Lasun Alagbe
Death has again sneaked into the Nigerian entertainment industry as veteran fuji musician, Iyanda Sawaba is dead.
Sawaba, who celebrated his 70th birthday recently, was said to have slumped some days back, following which he was rushed to the University College Hospital, Ibadan.
He was said to have passed on there on Wednesday, April 6, 2022.
Although details of his death have yet to be made public, Sawaba, who rose to limelight in the 1980s when he released, among other works ‘Pata Olokun’ (indicating rope-belted pants), might have been a victim of some of the contradictions in the Nigerian heath care system.
When he slumped a few days ago, he was said to have been denied prompt care as the hospital allegedly demanded a sum of N25,000 be first paid before he could get any treatment.
There appeared to be a delay before this was sorted, with media executive and a senior hand in the government of Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Wale Ojo-Lanre, then raising the alarm in his favour.
It was, however, subsequently said that hurdle had been cleared with the artiste eventually admitted.
Fans will remember Sawaba for his power of composition and for being one of the fuji musicians who deployed music to quality message and entertainment.
He also caused a stir decades back when he teamed up with ace talking drummer, Kamoru Ayansola, with whom he produced ‘Pata Olokun’.
Ayansola (Igijegede Kamoru) had hitherto been fuji legend Sikiru Ayinde Barrister’s band captain, renowned with enriching his music with iconic beats.
There was a misunderstanding between the drummer and the legend, which led to his departure.
Observers and fans anticipated a boost in Sawaba’s musical fortunes, and what he and Ayansola came up with in ‘Pata Olokun’ demonstrated a promise in this regard.
But the stakeholders also feared that the drummer’s departure would affect Barrister.
This however never happened as some of his other band members immediate filled the gap.
Unfortunately, Ayansola died not long after.
Sawaba’s death will remind fuji historians of the passage of other fuji musicians that include Alhaji Ajani Tekoye, Sunny T Adesokan, aka Omo Nna to n ko Fuji; and Iyabo Osanle.
