid the legacy.
Q – To what extent will the digitalization affect your brand and how about the fund?
R – It’s about determination. Once you are determined, you won’t think of how much you are paying. My prayer is that God should let me achieve this. My plan is to see other artiste come in to record because it’s not for me alone, it’s a commercial thing but whoever does fuji music will pay just 70% of the normal amount because I opened it because of Fuji music.
Q – How do you joggle your music career and your hospitality business?
R – Thank God for that and there is nothing bad in trying to diversify especially when you don’t make money from entertainment. When we sell our albums, we don’t make money because of piracy. My hospitality business is just something I have. It’s just there to boost my career. I don’t know much about it because I have someone managing it for me, it’s just for my career.
Q – Can you clear the air on the issue surrounding your testimony in church recently?
R – About religion, we are talking about Christian and Muslim, which are the same thing. I was misquoted as regard my testimony. I said I had wanted to be a Christian from my day one maybe because I don’t understand Arabic but I have to know it because without it, I won’t be able to read the Quran and I realize I’m not serving my God well with what he has done for me. I’m calling myself a Muslim but can I read the Quran? But I can read the bible well because it’s comprehensive. But because of my background; my parents are Muslims and most of my fans are Muslims too, I was afraid. It’s not as if my parents were going to kill me, they are not killers, Muslims are not killers too. I was just misquoted. Nobody should care about my religion; they should talk more about my career. I did the testimony in my church, not to the public. I’ve been to Hajj and most of my fans are Muslim so it’s impossible for me to say there are going to kill me.
Q- That means you still appreciate and associate with your muslim fans…..
R – Of course. I’ve been a Christian since 2010. Had it been I just got converted last week, it would have been a different story. In my band, most of them are alhajis. I can’t say muslims will kill me. NO!!!. Religion is like Chelsea and Arsenal, you choose the one you prefer. I was surprised when people started calling me to know if I’ve become a Gospel musician now. Nigerians should talk more about my career. If anyone was offended by my testimony, they should just forgive and forget but I didn’t mean when everyone thought. My parents are not killers. Muslims have given me four different notable titles so why would I say they will kill me? I did the testimony in church and someone spread it and I was misquoted.
Q – People believe Fuji is a house that isn’t united. To what extent do you want to unite artiste in the fuji industry?
R – I don’t know why people think fuji musicians are not united. Have they ever seen two fuji artiste fighting each other publicly? If I say I’m the best dancer in the world now, people will say I’m throwing shades at one artiste. It’s people that is making it look like we are not united. If I call Pasuma and Osupa now, they will join me here and they will be relating well with each other but because marketers believe people like negative stuffs, they sell it to people too. Journalist should help too because their pen can change lives, change the nation.
Q – What should your fans expect from you this year?
R – By God’s grace, the studio is working and my single Is coming up. It will be out before easter. I don’t want to do lengthy albums again. When my album comes out, it will be like 12track in an albums. Also the studio gives discount to all fuji artistes.