Pasuma

Pasuma (also called Oganla or Pasuma Wonder) is one of Nigeria’s most prominent fuji musicians. Born Wasiu Alabi Ajibola Odetola in Lagos in 1967, he grew up in the Mushin area of Lagos state and hails from Kwara state, in Nigeria’s middle-belt region. His mother, an actress turned trader, and his dad, a company’s general manager, separated before the young Wasiu was a teenager.

Inspired by ‘Talazo,’ the 1984 album by fuji great King Wasiu Ayinde Marshall (popularly called KWAM 1 or K-1 the Ultimate), Pasuma switched to music soon after finishing secondary school. “That was the point,” Pasuma says, he “felt this man has done a wonderful job, and deep inside me I felt I could do more.”

The next five years saw Pasuma play gigs at various hotels in Lagos. And in 1993, convinced by a man to record a studio album, he released his debut album ‘Recognition’. His sophomore was ‘Choices’. Both achieved some level of success. His career then took off with his third album, 1995’s ‘Orobokibo’. The titular word was gotten from a backup singer who used it in rehearsal. The word became infamous for its vulgar connotations; but it also established the young singer. For the album, he would later win the award for Best Fuji Artiste at the now defunct Fame Magazine Awards (FMA).

He received other awards as well, notably, three awards in his genre’s category in as many years at the also now defunct AMEN Awards. He then toured the UK in 1999.

In the past Pasuma has been referred to as the 'African Puff Daddy' for his fashion style. His first pop album is titled ‘My World’ (2015) and features a slew of popular mainstream acts including Tiwa Savage and Olamide.