Wasiu Alabi, born on November 27, 1967, also referred to as “Oganla”, is a Nigerian film performer and Fuji artist. The Oganla of Fuji emerged from the Odetolas and became a thriving musician everyone now calls Pasuma.
He was born in Mushin, Lagos State, which, as he previously mentioned, significantly impacted his career. Subsequently, he was raised in Kwara State, western Nigeria.
In 1973, Pasuma joined Muslim Mission Primary School, and 6 years afterward, he transitioned to Nigerian Model High School to further his secondary education.
Reflecting on his early years, Pasuma expressed that he experienced hardship and adversity. There were occasions when he only had one meal a day. His mother would encourage him to eat at night so he wouldn’t go to bed hungry.
Pasuma was born on November 27, 1967, which means he is 53 years old as of 2020.
When Pasuma was nine, his parents parted ways. Since that time, he was raised solely by his mother.
Wasiu Alabi’s father envisaged him becoming a medical practitioner, as he himself was a highly educated individual. He wished for his children to lead a good life, and the profession of Fuji musicians was not viewed as lucrative. His mother also disapproved of his intention to pursue a career as a Fuji musician.
However, once his mother recognized that he had made his choice, she began to back him. She desired for him to thrive because she wanted to be proud of her son.
During his youth, Pasuma aspired for success. Mushin was previously known for its mischievous inhabitants before Pasuma brought it to fame. He envisioned becoming widely recognized, and that dream became a reality. He felt he could not initiate his career elsewhere and made a decisive choice to leave the area to create an impact.
The artist began his singing journey while still in secondary school. While his peers engaged in sports, he and a few friends would set themselves apart to sing. In 1984, he commenced writing songs. The young performer drew inspiration from K1 De Ultimate, whose album Talazo 84 was immensely embraced by fans.
Wasiu commenced his musical journey at just 17, but his debut album was recorded in 1993. He partnered with Eru Owa Records. This is when his first album, titled Recognition, was launched. It was Eru Owa Records that named it Recognition to announce the arrival of the new Fuji artist in the industry.
After completing his secondary education, the musician underwent a considerable transformation. Following the release of his first album, Pasuma’s popularity expanded both within and beyond Mushin.
The subsequent year after the initial album’s launch, his second album, Choices, was recorded. The artist chose this name because he acknowledged that while there were numerous Fuji musicians in Mushin, only he was selected to become the new musical star renowned across Nigeria.
The following year, another hit album called Orobokibo was released. It earned him an accolade as The Best Fuji Artiste at the FMA awards. Prior to the launch of this album, Wasiu Alabi Pasuma resembled any other Fuji musician in Mushin. At that juncture, he was merely creating music, unaware of what the future had in store for him, yet he consistently dreamt of significant recognition.
The title of the third album was a colloquial term, Orobokibo, coined by one of Pasuma’s backup singers during rehearsal.
The musician inquired about the meaning of the term, which his colleague explained was simply slang he had encountered somewhere. Originally, the slang term Orobo translates to ‘plus-size women’. Orobokibo was the album that propelled him into the spotlight. This album led to his inaugural concert at Benson in 1996. This marked the beginning of his journey.
Starting in 1997, Pasuma began performing at Lekki Sunplash. Initially, he performed before more established stars like Orits Williki, Femi Kuti, and Raskimono. He had a limited time to showcase his talent before departing. Audiences were primarily focused on well-known artists and paid little attention to rising stars.
A year later, everything shifted for Wasiu, and he became a prominent figure in the music arena.
In 2015, he eclipsed many artists including Olamide, Phyno, and Flavor, securing the title of Best Indigenous Artist of the Year at the Nigeria Entertainment Awards. The musician never anticipated outshining such music titans.
While Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde remained dominant in the music scene while still young and vibrant, Pasuma received his first nomination. In 2016, he was nominated for the Best Featured Non-Islamic Artiste in an Islamic album. He has collaborated with numerous renowned Nigerian artists, including Saheed Osupa, Bola Abimbola, King Sunny Ade, and others.
Throughout his musical journey, he has released a significant number of Fuji music albums and one hip-hop album. Despite being rooted in a single genre, Pasuma has demonstrated remarkable versatility and productivity. At times he could produce 1 or 2 albums, and on occasions, up to 3 albums within a year.
He has also appeared in Nigerian films like Iyanje and Alenibare. Recently, he played a prominent role in a ghetto-themed film titled Ogo Mushin. The movie features notable personalities such as Femi Adebayo, Adebayo Salami, Wasiu Alabi (Pasuma), Mercy Aigbe, Tayo Odueke, Ibrahim Yekini, and Kelvin Ikeduba.
The musician’s net worth is estimated at N555 million. Wasiu rented residences for approximately 15 years until 2018 when he acquired two mansions in Nigeria. In November 2017, the musician, along with 27 friends and colleagues in the industry, unveiled a new mansion worth 60 million Naira in Lagos. He also possesses a 150 million Naira estate. The musician is wedded to actress Jaiye Kuti, who was born in Ilaro, Ogun State, on July 19th.
The celebrated Fuji artist has 3 baby mamas and 10 offspring (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 known to have studied at Lead City University in Ibadan, Oyo State.
His other children include Barakat, Wasbar, Amirah, Opeyemi, Sultan, Waris, and Aliyah. The names of two of his children remain unknown. Pasuma, who emerged from a modest background, has attained recognition both in Nigeria and internationally. Throughout his career, he has made substantial contributions to the Fuji music landscape.
