Wasiu Olatunbosun, Oyo commissioner for culture and tourism, presented the award at the 2025 Egungun Festival held at the Liberty Stadium, Ibadan on Thursday.

Olatunbosun described the late musician as “the pioneer of Fuji music and a cultural ambassador who projected the genre to the world”.

“The person we all grew to know as the catalyst that created Fuji music is Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister without any controversy,” Olatunbosun said.

In a statement on Friday, Laide Olawumi, chairman of the Sikiru Ayinde Barrister Musical Festival Forum, and its secretary Ademola Adesigbin, hailed Seyi Makinde, Oyo governor, for recognising the late icon’s legacy.

They disclosed that Ayinde’s influence had empowered generations of fuji musicians, percussionists, instrumentalists, and other professionals.

The group also expressed concern over attempts by some Fuji musicians to distort Ayinde’s legacy.

“We commend Governor Seyi Makinde for counting Barrister worthy of the legendary award on this occasion of the World Egungun Festival,” the statement reads.

“We also commend the Makinde admnistration for repositioning Yoruba cultural identity among global ethnic groups.”

The award ceremony drew notable Fuji artistes including Modinat Ashabi Barrytide and members of BarryFest, who gathered to celebrate the enduring influence of the late music icon.

Ayinde passed away on December 16, 2010, in the United Kingdom after battling an undisclosed ailment.

Regarded as the pioneer of Fuji and Wéré music, Ayinde was born on February 9, 1948.

He ventured into music in 1965 and released over 70 studio albums.

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