Fuji music legend Adewale Ayuba shared his remarkable journey to the United States in an intimate interview with Teju Babyface, revealing how a three-month tour in 1995 turned into an unexpected exile due to political upheaval under Sani Abacha’s regime.
Ayuba recounted, “I left for America with my full band members in 1995 for a summer show and others. We came to America for about three months and then returned to Nigeria.
“Before we left Nigeria, we recorded an album asking the government to release all the political detainees, particularly the late Moshood Abiola. We had the album ready and released it just after we left Nigeria.
“So, I received a call from Abuja saying that the late Sani Abacha was looking for me. They asked if I was back and told me they loved me in America and that I should stay put.
“I returned to Nigeria in 1998 when Abacha died. The three years I stayed in America were by the grace of God because He is a good planner.
“When I was in America, I realised that I could only perform shows on weekends. My Monday to Friday was free. What could I do with it? So, I enrolled in school. That’s where I met my wife.
“After that, I partook in a lot of activities. Doing so was like I started building another foundation in America.
“That was not easy. From there, I completed my documentation and became an American citizen. So, I’m already a citizen of this country. It’s part and parcel of me.”
