Pk-1st Obesere’s Plea : Stop the Online Fights — Promote Fuji Instead

Alhaji Arems

When a voice like Obesere asks FUMAN and bloggers to stop feeding the fights and start promoting fuji, it’s not nostalgia — it’s strategy. The genre’s growth depends far more on spotlighting shows, sales and culture than on social-media skirmishes that make headlines but do little for streaming numbers, ticket sales or sponsorship deals.

Abass Akande “Obesere” has always been one of fuji’s most visible personalities, and his recent call for unity — urging members of the Fuji Musicians Association of Nigeria (FUMAN), bloggers and fans to promote fuji acts positively — is a timely reminder that reputations and revenues are fragile. Local coverage of his statement frames it as a reaction to incidents that have given the genre negative airtime, and as a push to protect fuji’s public image.

There’s a pattern here many of us recognise: fan bases that once cheered in stadiums now operate as organised online armies, ready to defend their favourites at a moment’s notice. In Nigeria’s broader music ecosystem, these “stan wars” have become visible forces — they amplify releases but also escalate rivalries into persistent noise that can overshadow the music itself. That behaviour has been documented across outlets covering Nigerian fandom trends.

Why this matters for fuji: the genre’s commercial and cultural opportunities — festival slots, brand partnerships, cross-genre collaborations, international bookings — depend on a tidy public narrative. Brands and festival programmers watch headlines and social sentiment. When fuji is framed by feuds rather than artistry and live experiences, the conversation shifts away from what matters: the music, the shows, and the communities that track the genre’s history. Coverage of fuji events and FUMAN-organised showcases shows how constructive promotion lifts the scene — sponsorships, packed venues and renewed media interest follow when the spotlight is on performance and culture.

There’s also a moral case. Promoting artists when they have shows and speaking well about colleagues cultivates a healthier ecosystem. Positive publicity is cumulative: a blogger who features a rising fuji act or a fan who shares a well-shot performance clip helps build the career infrastructure that keeps artists touring and recording. Research into digital music promotion and discussions among practitioners underline the point: targeted promotion — not perpetual online conflict — generates sustainable attention and monetisation.

That said, the reality is nuanced. Rivalries have long been part of music cultures worldwide; they can drive interest when handled as creative competition. But when loyalty morphs into coordinated attacks or sustained trolling, it becomes toxic rather than promotional. For fuji, a genre with deep cultural roots and an older core audience alongside a growing younger listenership, preserving dignity while adapting to online habits is essential.

So what does constructive promotion look like in practice?

• When an artist has a show, amplify dates, ticket links, and highlight set times, not gossip.

• Run short features or interviews that explain why a song matters — context sells.

• Use measured praise: celebrate craft and stagecraft rather than stoke rivalries.

• Bloggers and influencers should prioritise verification and fairness; fact-checked features age better than viral spats.

• FUMAN and its members can continue using public statements to steer tone — leadership matters in setting cultural norms.

Obesere’s message isn’t policing fandom — it’s a reminder that fans and media are partners in an artist’s career arc. The most useful role a fan can play today is to turn engagement into opportunity: attend shows, buy music, share quality content, and speak well enough that industry gatekeepers notice the genre’s market potential.

If fuji’s next chapter is to include bigger stages and wider audiences, it will be powered less by who shouted loudest online and more by who sold out the room.

Obesere’s ask is simple and practical: stop fighting in public; promote fuji in plain sight. The music will do the rest.

For Amb. Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen, It’s A Triple!

This weekend, as preparations reach top gear for the unprecedented celebration of Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen’s 30 unbroken years as a movie maker, awards have been flooding in from all corners.

Some days ago, in far away Addis-Ababa as parts of the events marking the 2025 Africans celebrate in collaboration with Bustline media UK Ambassador Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen, he was conferred with special Diamond Recognition Award for all he has done for the upliftment of African cinema in a highly attended ceremony.

The award ceremony witnessed a host of ambassadors from many African countries present, including that of Nigeria, Botswana, top government officials from Ethiopia, and ministers from several Africa countries delegates from the European Union

The award was presented by the representatives of the European Union in Africa.

Still basking in the euphoria of the Diamond Recognition award, Lancelot who arrived Nigeria on Sunday, November 9, 2025, was again cornered and presented another award, this time around it was the African Movie Academy Award, AMMA, recognising him as one of the pillars of African Stories.

Again yesterday, 10th of November, 2025, in Abuja, Nigeria’s longest lasting film festival, The Abuja International Film Festival, honored this African most consistent filmmaker with another indistry’s special recognition award in celebration of his 30-years behind the camera which started with an Acting master class organised and jointly put together by the Benin Film Academy and fast rising multiple awards wining Actor and coach Benjamin Olaye who personally delivered an unforgettable session in honor of Lancelot Imasuen.

At the event, Lancelot himself was available to inspire the young aspiring actors by showing them his AMAA Awards and having a feeling of his humble beginning before God helped him to be where he is today. At Abuja, at the closing ceremony of Longest running film festival in Nigeria the Abuja international film festival founded ny Mr fidelis Dukar Lancelot Award was received on his behalf by president of the Directors Guild of Nigeria and the National public relations officer Who is also the festival director of Lancelot Imasuen’s international student film festival Mr Emmanuel Eyaba,
On Tuesday 11th November in Benin city, Lancelot was on the ground to deliver a heart rendering round table talk with the Edo state chapter of Association of movie producers, and it was massive other planned programmes lined up continues.

FCT Minister Wike–Naval Officer Clash a Threat to National Security — Ex-COAS Buratai

A former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and Nigeria’s former Ambassador to Benin Republic, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai (retd.), has described the recent altercation between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike, and a Nigerian Navy officer in Abuja as “a clear and present danger to national security.”

In a statement posted on his verified Facebook page on Tuesday, Gen. Buratai said the incident, which occurred on November 11, 2025, requires immediate corrective action to safeguard the nation’s institutional integrity and preserve discipline within the Armed Forces.

According to him, Wike’s conduct during the encounter “transcends mere misconduct” and “undermines the authority of the Commander-in-Chief as well as the integrity of the Armed Forces.”

Urgent Action Required: Minister Wike’s Conduct Poses a Clear Threat to National Security

“The events of November 11, 2025, involving the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barrister Nyesom Wike, demand an immediate and serious response,” Buratai stated.

“His public disparagement of a uniformed officer of the Nigerian Armed Forces transcends mere misconduct; it represents a palpable threat to national security and institutional integrity.”

Buratai noted that a minister’s verbal assault on a military officer in uniform constitutes “an act of profound indiscipline” that strikes at the heart of Nigeria’s command structure.

He warned that such actions deliberately undermine the chain of command, disrespect the authority of the Commander-in-Chief, and damage the morale of service members across the nation.

“This cannot be dismissed as political theatre,” he said. “It is a reckless endangerment of national order and a clear attempt to undermine the authority of the Federal Government.”

The retired general further called on Wike to tender an immediate and unequivocal public apology to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (as Commander-in-Chief), the Armed Forces of Nigeria, and the officer involved in the confrontation.

“Our nation’s security must come first. This is the time for decisive action, not the politics of military bashing,” Buratai emphasized. “The integrity of our Armed Forces demands nothing less.”