Wasiu Alabi, born on November 27, 1967, also known as “Oganla,” is a Nigerian film actor and Fuji musician. The Oganla of Fuji originated from the Odetolas and evolved into a successful artist everyone now recognizes as Pasuma.
He was born in Mushin, Lagos State, which, as he has previously indicated, profoundly influenced his career. Subsequently, he grew up in Kwara State, located in western Nigeria.
In 1973, Pasuma enrolled in Muslim Mission Primary School, and 6 years later, he advanced to Nigerian Model High School to continue his secondary education.
Reflecting on his formative years, Pasuma noted that he faced hardship and difficulty. There were times when he had just one meal daily. His mother would prompt him to eat at night so he wouldn’t sleep on an empty stomach.
Born on November 27, 1967, Pasuma is 53 years old as of 2020.
At the age of nine, Pasuma’s parents separated. Since then, he was raised solely by his mother.
Wasiu Alabi’s father envisioned him becoming a doctor, as he himself was a well-educated individual. He hoped for his children to have a prosperous life, and the profession of Fuji musicians was generally not considered profitable. His mother also disapproved of his aspiration to be a Fuji artist.
Nevertheless, once his mother came to terms with his decision, she began to support him. She wanted him to succeed because she wished to take pride in her son.
During his adolescence, Pasuma dreamt of success. Mushin was once notorious for its unruly residents until Pasuma transformed it into a renowned place. He dreamed of achieving widespread fame, and that aspiration materialized. He felt he couldn’t start his career elsewhere and made a bold choice to leave his locality to create an impact.
The artist began his singing journey while still in secondary school. While his classmates engaged in sports, he and a few friends chose to focus on singing. In 1984, he began composing songs. The young artist was inspired by K1 De Ultimate, whose album Talazo 84 was greatly popular among fans.
Wasiu embarked on his musical path at just 17, but his debut album was recorded in 1993. He collaborated with Eru Owa Records. This was when his first album, titled Recognition, was launched. Eru Owa Records named it Recognition to herald the arrival of the new Fuji artist in the field.
After completing his secondary education, the musician underwent a significant transformation. Following the release of his first album, Pasuma’s fame grew both within and outside Mushin.
The year after the launch of his debut album, he recorded his second album, Choices. The artist selected this title because he acknowledged that while there were many Fuji musicians in Mushin, only he was chosen to become the new musical sensation renowned across Nigeria.
The next year, yet another successful album named Orobokibo was released. It earned him an award as The Best Fuji Artist at the FMA awards. Before the release of this album, Wasiu Alabi Pasuma was similar to any other Fuji musician in Mushin. At that time, he was simply creating music, unaware of what the future held for him, yet he consistently envisioned significant recognition.
The title of his third album was a slang term, Orobokibo, crafted by one of Pasuma’s backup singers during rehearsals.
The musician was curious about the meaning of the term, which his colleague explained was merely slang he had heard somewhere. Originally, the slang term Orobo translates to ‘plus-size women’. Orobokibo was the album that catapulted him into the limelight. This album led to his first concert at Benson in 1996, marking the start of his journey.
Beginning in 1997, Pasuma started performing at Lekki Sunplash. Initially, he appeared before more established stars like Orits Williki, Femi Kuti, and Raskimono. He had limited time to showcase his talent before departing. Audiences were mainly focused on well-known artists and paid little heed to emerging talents.
A year later, everything changed for Wasiu, and he became a significant figure in the music industry.
In 2015, he surpassed many artists including Olamide, Phyno, and Flavor, securing the award for Best Indigenous Artist of the Year at the Nigeria Entertainment Awards. The musician never expected to overshadow such music giants.
While Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde remained a prominent figure in the music scene while still youthful, Pasuma received his first nomination. In 2016, he was nominated for the Best Featured Non-Islamic Artist in an Islamic album. He has worked with a variety of esteemed Nigerian artists, such as Saheed Osupa, Bola Abimbola, King Sunny Ade, and others.
Throughout his musical career, he has released numerous Fuji music albums and one hip-hop album. Despite being rooted in a single genre, Pasuma has exhibited remarkable versatility and productivity. At times he could produce 1 or 2 albums, and occasionally, up to 3 albums within a year.
He has also been featured in Nigerian films like Iyanje and Alenibare. Recently, he played a significant role in a ghetto-themed film titled Ogo Mushin. The movie showcases notable personalities like Femi Adebayo, Adebayo Salami, Wasiu Alabi (Pasuma), Mercy Aigbe, Tayo Odueke, Ibrahim Yekini, and Kelvin Ikeduba.
The musician’s estimated net worth stands at N555 million. Wasiu rented accommodations for about 15 years until 2018, when he purchased two mansions in Nigeria. In November 2017, the artist, along with 27 friends and industry colleagues, inaugurated a new mansion worth 60 million Naira in Lagos. He also owns a 150 million Naira property. The musician is married to actress Jaiye Kuti, who was born in Ilaro, Ogun State, on July 19th.
The renowned Fuji artist has 3 baby mamas and 10 children (8 daughters and 2 sons), including Wasilat Odetola, Oyindamola Odetola, Aaliyah Odetola, Opeyemi Odetola, Amirah Odetola, Rookebat Odetola, Wariz Odetola, Junior Odetola, and Farooq Odetola. His eldest child and striking daughter, Wasilat Ajibola, is reported to have studied at Lead City University in Ibadan, Oyo State.
His other offspring include Barakat, Wasbar, Amirah, Opeyemi, Sultan, Waris, and Aliyah. The names of two of his children remain undisclosed. Pasuma, who rose from humble beginnings, has achieved acclaim both in Nigeria and internationally. Throughout his career, he has made significant contributions to the Fuji music domain.
