Veteran fuji musician, Ayinla Kollington
Veteran fuji musician, Ayinla Kollington, shares his life
experiences in this interview with ‘Nonye Ben-Nwankwo and
Ademola Olonilua
Fuji music is one of the biggest genre of music in Nigeria, as
one of its pioneers, did you ever imagine it would become
this big?
I never imagined that it would become this big at all. We just
saw it as a child’s play when we started. It was like a hobby.
But now everybody is either singing or dancing to fuji music.
Although we never thought it would become this widely
accepted, I am glad about what it has become today.
Why did you choose to sing fuji when there were other music
genres you could have easily chosen from?
It was because fuji music was derived from Islamic religion.
When I was growing up, during the Ramadan festival,
whenever we wanted to wake people up early in the morning
to eat and proceed to the mosque for prayers, we normally
sang. Then, we called it ‘Were.’ But when you attained a
certain age, you couldn’t sing ‘Were’ again. By then, it
became fuji. We had the likes of Saka Layigbade, Abinuwaye,
singing fuji then but they all lived in Lagos Island. Sikiru
Ayinde Barrister was in Mushin while I was based on the
Mainland. ‘Were’ metamorphosed into fuji.
Did your parents permit you to do music?
Initially, they did not but they later supported me. They
frowned at it because they believed that only wayward
children were going into music. It can be likened to the
football profession. At first, nobody wanted their children to be
footballers but now even parents buy football for their children
and some go as far as taking their children to a football
academy. Prior to now, people playing football were viewed
with disdain but after seeing the success of the likes of Jay-
Jay Okocha and Kanu Nwankwo, everybody wants their
children to be like them. That was how it was for us. I never
knew music could become this big but it has taken me all over
the world. I travel a lot because I am in demand and people
actually want to see us.
Why did you decide to become a soldier?
All my friends in the neighbourhood and some others that sang
with me joined the army. I learnt they were at Abeokuta so I
decided to go and visit them. By the time I got there, they
were all wearing blue shorts and white vests, I saw them on
the parade ground marching in an orderly manner and I was
very fascinated. I wanted to join immediately but I was scared
because I did not meet the basic requirements. My age and
height had disqualified me. I was very small. There was a
time retired General Olu Bajowa saw me in his house where I
was stationed as his security guard. When he saw me, he
called me and immediately I saluted him and presented my
arms to him. He was marvelled and he said that I was so
smart. He asked me my age and when I told him, he asked me
who recruited me into the Nigerian Army. I replied him and the
next thing he did was to tell one of his orderlies to collect my
particulars and hand them over to the various kitchens in the
barracks. He left an order that I should always be served
double portion of food because I looked very small. My
colleagues really made jest of me because of that and to be
honest, I could not finish the double ration I was always given.
Don’t you think you would have achieved more in life if you
had remained a soldier?
I doubt it. I did not have the necessary qualifications to rise
above certain ranks. If I had remained in the army, I probably
would have continued to be a gate man. That is why I am
thankful to God that I made the decision to leave.
Veteran fuji musician, Ayinla Kollington
Did you add ‘general’ to your stage name because you were a
soldier?
No, it is not. In 1990, when I did the record, ‘Ijo Yoyo,’ I was
the best fuji artiste of the year. They normally gave us the
award at the National Theatre, Lagos. General Babangida was
meant to be there but he was represented by the late General
Sani Abacha. When I was given the award, I dedicated it to
Babangida and since he was not present, I took the award to
the late Sani Abacha. When I gave him the award, he told me
that he learnt I was a soldier and I affirmed that. He asked
what rank I was before I was discharged and I told him.
Abacha then told me that I was a pride to the Nigerian Army
and with immediate effect, I should be ranked as a General in
music. Immediately he made the pronouncement, the hall
erupted with a thunderous clap.
Did you later get close to him when he became the Head of
State?
We saw once but since he locked Abiola in jail, I had to keep
my distance. I knew Abiola and I also knew Abacha, so I had
to be neutral.
At your age, you still dance very well. Where do you get the
energy from?
The energy is innate, I was born with it. I still have the energy
and if you see me perform, you would not believe that I am
the one. Whenever I perform in the US, people always marvel.
The energy is still there.
How did you meet the late Sikiru Ayinde Barrister?
We met in 1964. We met through one of my band members,
Social Olajide. He was the one that brought Sikiru to my
house one evening. Before then, I had been hearing about
Sikiru and he had also been hearing my name around town
but I was based in Ebutte-Meta while he was living in Mushin.
When Olajide brought Sikiru to my house for the first time and
introduced him to me, we immediately hugged each other and
that was how our friendship began. We became so close that
when I joined the military, he always came to visit me. I
eventually lured him into the Army as well. Whenever he came
back from the war front, he would always come and stay in
my house. He was the one that suggested that we should quit
the Army and make music a full time career. At first, I was
scared because I thought we were too old. I also expressed
scepticism because there was no soldier that was into music
back then. I felt if we got caught, we would be severely
punished but he went ahead to begin practice in Mushin.
Whenever he came back, he normally advised me to resume
practice but I always told him I was afraid because our
barracks was one of the most disciplined barracks in the
country. Sikiru advised that I should write a letter to the
orderly room maybe they would permit me to go out of the
barracks for music practice and when I tried it, my request
was granted.
Till Barrister died, a lot of people believed both of you were
enemies…
We were not enemies. We quarrelled like any friend would do
and after each quarrel, we always settled it. We were so close
that whenever my child or his was getting married, we always
wore the same attire. The issue of fighting among singers did
not start with us. Our elders in the industry also had issues
with one another that led to quarrelling at a point in time.
Some of them settled their rift before they died while others
went to the grave with it. There was a time King Sunny Ade
and Ebenezer Obey also had their rift. It is part of music. In
fact, I hear that the young lads singing hip-hop also quarrel
among themselves; so it is inevitable. Sometimes we also do
it to sell our albums.
Many people believed that you were able to sell millions of
copies of your album, Ijo yoyo, because you used mystical or
diabolical powers …
That is where some people make the mistakes of their lives.
When I released the album, Ijo yoyo, I was terribly sick. I did
not enjoy the time at all, I was always on my sick bed. People
were looking for me to engage me to perform for them but I
could not. The song was given to me by God, I did not do
anything extra.
But till date, people believe you and the late Barrister
achieved such fame and success through metaphysical
powers…
No. We did nothing of such. If someone should do such a
thing, you would know because his downfall would be glaring
for the world to see. It is God that made me popular.
There were rumours last year that you were very sick and had
to sell off some of your houses to look after your health, how
true is that?
I don’t know what to say about it. People exaggerate a lot.
What kind of sickness would make me sell my houses? I don’t
have a terminal illness. People fall ill all the time and are
treated. I have never fallen ill to the extent that I would have
to sell off all my property. I go for medical check-up a lot but
if any journalist sees you in the hospital, even if it is because
you went to see a friend, they would say you are in a coma.
Do I look sick to you? I am jumping and marching in front of
you now, can a very sick man do that? I do exercise every
morning. The training I got as a soldier is still there. Once a
soldier, always a soldier.
In the course of your career, did you pick up any vice?
I attempted drinking alcohol about 25 years ago but I realised
it did not go down well with my body system, so I stopped. I
don’t smoke cigarette neither do I take Indian hemp.
But men are known to indulge in either wine or women, which
is yours?
I like women. No man can say he does not like women, not to
talk of a musician.
We learnt that women used to ‘chase’ you when you were at
the peak of your career…
Up until now, women still chase me. I am a man.
At your age, do you still consider their advances?
Of course, I indulge them when they are making such
advances at me and if they give me a chance, I would do
times two of what they are asking for.
Why did you not pay Salawa Abeni a visit when she was
seriously ill?
I later went to visit her. The reason why I did not go initially
was because I didn’t think it was right for me to read such
news about her on the pages of the newspapers first. My
children are with her and she was supposed to send one of
them to me to inform me that she was ill. I don’t go to places
that I am not invited. I later went to see her anyway.
Is there any possibility of both of you living under the same
roof as husband and wife?
We are husband and wife. She does not have a child for
anybody else other than myself. I am her bona fide owner and
we are together till death do us part. It does not matter if we
live under the same roof or not, she is still my wife.
We learnt that you played ‘baba ijebu’ lotto and won millions
of money, how true is it?
It is an absolute lie. I swear to God I don’t even know what
the paper they use to play ‘Baba Ijebu’ looks like. I don’t
gamble. I am not against those that play it but I have never
indulged in such. People have been peddling that rumour for
over five years. Whenever I hear such, I just laugh. I don’t
even know who Baba Ijebu is and I doubt he knows me.
With all the rumours and controversies that have trailed you,
has there been anytime you regretted being a public figure?
I have never regretted it because I know that is how it
happens all over the world. It is only that I am not free to
move around like normal people. Before you know it, a crowd
would have gathered just to see me.
We learnt that there is a rift between you and K1?
It is not true. There is no rift between us. K1 has been my son
in music for many years before the death of his master,
Barrister. People carry rumours that he says certain things
about me but if such is the matter, I will handle it with
maturity. There is no rift between us. When he was giving
away his daughter in marriage, I went. He also invited me to
his K1 Unusual Concert and I was there. I am the father of all
fuji musicians in Nigeria. Anywhere they play fuji music in the
whole world as the last man standing among my
contemporaries, I would be recognised. I am their father.
You sang about a lady, Taiyelolu, how is she?
I loved her then when I sang about her. I loved her then but
not anymore. She misbehaved, so I left her. She has been in
London with my children for over 20 years. We are no more
together.
Do we see you falling in love again?
That is a tough question. Although it is tough, I am still a
man; therefore I am capable of still falling in love.
Are you planning any collaboration with the new generation of
artistes?
Yes, we are considering doing a collaboration with Olamide. I
am also working on my forthcoming album.
