The saxophonist for Fuji music star Wasiu Ayinde, known as K1 De Ultimate, Olawale Adekoya, has apologised for a viral stage performance that caused anger on social media. He said the singer was not to blame for the controversial chant.
In a video on his TikTok page on Sunday, Adekoya said he was taking "full responsibility" for how he interpreted the drum rhythm called alujo. Many people linked this to the current paternity claims against the Fuji musician.
PUNCH Online reported earlier that K1 faced backlash after a video showed him singing about "unnecessary pregnancy" during a performance. This happened just days after a woman named Ogechi Eleana claimed in an interview that K1 abandoned her and their 12-year-old daughter.
Even though the performance came after the allegations, K1 did not directly say that the song was about the woman or her claims.
Responding to the backlash, Adekoya said the rhythm had been part of the band’s music for years. He said it recently got new playful meanings among the band members.
"I will start by taking full responsibility for whatever happened on stage on that particular day because I was the one who interpreted the alujo to Alhaji when the percussionists were playing the beats.
"And I think where everything went bad was the fact that it happened at a very sensitive period, which I take full responsibility and accountability for," he said.
He explained that the rhythm came from percussionist Ayokunle Ayolowo after he rejoined the band. This beat became one of K1’s favourite alujo rhythms.
According to him, the beat did not have a meaning at first. Band members began joking and creating different interpretations during a backstage talk months before the current controversy.
"This particular beat that caused the whole issue is not new, and we’ve been using this beat for a very long time now, since Mr Ayokunle Ayolowo rejoined the band. He was the one who originated the beat.
"But as at that time, it had no meaning, it had no interpretation, and it has become one of Alhaji’s favourite alujo so far. He’s always excited whenever he hears the beat," Adekoya said.
The celebrity saxophonist added that the phrase now causing trouble was just one of many funny versions the band had made long before the allegations against K1 came out.
He insisted that K1 neither created nor suggested this interpretation.
"To be honest, this is why I’m making this video, because Alhaji knew nothing about this. He was not involved in the interpretation, he never told us anything, he didn’t put any words to our mouth.
"That was why he was really shocked that, ‘Ah! So you guys eventually found a meaning to this rhythm?'"
Adekoya also denied that the band was making fun of the woman or her daughter during the performance.
"We were all excited that day. We were not laughing because of the mother and the daughter. We were not referring to anybody. It was just a fun moment. That’s all. It was totally harmless and not intentional," he said.
He apologised on behalf of the band’s percussionists and other members, saying the performance happened at the wrong time.
"Whatever reactions we are getting online now is expected because it happened at a very sensitive period, and we are very sorry about it.
"On behalf of the percussionist and the whole band, we are very, very sorry about it. And to everyone who was hurt, disappointed, please, please, please, we are very, very sorry."
Adekoya added that he made the video on his own.
"I’m not doing this video out of threat or pressure because I wasn’t pressured to do any video. I’m doing this with all honesty and sincerity.
"We had different versions to this alujo, but we accept the fact that it came at the very wrong time. Please, we are sorry."
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