Here’s yet another reference of Dr Sikiru Ayinde Barrister’s prodigy in musical versatility that can scarcely be rivaled, let alone matched by any in his generation.

Here’s another track that is most appropriate to usher in every day of jumat, when Muslims world over observe a two-rakat congregation prayer–in place of the regular midday Zhur prayer–at central mosques.

Before you go and join other faithful to listen to the Khutbah–sermon–of your imam, spoil yourself with this track which Barrister composed and released in 1985. That’s 40 years ago. Imagine!

The songs– extracted from Quran–is an old wine that tastes better by the day. Barrister as usual sings to the soul, chanting of and asserting that he knows the exact name of Allah.

He connects this track with his analysis of the complexity of human life, summarising it with his formula 40–20–40. The two tracks provoke a deep reflection about this life, our life of vanity. Where is Barrister, the singer now?

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That different groups of people spend their hard– earned resources, invest their productive hours and burn their raw energy to reactivate his legacy on daily basis, is not an happenstance.

Barrister won their collective love in view of volumes of timeless songs and inspiring acts he left behind. He shall continue to live in the hearts of thousands of known and unknown lovers of his music around the world.

Go, just go and listen to this vinyl and understand Barrister better as the fuji Prophet sent by God to deliver fuji message to all of us here. Didn’t he deliver the message before he returned to God 14 years ago?

All fuji musicians–all of them–attest that they passed through Barrister’s influence as the numero uno of the genre.

Check out his this double breasted suit in vogue back then and see an ambitious Barrister fiercely determined to break into the corporate world and harvest fans for fuji. He did achieve that goal. And “others follow behind.” To God be the glory.

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Most adults still have vivid memories of the varieties of music we enjoyed growing up.

Today’s youths will either go for Fuji or Afro hip-hop. Some of them who speak about Fela Anikukapo Kuti only know about the legend through “Felabration” where their own music stars perform annually.

The youths of today hardly listen to the songs of Fela or those of his sons, Femi and Seun, even when it is obvious that personalities as Burna Boy, Wizkid and Tiwa Savage coined their musical genres from Fela’s beat and lyrics.

In his song, “Who’s gonna fill their shoes”, legendary country singer, George Jones laments the gradual death of real country music in America. The death of Jim Reeves, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Don Williams, Kenny Rogers did not only change the face of country music, it left a big vacuum in the music tradition of native America.

Just as it is in the Yoruba setting where some great singers died and their music genres also died, the question that came to mind is “where have you gone, the old Yoruba music genres?”

How many adults still listen to the “ìjálá Ọdè”, the “Hunter’s chant” of Akinola Oniiwere, who is also known as Ogundare Foyanmu. His genre was a pure class of rendition derived from typical hunter’s tradition of the Yoruba race.

The question is who will fill these shoes? Yoruba music genres of the old, where have you all gone?

Do we still remember Ayinla Adegator, the  Dadakuada crooner and Odolaye Aremu, one of these was dubbed the Alaroye Ilorin, who shared almost the same genre that elated our sense of humour in those days.

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The likes of Ligali Mukaiba, Ayinla Omowura, Haruna Ishola, Fatai Olowonyo, Yusuf Olatunji, Saka Layigbade, Jimoh Ojindo and S.A. Aka ruled our days then in the Apala and Sakara genres.

Our fathers could separate these great singers by their tones but for people of my age in our fifties, it will be a bit difficult to differentiate “Sakara” from some genres of “Apala”. These are our own country music that have become so difficult to replicate in today’s music industry.

The likes of Tatalo Alamu did something that looked much like “Wèrè” while Dauda Epo Akara sang “Áwùrébe” in Ibadan.

Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister and Killington Ayinla transformed this to real Fuji while Salawa Abeni and Batili Alake dominated the “Waka” genre.

One would not forget the Ikale woman who sang “Munene Munene”, Comfort Omoge, in her “Asiko” genre and the popular Iya Aladuke, Mrs. Hawawu Alake who originated “Sẹnwele”.

Then were the masters of the strings and accordion like Ambrose Campbell who sang “Odale Ore, Eni to ri nkan hee”.

Campbell sang “Eroya E wa” in his highlife genre, which had since become the opening song for popular “Eroya” programme on Osun State Radio station. Campbell formed Britain first ever black band.

Unknown to many youths and young oldies, some of the songs of Chief Ebenezer  Obey and King Sunny Ade were originally released by Campbell.

He sang during the reigns of Bobby Benson, Victor Olaiya even though their genres were a bit different. While Campbell did his own with what he called “Ashiko”, Olaiya and Benson did pure Highlife.

It was Pa IK Dairo and Fatai Rolling Dollars that opened the streets with their “Juju” genre, which today stands out as the only oldies that are still making wave in social gatherings. Thanks to King Sunny Ade who has continued to beat the drum and making it louder.

The likes of Ebenezer Obey, Sir Shina Peters, Dele Abiodun are silent now.  Could that have been due to old age and dwindling creativity?

Of course, there were Tunji Oyelana and Jimi Solanke with their Folk songs. Oyelana’s “Okete and Ifa” will always remain in our brain as some of the best folks ever sung.

The question is who will fill these shoes? Yoruba music genres of the old, where have you all gone?

*Awosiyan (kunlesure@gmail.com)

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