The Africa Centre in London will host the multi-dimensional exhibition FUJI: A Opera in August. It tells the tale of the fuji music genre, one of the most significant in Nigerian history, and how it influenced the Afrobeats artists who currently rule the charts (such as Burna Boy and Wizkid).
Never-before-seen archive material and relics will be used throughout the show to highlight the founding influences and celebrate the vibrant subculture of fuji music from the early 1960s to the present.
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Archival video of earlier performances, audio installations, and extraordinary artefacts from the 60-year history of fuji music will be used to tell the story of FUJI: A Opera. Headfirst into the history of fuji, it examines the sound’s genesis in the Yoruba-Muslim neighbourhoods of South-West Nigeria and the inspiration behind pioneer Ayinde Barrister, who gave his sound the name “fuji” after spotting an airport advertisement for the renowned Japanese mountain.
Bobo Omotayo, the creator of FUJI: A Opera, commented on the exhibition, saying that it felt like the right time to honour the extraordinary influence of fuji music, its origins, and its long-lasting effects. There wouldn’t be any Afrobeats without Fuji. Musicians like King Wasiu Ayinde Marshall have contributed so much; it’s time to honour their legacy. I’m honoured to be presenting FUJI: A Opera to the Africa Centre this summer given the sizeable Nigerian presence in London and our shared connections to Lagos.
The exhibition was first held in Nigeria in 2020, making it the longest display of the fuji subculture in contemporary times. The UK’s Africa Centre, which has served as the hub for African heritage and culture since it first opened its doors in 1964, will host the world premiere of FUJI: A Opera.
