Fuji Musicians are not touts – Askari Fuji

EXPERIENCE in the police College?
When we got to Police College in April 12, 1991, we did our first three months and they wanted to pay our allowance, on that day, I found myself entertaining everybody with songs.  In the college I remember one night I bought some candles and lit them in the dormitory and sang for my friends, I was going from one bed to another with another guy, we call him wale and he used to be my backup singer then and my mates were dashing me 50naira, 100naira and like that. It got to a time where people starting asking me why I came to police college instead of being a musician and whenever our instructor gave us cutlass to cut grass or whatever, he will leave me just because of my talent and say ''No you will not cut grass but will come to sing for me in my dormitory''. 

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That was how my fame grew. One day, there was trouble in the college, I passed through the highway patrol barracks and there was a woman who sells hot drinks there, just beside her was this crew singing in the open, I watched for a while and discovered I could do better. I asked for a chance and they gave me I sang and passers by started spraying us money an incident that shocked them for that was the first time they got sprayed. That was how I kept going there to make money and sustain my self. 

The Journey To Music Fame?
Then, Our IG was Alhaji Ibrahim Komasi. I met one man, he is a very big mentor to me, he was the one that tutored me on how to write letter of approval through the PRO. He advised I got the official permission to continue what I wanted to do that is singing along side policing. So I wrote an application letter. It took me one year before I could get a reply as it has to pass through the protocol and you know it was not a computer age then. In the IG recommendation, he wanted to be sure there was no financial implication.  I had to clarify that and that took me three months (3 months) before it came back again and finally I got my official permission. 

So from there I could now go professional. I met a distant admirer, Johnson, who was excited of how talented I was. He brought me a deal with someone called Dami in Ikeja and that's how we established Alphabet production…the recording company barely picked up before the relationship went sour. As the Dami guy became arrogant and bossy.

But I did release my first album in Alphabet production titled "Loyalty" in 1994 and after that, we parted ways because of the disagreement over how to share the money, when I did my launching, I couldn't gather anything, he took everything and after four days, I went to him to give me my money but he was telling me stories. Later, we went to GID and wrote petition then the late Gbenga Adeboye was the one that served as Intermediary between us and said ''you are not to cheat this guy because if you cheat him and he goes like that, you will regret it and never sing like that and vice-versa, that's why i always respect him and after that, I left. About three years after, Alloy production found me in Idumota where I released many albums like Internet Fuji, wetin You Carry, Life Wire, Authority…and we did some videos too.

So like Ajunwa, Is Music giving you promotions?
If they were to give rank with the way I release album and I use one or two tracks to bridge the gap between the public and the police, I suppose to gotten great promotions by now but I thank God that even if I don't get rank through music police, I get recognition. This very year when they wanted to host Police games, I was invited and that I should even look for other more Musician from the Police because when I started it, many other people have been coming to me saying "Oga how did you do this and that" and I tell them you have to get your permission ready and all that and its not because of today but tomorrow because we have some people that are not happy with the way you are making it and they take it to the root, when they find out you have no approval, there will be problem, so I do lecture them on how to go about it. 

This year to God be the Glory, I went with about 8 other musician from the police, so they are yet to get their approval but at least to showcase them to the world so I will see to the admiration of Inspector Generel of Police Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar and other guests that were there. Though I was hospitalized before the event but I ensure I attended the closing ceremony which everybody was happy to see me that I could finally make it to Portharcourt. presently am chilling working for the present IG, singing about his achievement for the  police; like changing of the uniform, the welfare, closing of the road blocks and I also give advice on how to go about it. The album I want to release now will make it the seventh.

Music, Policing, which of them is the main job for you?
As you know that music goes with fame and money and you cannot compare my salary with what I get for my performance but one thing I want you to understand is that maybe I wouldn't have been known if I didn't join music because "Askari to n ko fuji" meaning "A police man singing fuji” gets people's attention. There are thousands of musician outside but because they don't have anything attached to their name, people don't know them so I believe if I didn't join police and but just fuji, people may not know me and vice-versa. 

What are the challenges on your stand?
Well the challenges are not really there because everybody is free to say there opinion. If I say anything and you don't see sense in it, you can say your own, that's the way I see it. I am the Deputy Governor of Fuji musician in Lagos state; I am also a member of PMAN so anywhere I go I get that recognition.

How do you market your product? Is it different from how other music market their product?
There are so many differences in the product marketing. There are so many things that are wrong  with fuji market now which were not there before. like now if you want to do your naming ceremony, you will call a particular fuji artiste and they will come with their camera whatever they did there will come out in the market and when they come out, people will not want to buy because they already have what you sang in their homes and that is really affecting the fuji industry. The only way you get money in fuji music is when you go for a show and they pay you or if you are launching you album. If I was not a police officer maybe I would have packed out. What I know is that music  is where I got my recognition from and made me famous, that's why am still in it.

When you went to London to perform, how was the reception there?
The reception was very good because when I got there they couldn't believe it. So my first show in London was a very good one, people came in to spray me money. The following day, some people came and took me out for shopping and I even stayed in some of their house for like two days before I came back to Nigeria, the same thing also in Manchester. I tell people I can do the little things I can do through the act of music like the one I just sang for MD Abubakar (He sings)  Something like that, that's what I do in my album but I know one day, God will use one IG that will meet me and say "Oya put a star on his shoulder".

What is you vision in the next two years?
I look forward for that day I'll be called upon for a Police Day.  A day Police management will decide  to do a police day event, because there are so many talented people among the police force and are waiting for an opportunity to blow out.  If you carve your mind back, the person who composed the national Anthem was a Nigeria police man. Police are not totally bad Samuel peter was there, Babatunde Jonathan was a Boxer and there is Juliu Agahowa, a footballer.  There's also the Olympian, Chioma Ajunwa. I'm looking for a day where we will do police day and employ lots of stars among the police

Do you feature in the big events?
If I am invited for any big event, I will honor it. But you know some show promoters will organize, they will invite you so I have done big shows too.

Will you allow any of your children to follow your footstep?
Well for now, I allow them face their studies when the time comes, they can go for it. If they say they want to be a musician.
How does your wife cope with you being a police and a musician?
We understand each other very well so it's not a problem to her. It was when I started it that things were not easy with her but now, everything is perfectly fine.

People see fuji as a razz music with it's artiste but you are looking decent, is it like this with other fuji artiste or the other way round?
Before you come to that conclusion, I want you to look at your fingers; you will see they are not equal. I am not the only decent Fuji Artiste It all depends on your personality. My background will tell who I am and if you look at Alhaji Ayuba, you will see that he is not a ruffian. Being a Fuji musician does not make you a tout and that is why they are always counseling them to always dress decent when going for a show because the public is watching.

How do you relax?
My wife and children knows that when its time for daddy to relax, I walk into to my bedroom and sleep and at times I read, I go out to watch other musician, I also go to club at times, I cannot say I don't womanize and it's not all women that follows a musician that the musician is dating so women play vital roles in our career life.

How was growing up?
My childhood was okay. What surprised people is how a police man could become a musician. One day someone called my dad "Baba Askari" my dad was like who are you calling Baba Askari then the person said that's the name your son is bearing in Lagos, then he called me to Ibadan asking me the meaning of Askari and I told him it's the short form of a policeman singing fuji song. I won't lie to you, my parents were not rich then and I had to do myself a favor by focusing on my career, so they had no choice but to support me.

Since your parents were not rich, how Salah celebrations then?
One thing about Muslims is this, if you are the only person that was able to kill ram, that ram is not only for you but for everybody around you. So you share the ram around your neighbours. Then he may not be able to buy us ram but clothes matters to children so he does buy us good clothes and as time goes on, he started killing ram.  But since 1991 when I was up to the task, I started doing my responsibilities for them; I started killing ram for them till date while they assist me with prayers.

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