By Ogbonna Amadi, Entertainment Editor
Burial arrangement for late Fuji music Czar, Alhaji Ayinde Ololade Barrister, who died in a London hospital, suffered a set back following cancellation of flights on Lagos-London routes.

Flights to major European cities have been canceled as a result of bad weather and heavy snow.

Late Barrister was a Muslim and by Islamic tradition, a departed faithful is expected to be buried 24 hours after their demise.

The way things stand, the body of the late Fuji music icon, who is reputed to have redefined that genre of music that also gave him fame, may not be brought back home until there is a positive change in weather.

Would the situation have negated the tenets of Islam this reporter wondered?

“No. If  Alhaji, Barrister had died in the country, he would have been buried the next day, but since he died on foreign land, there is nothing anyone can do but to wait until the body is brought back home,” an Islamic cleric told Vanguard.

Aged 62, Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Ololade Barrister died last Thursday at St. Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, London,

News of his death ended the many months of anxiety and speculation over his state of health.

A veteran of the Nigerian Civil War, Alhaji Barrister was (along with Ayinla Kollington) one of the two greatest exponents of Fuji music, did much to popularise the genre.

At the height of his fame, Barrister headed a 25-piece band, Supreme Fuji Commanders.

He cut more than 40 records, among them the monster hit album entitled Fuji Garbage.

Reactions

Reacting to the news of his death, Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria, PMAN, President, Admiral Dele Abiodun said: “It’s really shocking and sad to accept that the great Fuji creator is no more. We at PMAN, are however consoled by the fact that Alhaji Barrister was an accomplished musician who did not only leave a good foot print on the sands of time, but also left a good vocal records. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace, Amen.”

Alhaji Lati Alagbada, the man whose record company almost single-handedly paid off the medical bills of the ailing musician, could only mutter Allahu Akbar, (Allah is great) when he was contacted on the phone.

Perhaps the news of Alhaji’s death may have hit him more because he had banked on recovering part of the expenses when the late musician records a new album.

When Vanguard visited the “Fuji Chambers”, the  musician’s palatial home at Isolo area of Lagos, there was a large crowd of sympathizers.