‘It’s in my bloodstream’
Athletes as well as officials who participated at the just concluded 22nd National Sports Festival tagged Gateways Games in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, could not believe their eyes watching the most sought-after fuji music king, K1 inside the upgraded MKO Abiola Sports Arena.
The scene was the closing ceremony of the sports festival which had started about 10 days earlier and turned major towns in the state to sporting venues.
Putting on a jacket on a fitted long sleeve T-shirt also over a pair of jeans which rested on a matching pair of canvas, K1 walked swiftly to the stage and picked the waiting microphone; when he voiced, it was a blast, a full explosion of fuji songs that did not only enrapture the entire space, but indeed stimulated neighbouring areas.
This gig was happening some hours after the release of his latest all-digital, eight-song piece titled “Ganusi (Fuji Classical)”, featuring a special tribute to his late Centenarian mother, Alhaja Halimot Anifowose who breathed her last on January 18, 2025.
The Ijebu-ode indigene practically defied his advancing 68 years in his flexibility and energetic delivery of his old and new numbers, all of which vibrated the podium and captivated the cheering audience, comprising youths from major ethnic groups in Nigeria.
His percussionists and instrumentalists too displayed an uncommon bond with his rhythm, all dishing out variety of tunes that aroused infectious feelings in the thapsodic listeners.
A fuji fan, who is an Advertising and Brand Management expert in Lagos, Mr Tunde Madehin acknowledged K1’s exploits through his experimenting and infusion of different instruments to make his music a must patronised to all generations.
“In my opinion, K1 should continue to experiment with his music but should not completely deviate from the original, core sounds of Fuji that we cherish. His latest album, like the previous one, features a techno Fuji sound,” Madehin explained.
Another fuji fan of over four decades profile marked with objective appraisal, Alhaji Rasaq Moruf, also awarded a distinction to K1 for, according to him, his capacity to have stylishly blended his act with that charged sporting environment.
Moruf affirmed that the presence of K1 was an additional glamour to that very bright ceremony which coincided with the 65th birthday of the state Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun, saying he lived up to his stature as king of fuji, a prestigious title conferred on him by an entertainment interest group in July 1993 at the Nigerian Television Authority, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
“K1’s performance was spectacular as he was able to satisfy the yearnings of both old and young spectators in the stadium. It is important to mention that K1 keeps evolving as he makes himself relevant, even to the younger fans. His music is appealing to fans of all ages. And he did just that at the just concluded NSF 2025,” he opined.
A few days to the Abeokuta show, K1 was in Abuja where he performed at the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) Summit held in the Presidential Villa and had President Bola Tinubu and other principal government functionaries reveling his vibes.
Curiously, in spite of K1’s open wedlock with the APC and his close relationship with top shots of the party, he is also an irresistible bride to members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who equally patronised and showered him benefits of the transactions on the stage.
Before the July 16, 2022 governorship polls that crowned and brought Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke to the Government House in Osogbo, the state capital, K1 had sung his praise at a party where he vigorously chanted some lines which turned out prophetic to the immediate dream of Adeleke to govern the state.
Repeatedly for effect, he sang that Adeleke’s flag shall be flying leisurely in the sky of Osun State. He sang further that whether they (certainly, the opposition) liked it or detested it, God had perfected his design that Adeleke would emerge the next governor of Osun State.
Virtually, K1’s prophetic lyrics date back to his years as an emerging youngster in the industry, especially when in 1984 he waxed an elpee titled ‘Ise Logun Ise’ in which he sings that he was working very assidiously with an assurance that one day prosperity would carry its seat to his home.
In the past 20 years, A-class and exclusive parties at home and across the Atlantic are reserved for K1 at a regular rate that he is said to hold the right to pick dates for his patrons to avert conflicting interests.
On June 4, 2022, he was on the band stand at the final burial for the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, who two years earlier had conferred on him the Mayegun of Yorubaland title. On April 5, 2025, he was back in Oyo performing at the coronation ceremony of the 46th Alaafin, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade and as usual thrilling the large audience that converged on the Oliveth Baptist High School premises which incidentally hosted the final burial party for Oba Adeyemi.
In view of his fast growing profile as arguably the busiest and highest paid indigenous act in Nigeria, it is critically observed that in no distant future, K1’s music may emerge a distinct genre carved from the traditional fuji, development of which is credited to the late Dr Sikiru Ayinde Balogun (Barrister) who passed the baton to K1 in 2008, that is, two years before he passed away on December 16, 2010 in London.
Besides, on the strength of the increasing figure of K1’s proteges who delightfully take after him in lyrics, sounds, arrangements and statecraft and who are also harvesting regular engagements like their mentor, it is a matter of time this point of argument flies.
Apparently not resting on his oars having understood the danger of complacency in the sustainability of fame and fortune, available records note it that K1 still doesn’t see himself at the penthouse of his dream, hence his continous work on himself and his band.
He introspectively told this reporter that, “To God be the glory, opportunity comes in coming to show to the world, music is in my bloodstream and I have no reason to disappoint.”
Notably, he is enjoying a fair compliment of other fuji musicians who are also flying the flag to the satisfaction of their respective community of fans. On the list includes Alhaji Rasheed Ayinde, Dr Adewale Ayuba, Alhaji Sefiu Alao, King Saheed Osupa, Pasuma Wonder, Sulaiman Alao Malaika, Atawewe, Taye Currency and others.
The flip side of K1 conversely is not entirely different from the tale of personalities who live in the stardom and daily attract love and hatred in nearly equal measure.
Social media seems to be a free, uncensored world where his words, actions and inactions are monitored, sieved and subjected to uncomplimentary judgements.
Even the timeless juju musician, Evangelist Ebenezer Obey, one whom K1 admirably calls his musical grandfather, is cognizant of this and declared sympathetically in a recent interview that “K1 has many enemies.”
In spite of that weird feature, Managing Director of the Evergreen Musical Company (EML), Ms Bimbo Esho, reasons that K1 waxes better in the face of dissent stance against him.
“His life is like a movie as amidst controversies he keeps soaring high and remain relevant in his chosen field,” she enthused.
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