The Isolo home of the late Fuji icon Sikiru Ayinde Balogun a.k.a ‘Barry Wonder’ hosted a horde of guests and fans when Barry Wonder Fans Club, a group comprising lovers of the late Fuji artiste, held a Ramadan lecture in his honour. ADEGUNLE OLUGBAMILA reports.
The heavy downpour that Sunday was not enough to dampen the enthusiasm of many lovers of the late Fuji maestro, Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Balogun a.k.a. Ayinde Barrister who trooped to his Isolo home to reinstate their love for him ,even in death.
Emotion rose, and tears flowed freely as guests recalled the life and times of the energetic artist. For some diehard fans of the deceased, it was a moment to reunite with their ‘idol’. For some, the home of the deceased, venue of the event, provided for them a nostalgic feeling about the man whose life they shared through his philosophical and entertaining music. For others however, the platform was an opportunity to pray for the family Barrister left behind as well as seek God’s grace to grant the deceased al-jannah.
It was the annual Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister Memorial Ramadan lecture organised by the Barry Wonder Fans Club in conjunction with the deceased’s family. Though the event started few hours behind schedule due to downpour, it did not however take long before the crowd thickened and the outside premises of Barrister’s home where canopies and chairs were set ahead of guests’ arrival, became a Mecca of a sort. Crowd of enthusiasts surged obstructing the only link road that passes in front of the deceased’s home.
The Master of Ceremonies, Hakeem Jamiu, who is a young Fuji artist and a member of the fans club, further heightened people’s emotion. Jamiu’s versatility in many of the late musician’s song coupled with his melodious voice, which perfectly aped Barrister’s, were enough to make fans and family members in attendance nostalgic.
Despite his revered position, the Alaye of Ayetoro Yewa in Ogun State, Oba Azeez Adelakun and a bosom friend of Barrister, could not hold back tears, especially when Jamiu sang a song the late Barrister dedicated to him shortly after he mounted the throne 12 years ago.
The solemn atmosphere was enough to prove that Barrister’s legacies are still alive even though the deceased passed on nearly four years ago, precisely on Thursday December 16, 2010 at 62.
Regarded by many as ‘Fuji moderniser’, Barrister’s many albums, which are over 100, remain evergreen.
But regardless of guests in attendance, the family is still not happy that many who claimed to be bosom friend and used to be regulars during the musician’s lifetime have melted away.
“I want to say those that claim to be friend of Barrister during his lifetime have suddenly left us after his death.
“Even there were people who used to come here for either advice of financial assistance from our father but we are surprised that many of them today are nowhere to be found. Frankly speaking, their level of response has not been the same measure since Barrister passed on,” said the female head of the family, Mrs Sakirat Balogun.
According to her, virtues such as love, unity and harmony among others which the deceased left behind remain the foundation upon which the family consolidated.
“Despite the odds, there has been peace and love among all of us. These are some of the qualities we learned from our father and which still keep us moving till date,” Mrs Balogun said.
One of Barrister’s band boys, Luqmon Babatunde Ajao, described his boss as humility personified despite his greatness.
He said: “I remember I was crying bitterly the day he travelled to Germany for the operation which eventually turned out the last time I would see him. But Alhaji consoled me assuring me that he would be okay. He prayed for me Iwo naa a ri awon omo sin e (may your subordinates serve you whole heartedly).
“Barrister was a kind of person such that if he employed you as a vocalist and you are not living up to expectation; rather than sack you, he would look for something else for you to do in the band. Believe it or not, that person would earn the same wage like the rest of us. It was only in Barrister’s band I saw money being sent directly to some old and retired band members.”
In his sermon, a Muslim cleric Sheik Musa Yahyah Agboola, urged those in attendance to emulate qualities that were Barrister’s trademarks during his lifetime.
“Barrister lived a fulfilled life, otherwise all of us would not be here today. For me, today was not an occasion to grieve, but reflect on our own lives and where we would be after death. Barrister has played his part and left the stage of life.”
The cleric said man should think more about hereafter rather than here, noting that worldly assets would fade, but man’s good works would remain his defence before God on Judgment Day.
The President Barry Wonder Fans Club, Alhaji Kamila Olaitan Lediju, said the occasion was the third in the series floated to pray for the repose of the soul of the music icon.
Lediju, in an encounter with Southwest Report, recalled that Barrister’s fans whose membership he put at 3000 spreading across Africa, America and Europe, were previously interacting on social media before the idea struck them to do something more concrete.
“So at every year, we want this forum to be a kind of fidau an act of fibbadah for the repose of Dr Sikiru Ayinde Barrister.
“Our objective is that we don’t collect money from individuals outside the group because we don’t want Barrister’s name tarnished. That is why as members we tax ourselves. We have members nationwide cutting across technocrats down to artisans. Every member regardless of their social status, is accorded equal treatment.
“The most important thing is that we enjoin members who have the ability to pay to do so. We don’t force members to contribute and we try as much as possible to accept members widow’s mite.
“This is the third edition. We have been doing that for the past three years. We normally do Barrybration every December. Last year we were in Ibadan at KS Motel where we were hosted by the Governor of Oyo State at KS Motel.”
In line with Barrister’s philosophy, Lediju said the group has been engaging in some philanthropic gestures as well as assisting members of the group in their areas of needs.
Other guests in attendance include Barrieter’s former promoter, Alhaji Mojeed Mayabikan, Alhaji Tajudeen Iyanda of Rofo Motors and Captain of Barrister band, Alhaji Aderoju Ayanwale Yekini.
Others were Barrister’s two sons, Adewale Balogun (Barry Showkey) and Alhaji Wahab Ayinde of the Lagos State House of Assembly, among others.