STILL ON BARRISTER

The following is a beautiful piece written by One Debo Alder in honor of Late Chief Sikiru Ayinde Barrister. May his soul rest in perfect peace. Read on...



The news of the death of Dr. Sikiru Ayinde Barrister (Alhaji Agba) in London hospital this morning was shocking. Barrister lost the... battle to the cold hands of death after a prolonged illness.

While commiserating with the entire music industry on this great loss of an icon, I also want to remember that Sikiru Ayinde Barrister actually maintained a very cordial and personal relationship with our dear Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey apart from the fact that he shared the same musical philosophy with Ebenezer Obey.

Ebenezer Obey in fact contributed in no small way to the musical growth of Dr. Sikiru Ayinde Barrister and Barrister never shied away from acknowledging this fact in most of his songs. If there is any musician barrister respected a lot, it is Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey. Obey is actually Barrister’s adviser. Barrister noted in his 1980 album “oke agba” ;

"Chief Ebenezer obey ni adviser mi, a kii banii rin kama mole eni, oko Juliana mi jojolo, Juliana mi director omo olola oo. Obey omo lakeesin, obey omo lakeesinn….”

When no one was able to settle the racour between Ayinde Barrister and the then Lagos socialite Bisi Ajala (Ajala travels) in the late 70s and early 80s, Ebenezer Obey was able to convince Barrister and the drift was settled.

In 1980, Sikiru Ayinde Barrister dedicated an album (fuji disco) to Ebenezer Obey in memory of Obey’s father. In the intro of the music, Barrister sings:

“omo bi Ebenezer lo wu mi, Remilekun Olasupo ooo, omo bi Ebenezer lo wu mi, omo to maa gbe ni sin ni” .

This simply means; “I pray for a worthy son like Ebenezer Obey’. Barrister also played at that burial ceremony along with King Sunny Ade and Admiral Dele Abiodun.

On December 16,1989 when Ebenezer Obey threw a societal wedding party for his two eldest sons, Sina and Lanre, Barrister was so prominent in terms of co-ordination and he also performed at the occasion. Few years after, in his 1992 album, Barrister referred to that same wedding ceremony as a yardstick to measure the success of Obey as a musician. He sings;

“sebi e ri Ebenezer obey to se igbeyawo omo e bo se larinrin to, Olasupo Remilekun Aremu omo lakeesin, obey commander ise orin lo fi ni laari, iba e ni mose”.

Adieu Dr. Sikiru Ayinde Barrister!

Meanwhile,
Former Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola has described the death of Fuji Musician, Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister as a big loss to the country.

Prince Oyinlola in a statement said the death of the Music giant had left the nation poorer just as it had robbed the entertainment industry of one of its pillars.

IN his condolence MESSAGE to the family of the deceased, Prince Oyinlola prayed God to grant the soul of the dead Aljanah Firdaus.