One of Nigeria’s most prominent musicians, Wasiu ‘Pasuma’ Alabi has revealed that he recorded 60 albums since he started singing some 37 years ago.
The entertainer, who is fondly referred to as ‘Oganla Fuji’ by his teeming fans, stated this during a show to mark his 37th year on stage.
“From my first album titled, ‘Recognition’ to ‘MMM – Money Making Machine’ – I have recorded 60 albums since I stepped out as a musician,” Pasuma said smiling.
He revealed that he started singing before many of the current favourite artistes. “Some of these new generation singers, when they meet me, they tell me that their parents influenced them to listen to my music, meaning they grew up listening to my music. That’s to prove to you how old I am in the Nigerian music industry.”
Reminiscing on how music began for him, the ‘Orobokibo’ singer said he started way back in secondary school, at the Nigerian Model High School in 1979.
According to him, while other students were participating in sports, he would arrange with some of his friends to be singing and rehearsing.
The musician, who grew up in Mushin, Lagos, went on: “After secondary school, my parents could not afford to sponsor me to a higher institution. So, I went on playing music without knowing what the future held for me but I was determined to be famous like K1 De Ultimate.”
Pasuma said he started performing earlier before 1984 but his music orientation changed when his mentor, K1 released an album entitled ‘Talazo ’84.’ “That album inspired me as an up and coming musician. So, I started writing my own songs. That year, when I started, people called me ‘backstreet singer’, ‘gutter artiste’ or noisemaker. Some landlords would chase us away from their streets whenever we wanted to perform.”
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
