01/01/2026
40YEARS WITHOUT KAMORU AKANJI AYANSOLA (December 31, 1985)
40years have passed, yet the silence left by Kamoru Akanji Ayansola still echoes across the drums of Fuji genre.
Ayansola Akanji joined Barrister's band in the late 1970s, precisely in 1977, as a bẹmbẹ drummer. By 1979, he had transitioned to the Apala drum, popularly known as the gángan. This was the instrument he played in Fuji Reggae Series 2 released in 1979. In 1980, Barrister officially introduced the Apala drum in his Ayé album, excitedly declaring:
"Apala kan sese de lowo omo Ayansola. Akanji Ade miiii…"
When Ayansola joined the band, Oyadolu was serving as the captain. Between the late 1979 and early 1980, a misunderstanding erupted between Sikiru Ayinde Barrister and Oyadolu shortly after their return from London. That disagreement led to Oyadolu's exit from the band, and in its wake, Ayansola Akanji rose to become the captain.
Trouble later brewed between Barrister and Ayansola when Ayinde persuaded him to switch to the Sakara drum. That was not Ayansola's area of expertise. He struggled to adapt. In 1984, Oyadolu returned to the band, and Ayansola walked away. One cannot forget Barrister's haunting line:
"Tó bá lọ jẹ́wọ ni lọ́jọ́ kan ńkó?"
Dr. Sikiru Ayinde Barrister deeply felt Ayansola's absence. He missed him profoundly. At the time, SAB had relied heavily on Ayansola to lift the spirit of the stage with something extraordinary. During performances, Barrister would call out:
"Kamoru, èdò rè ni o lù!"
"Ìlù dowó Hajji Kamoru!"
"Ó dowó Hajji Kamoru Ayansola mi o!"
Those words were more than calls; they were acknowledgements of mastery.
In 1980, SAB recorded Oke Agba at the Phonodisk Studio of the legendary Apala maestro, Alhaji Haruna Ishola. Watching Ayansola's dexterity and command of the drum, Haruna Ishola strongly advised Barrister never to let him go. He saw true professionalism in him.
Ayansola later joined the band of Iyanda Abiodun Sawaba, and his arrival caused a major breakthrough. It was during this period that Sawaba released Pata Olokun, a record that enjoyed massive success in the market.
Then came December 1985. Ayansola fell ill and was taken to a hospital in Osogbo, where he spent days battling for his life. Sadly, on the 31st of December 1985, Kamoru Akanji Ayansola breathed his last. The loss shook the entire Southwest. The Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS) and the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), both in Ibadan, mourned him deeply. Newspapers and magazines featured Ayansola's death. The late Chief Yemi Ogunyemi paid tribute on NTA Ibadan. In 1986, Iyanda Sawaba released a dirge titled Ayansola Special, featuring Elewi Kabiti, who delivered a soul-piercing poem in his honour.
Ayansola hailed from Ibadan, Abẹ́bì, nile Olúyọ̀lé tiwa. He was born into the family of Chief Yusuf Amuda and Madam Adepate.
Although Barrister did not dedicate a track to him in any of his subsequent albums, as far as I know, he sang a moving dirge for Ayansola at a show in Ibadan in 1986.
Ayansola Akanji Igijegede
Ọmọ pupa bí edé
Ọmọ Adepate
Ojoojúmọ́ ló ń ní àlejò pupa
Iyán pupa, ọbẹ̀ pupa lórí ẹní pupa
Ojú ń tí alejo, ojú ń ti iyán
Akanji, ọmọ Amuda Yusuf ní Ìbàdàn
Ọkọ Tayelolu ọkọ Kudi
Welenjọ olówó, abeyin funfun keke ́ l'abe ẹnu
Agbara ojò tí ń bá wọn jà
Tii bá tòde baba wọn lọ
Èbìtì pejọ poró
̀Paramole abilu wara-wara
Aguntasolo ọkọ ọmọkẹ́hìndé
Ayansola Akanji, olópà gbéyùn gbé sègi
Irun orí bí adé ṣe sègí ileke
Ègbẹ́ méjèèjì lotútù segi
Ẹ̀yàn tó pọn towọ́ tesẹ̀ bí òlèlè àwẹ̀
Akanji alùlù f'óge rábàbà
Akanji ọmọ ode ará Ìrẹsà
Ọmọ elépo résúrẹ́sú ojú omi
Ayansola Akanji
Ibi o bá wà, ilé re o!
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