Popular Fuji musician Adewale Ayuba has shared details about his relocation to the United States in a recent interview with Teju Babyface.
Ayuba explained that his initial move to the U.S. happened in 1995 during a three-month summer show with his band.
However, due to political circumstances under the regime of the late military head of state, Sani Abacha, Ayuba was unable to return to Nigeria.
He revealed that after releasing an album advocating for the freedom of political detainees, including the late Moshood Abiola, he faced serious threats.
After Abacha’s death in 1998, Ayuba returned to Nigeria to perform at the Benson and Hedges Concert. During his extended stay in the U.S., he enrolled in school and completed the necessary documentation to become an American citizen. Ayuba also mentioned that he met his wife in America.
Ayuba emphasized that his choice to convert to Christianity was personal and brought him closer to God. He explained that his inability to pray in Arabic had long hindered his practice of Islam, and he found solace and happiness in Christianity, particularly in the teachings of Jesus Christ.
He said, “People claim Ayuba is a Muslim. Have they seen me in the mosque? If I were practising Islam, wouldn’t someone have noticed,” he questioned.
“Why is this an issue? Can they let me be? They say I should pray five times daily, but I’m not. My mother is an Alhaja, and although my father never went to Mecca, we practice Islam at home.”
Ayuba emphasized that his choice was personal and brought him closer to God.
“I chose Jesus Christ because he proclaimed, ‘I am the truth, the way, and the life’. This is my personal choice.”
Adewale Ayuba began his music career as a teenager and released his first album, Ibere (Beginning), in 1986. The 59-year-old musician is celebrated for his albums such as Bubble, Turn Me On, Ijo Fuji, and Koloba Koloba.
