London’s The Africa Centre to celebrate fújì with new exhibition

FUJI: A Opera is a multi-faceted exhibition that aims to tell the story of Nigeria’s fújì music. The exhibition, which will take place at The Africa Centre in London, will use artefacts, archival footage of previous performances and audio installations to explore the 60-year history of fújì music, highlighting its founding footprints and celebrating its rich subculture, from the early 1960s to the present day.

The origins of fújì can be traced to the Yoruba-Muslim communities of Nigeria’s South West, and specifically to Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, who dubbed his sound “fújì” after seeing an airport ad for the famous Japanese mountain.

The instruments of Barrister, as well as another fújì pioneer, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, will be available to view at the exhibition, as well as other memorabilia, audio installations, a listening gallery of archive recordings, a photography wall of album covers, and a collection of fashion pieces worn by fújì artists.

The exhibition, which was first staged in 2020 in Nigeria and will be getting its international premiere at The Africa Centre, will begin with a soundscape homage to ajiwere, which is folk music for Islamic worshippers at Ramadan, and an important root of fújì music.

The founder of the exhibition, Bobo Omotayo, says: “Now feels like the perfect time to celebrate the phenomenal influence of fújì music, how it began and its lasting impact. Without fújì there would be no Afrobeats. Artists such as King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal have given so much to music – it’s time we celebrate their legacy. With London’s huge Nigerian community and close links with Lagos, I’m proud to be bringing FUJI: A Opera to The Africa Centre this summer”.

FUJI: A Opera will take place at The Africa Centre, London, on August 18-28. Tickets and more info here