The multi-dimensional exhibition will run at the Africa Centre from the 18th to the 28th August.
This August, the Africa Centre in London will present FUJI: A Opera, a multi-dimensional exhibition which tells the story of the fuji music genre – one of the most important in Nigeria’s history and how it has gone onto influence the Afrobeats artists who top the charts today (such as Burna Boy and Wizkid).
Throughout the exhibition, there will be never seen before archive footage and artefacts, to explore the belligerent past of fuji music, highlight its founding footprints, and celebrate its rich subculture from the early 1960s to the present day.
FUJI: A Opera will be told through archival footage of previous performances, audio installations and incredible memorabilia across the 60-year history of fuji music. Going headfirst into the history of fuji, it looks at the origins in the Yoruba-Muslim communities of Nigeria’s South-West and the vision of pioneer Ayinde Barrister, who dubbed his sound “fuji” after seeing an airport ad for the famous Japanese mountain.
Talking about the exhibition, Founder of FUJI: A Opera, Bobo Omotayo, said: “Now feels like the perfect time to celebrate the phenomenal influence of fuji music, how it began and its lasting impact. Without fuji there would be no Afrobeats. Artists such as King Wasiu Ayinde Marshall have given so much to music – it’s time we celebrate their legacy. With London’s huge Nigerian community and close links with Lagos, I’m proud to be bringing FUJI: A Opera to the Africa Centre this summer.”
The exhibition was originally staged in 2020 in Nigeria, marking the longest showcase of the fuji subculture in modern times. FUJI: A Opera will make its international premiere in the UK at the Africa Centre, which has been the home of African heritage and culture since it first opened its doors in 1964.
Tickets for the exhibition are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting: https://fujiopera.com/