Nigerian singer Síkírù Àyìndé Barrister (1948-2010) pioneered fújì, a Yorùbá genre of popular dance music. In February 2024, historian Saheed Aderinto’s documentary on the musician’s life and times premiered. The Conversation Africa’s Wale Fatade asked Aderinto about the film and the music it brings to our attention.
What is fújì music?
Fújì fuses Islamic philosophy and wordsmithing with Yoruba poetry and meaning-making to create sound, idioms and recreational habits. It does this across social classes, from the wealthy in the corridors of political power to the poor at the fringe. Its messages, politics, performance styles, space and sophistication reflect a wide range of realities.
However, fújì did not begin as a secular and commercial sound. Its musical ancestor, wéré, was a seasonal Islamic performance during Ramadan. Wéré’s origin dates to the 19th century or earlier when Islam established firm roots among the Yoruba. The Yoruba are one of the numerous ethnic groups in Nigeria.
If you research philanthropy and well-known philanthropists, you will find a lot of familiar names … Carnegie … Rockefeller … Buffett … Gates. In comparison, you will not find as much historical or current information on donors of color and even less about Black or African American donors.
The Black community has a long history of giving, dating back to traditions on the African continent. The very roots of philanthropy within the Black community stem from the African principle of ubuntu, a Nguni word which means “the quality of being human” or oftentimes referred to as “I am because you are” — the idea that we can only be strong when we have care and concern for our neighbor and focus on collective impact.
Nelson Mandela once reflected on this philosophy: “In Africa there is a concept known as ‘ubuntu’ — the profound sense that we are human only through the humanity of others; that if we are to accomplish anything in this world it will in equal measure be due to the work and achievement of others.”
There is no such thing as a monolithic Black donor, as each donor’s giving is highly personal and based on personal values and lived experiences. However, there are certainly general themes that can be gleaned from the cultural, social and religious traditions of Black Americans that can provide insight into how to engage with this highly philanthropic group.
Review of Mr. Fuji: Barry Wonder—The First Episode of the Fuji Documentary
This engaging and richly informative documentary explores fújì, one of Nigeria’s most popular music genres, through the life and work of its founder Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister.
Combining archival photos and film clips, contemporary performances, and interviews with a wide range of the musician’s associates – band members, sound engineers, actors and actresses, family members, friends, fújì artists, media scholars, fan club organisers – its expert editing moves us swiftly and satisfyingly through a multitude of facets of the art of “Barry Wonder”.
These include the historical context of the Nigerian civil war followed by the oil boom; Barrister’s biography, from a disadvantaged childhood to extraordinary fame, wealth and social prominence achieved through the sheer genius of his musical creativity; the history of the fújì musical genre itself; the internal dynamics of the band and Barrister’s relations with patrons, politicians and the press; Barrister as husband and father; his last years, illness and death in 2010; and the impressive efforts made by his legions of fans to come together to create lasting memorials.
Gold and silver treasure looted from west Africa by the British army in colonial wars are to be lent to Ghana in a three-year deal, the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum have announced.
The precious regalia, which had belonged to the Asante royal court, is regarded as part of the “national soul” of Ghana. Under the deal, 17 objects from the V&A and 15 from the British Museum, will go on show later this year at the Manhyia Palace Museum in Kumasi, the capital of Asante region. Many of the items have not been seen in Ghana for 150 years.
Nana Oforiatta Ayim, a special adviser to Ghana’s culture minister, welcomed the deal as a “good starting point” in righting the wrongs of the UK’s violent colonial past.
The UK is sending some of Ghana’s “crown jewels” back home, 150 years after looting them from the court of the Asante king. A gold peace pipe is among 32 items returning under long-term loan deals, the BBC has revealed.
As special adviser to Ghana’s culture minister, 2022 Dan David Prize Winner Nana Oforiatta Ayim has been interviewed by the BBC about a new deal, which will see the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum lend a total of 32 looted objects to Ghana as part of a three-year deal.
Speaking to the BBC, Oforiatta Ayim explained that the items are “not just objects, they have spiritual importance as well. They are part of the soul of the nation. It’s pieces of ourselves returning.”
Africa celebrates its inspiring men and women who made it to the New African magazine’s annual list of the 100 Most Influential Africans of 2023.
The list features a diverse group from various fields and sectors who have made a positive impact on the continent and the world.
2023 Dan David Prize Winner Chao Tayiana Maina was among the 100 selected in 2023, under the category Science & Academia.
Overseeing a rich and diverse kingdom, Ethiopia’s medieval monarchs consolidated their power by claiming descent from the Biblical King Solomon. But why did they pursue long-distance diplomatic contacts with Latin Europe?
In this episode of Gone Medieval, Dr. Eleanor Janega meets award-winning historian Dr. Verena Krebs, who challenges the conventional narratives of African-European relations, arguing that African exploration of Europe was driven by aesthetic curiosity rather than military ventures.
Chao Tayiana Maina is a Kenyan historian and digital heritage specialist working at the intersection of digital humanities and public education in African histories.
Maina co-founded the Museum of British Colonialism (MBC),a joint British-Kenyan initiative that aims to present a more truthful account of British colonialism in Kenya. In a major project, the MBC worked to restore the previously suppressed history of detention camps during the Mau Mau Emergency in Kenya in the 1950s by creating 3D site reconstructions of the camps and presenting these in physical and digital exhibitions.
In 2019, she founded African Digital Heritage (ADH), a non-profit organisation that seeks to encourage a more critical, holistic and knowledge-based approach to digital solutions within African heritage. In 2020, she co-founded Open Restitution Africa, an open data project seeking to make accessible information on restitution of African material culture and human ancestors. She is a recipient of many prestigious awards including the 2016 Google Anita Borg scholarship for Women in technology and the Dan David Prize 2023.