Review of Mr. Fuji: Barry Wonder—The First Episode of the Fuji Documentary

This engaging and richly informative documentary explores fújì, one of Nigeria’s most popular music genres, through the life and work of its founder Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister.

Combining archival photos and film clips, contemporary performances, and interviews with a wide range of the musician’s associates – band members, sound engineers, actors and actresses, family members, friends, fújì artists, media scholars, fan club organisers – its expert editing moves us swiftly and satisfyingly through a multitude of facets of the art of “Barry Wonder”.

These include the historical context of the Nigerian civil war followed by the oil boom; Barrister’s biography, from a disadvantaged childhood to extraordinary fame, wealth and social prominence achieved through the sheer genius of his musical creativity; the history of the fújì musical genre itself; the internal dynamics of the band and Barrister’s relations with patrons, politicians and the press; Barrister as husband and father; his last years, illness and death in 2010; and the impressive efforts made by his legions of fans to come together to create lasting memorials.