Veteran fuji musician, Ayinla Kollington, has declared himself the unrivaled king of fuji music, asserting that no one—at home or abroad—holds a higher authority in the genre than he does.
Kollington made the bold claim during an interview on Agbaletu TV, where he also addressed his absence at the burial ceremony of the mother of fellow fuji icon, Wasiu Ayinde, popularly known as K1 De Ultimate.
Explaining his reasons, he said, “I called him several times, he didn’t pick up and didn’t return the call. I also remembered that when it on New Year’s Day, I also called him but he didn’t respond. So, I left him alone.”
The singer took issue with claims that K1 holds a leadership position within the fuji music space, stating that such titles are limited to K1’s hometown, not the industry at large.
“If it is because he is the head of the princes, it is in his hometown in Ijebuland, not in the Fuji industry. Even if he says he wants to be the head of the fuji industry, there is a song (he sang it), does he want to be God? You became the head of the princes and still want to be the head of the Fuji industry. Why not kill me then, when it isn’t pap that we eat? It isn’t possible, even if he attempts. I, as a person, Alhaji General Kollinton Ayinla, expect death from God come. If the one that I survived from didn’t claim my life, no one can kill me again except death from God comes, like the one that almost did.”
Responding to questions about his position in the fuji music landscape, Kollington reaffirmed his dominance in the genre. “When they ask, who is the head of Fuji Music, both here and abroad, it is my name that will be mentioned.” He emphasized that if there were any leadership structure within the fuji music scene, he should be publicly recognized as its top authority.
Further cementing his stance, he criticized the tendency of others to avoid acknowledging the truth. “I don’t know why some people like to beat about the bush when they know the truth. Some people are looking for network. By the grace of God, K1 has got the network, and he has risen. He is blessed. That doesn’t mean that tomorrow, he would begin to talk about ‘number one, or number two’. I am the authority of fuji music in Nigeria and abroad.”
Kollington also revisited the origins of his music career, revealing that it was his colleague, Sikiru, who encouraged him to start singing while they were both in the army. He recalled writing to the Orderly Room before fully committing to music, acknowledging that while fuji music existed before his time, he endured significant hardship for embracing the genre. “It was me and Sikiru that began fuji music,” he said.
