Nigerian singer Adekunle Temitope, widely known as Small Doctor, has raised concerns about the current state of Fuji music, a traditional Yoruba genre.
In a recent post on his X handle, the artist shared his worries, stating, “I stand to be corrected. I feel Fuji music is dying and something needs to be fixed urgently… After the blowing up of Remi Aluko and the likes in 2001 or 2002, I gaven’t heard nor seen another Fuji artist blow up.”
Small Doctor pointed out the genre’s decline since the early 2000s, following the rise of artists like Remi Aluko, and called for immediate action to rejuvenate Fuji music.
Fuji originated in the 1960s, developing from wéré or ajísari, a style performed during Ramadan to wake Muslims before dawn. The genre was named by Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, who pioneered the transition from wéré to Fuji, inspired by Japan’s Mount Fuji.
Over the years, legends such as K1 De Ultimate, King Saheed Osupa, Wasiu Alabi Pasuma, and Obesere have championed the genre. Meanwhile, contemporary artists like 9ice, Lord of Ajasa, Olamide, Small Doctor, Asake, Naira Marley, Qdot, and Seyi Vibez have infused Fuji influences into their modern sound.
