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Wives, children speak at Ayinde Barrister’s final burial

ON Wednesday, January 26, 2011, the final burial ceremony of the late music icon, Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Balogun, better known as Ayinde Barrister, was held at Tafawa Balewa Square, Onikan, Lagos.  The event tagged, ’40th day Special Fidau,’ was more or less a funfare as the place was besieged by his family, friends and fans from far and near.

The all-Ankara event was officiated by Islamic clerics, but the sermon for the day was given by famous Islamic preacher, Alhaji Muyideen Ajani Bello.

 

‘He was full of surprises’ – Babajide Balogun, son

How does it feel losing your dad at this crucial time in your life?

It feels sad.  I am particularly sad and destabilised.  His death was a big surprise to me because I spoke with him a day to his death.  I asked him when he was going to come back from London, he told me he won’t tell me the time, but he would surprise me. I didn’t know his death was what he meant.  The next day, around 10 a.m, I got a call from London that my dad had passed on. I didn’t believe it until I saw his corpse.  I couldn’t imagine his death because he was full of life when he was talking to me on phone.  But one thing about him throughout was that he was always full of surprises. I could remember about four years ago, he left home to rehearse and he composed the song for two weeks.  But when we got to the studio, the song he spent two weeks composing was yanked off.  He said it wasn’t up to his taste.  And within three hours, he recomposed the song and it was a big surprise to everyone in the studio, including myself.  Since that time, I started respecting his intelligence.

How would you describe him as a father?

He was a very great man apart from being a wonderful entertainer.  Why I loved him most was that he didn’t allow his job to get between him and his children. He was a polygamist, but one thing that was unique about my dad was that he loved all his children equally.  There is unity in the family. If my dad was abroad, he used to call his children one after the other; he would speak to all of us.  He was a very loving man.

How does it feel to be one of his children?

It feels great.  When I heard about his death, I broke down tears.  Then, a neighbour came to me and said, ‘Stop crying, you don’t know what you have lost now, it is when people start coming to his house, commiserating with you, appreciating your daddy that you will know exactly the value of what you have lost.’  Honestly, I feel like a super star being one of his children.

How is life going to be after his death?

My father had plans for all his children and losing him can’t change all the plans.  The only thing is that he won’t be there.

How old are you?

I am 21.

Which school are you presently and what are you studying?

I am a student of English Education, University of Lagos.

 

‘My father was a gem’ – Dr. Abayomi Balogun, son

How do you feel losing your dad?

It was a sad occurrence and I am yet to get over it.  But we still need to thank God for his life.

What would you miss most about him?

Everything one can miss about a very lovely and caring dad like him.  He was very loving and caring. No matter how many children he had, he always made sure he was close to everyone of us and he also made sure he gave us education.

What was your relationship with him like?

He was my confidant.  I always told him everything about my life.

Which school did you graduate from and what did you study?

I graduated from University of Lagos in 2004, I studied Medicine.

Are you married or single?

I am married.

How would you describe your dad’s exit from the entertainment industry and the country?

I am not an entertainment buff, but all I know is that he was gem.  A legend has gone and it will be very difficult to get a replacement for him.

 

‘He loved everybody’ – Qudus Balogun, son

How would you describe your dad?

He was a very loving, caring and nice dad.  He loved everybody.

How did you feel when you heard the news of his death?

I felt bad and sad. I felt a part of me had gone.

What would you miss most about him?

I would miss everything about my dad.  It is rare to get a father like him.

Which school are you?

I am at Top Stars International School, Ikorodu.  I am in SS1.

How old are you?

I am 13 years old.

How do you feel being one of his children?

I am just happy being his child.

 

‘My father was my best entertainer’- Damilola Balogun, daughter

How does it feel losing your father?

It feels very sad because his death was a great loss to the family and the country as a whole.

When you heard about his death, how did you feel?

Initially, I felt like it was over.

What was the last conversation you had with him?

He told me he was going to come back home because he had missed my cooking. But a few days after, he died. It was a big surprise to me.

How would you describe him as a father and an entertainer?

He was loving and caring. He was the best and he would forever be the best.  To me, there is no other entertainer better than him.

Which school are you in?

I am in the University of Lagos, studying Mass Communication, 300 level.

What would you remember your dad for mostly?

I would remember him for his love and care for all his children.  He was a man of peace.

 

‘He taught us to live in peace’ – Adebola Balogun, son

How would you describe your late dad as a father and entertainer?

He was a lovely father, a wonderful entertainer.

How would you describe his death?

It was painful.

What would you remember most about him?

He taught us how to live in peace.

What is your prayer for him?

May his soul rest in peace.

Are you a student?

I am through with school.

Which school did you attend?

I attended University of Lagos, I studied Psychology.

How old are you?

I am 29 years old.

 

‘He was a lovely father’ – Aminat Balogun, daughter

How would you describe your dad?

He was a lovely dad, he never joked with his children.

How would you describe his death?

It was so painful not to me alone but to everyone of us.  We just have to take heart.

What would you miss most about him?

Everything, he was just so loving and caring.

How old are you?

I am 15 years.

What is the name of your school?

Queen Diana International School, Agege, Lagos.

How does it feel being his daughter?

I feel very great.

 

‘There was no dull moment with him’

  • Agbeke Balogun, daughter

How do you feel about your father’s death?

It’s sad, but there is nothing we can do.  We loved him, Almighty Allah loves him most.  What I believe we owe him now is prayer.  May his soul rest in peace.  Amen.

What would you remember most about him?

Everything.  There was never a dull moment with him.  So, I would remember him for a lot of things.  In fact, he was a wonderful father.

Was there any promise he made to you before his death?

That should be confidential, if at all there is any.

What was your immediate reaction to the news of his death?

I wasn’t just myself.  I felt terribly bad. I was in the office that day, somebody broke the news, trying to sympathise with me without knowing I never heard anything about it.  I just replied, ‘Are you mad?  You people have started your rumour again, abi?’  But when I discovered it was true, I started crying, but there is nothing we can do.  He has gone and that is it.  We can’t see him again. I am so happy for him for a life well spent.  He lived his life to the fullest.

What would you miss most about him?

His love, care and kindness, not for the family alone, but for all around him.

How old are you?

I am 30 plus.

Which school did you attend?

I attended Osun State Polytechnic, later Lagos State University, where I had my B.Sc and Master’s in Business Administration.

 

‘I fainted when I heard of his death’

  • Alhaja Karimot Balogun, first wife

How do you feel about your husband’s death?

It was a sad occurrence, but we just have to accept that that was how it was destined to happen. Nobody can change destiny.  We believe his death was an act of God. But there is no way one won’t continue to think about him.  May Almighty Allah forgive him his shortcomings.

When you heard the news of his death, how did you feel?

When I heard he was dead, I fainted.  When I saw his corpse, I also fainted.  I was unconscious for sometime because his death still remains a rude shock in my heart.

For how long were you married to him?

That was long ago.

What position are you among his wives?

I am his first wife.

That means you’re the mother of Rasaq, his first son?

Yes, I am Rasaq’s mother and that is my only child.

How is life going to be without Ayinde Barrister?

I believe God will be with all his family members. I pray God will protect his wives and children.  We won’t experience any bad incident in the family and God Almighty will grant him the reward of Al-jannah because he was a good man.  I pray all his children will surpass his record and they will all live longer like he did.  Insha Allah.

What would you remember most about him?

Virtually everything.  We have a lot to remember him for.  Is it about his inspirational songs or the child I had for him, his kindness and a lot more?

How old are you, ma?

I am 61 years old.

 

‘He was unique’ – Omobayonle Balogun, wife

How would you describe late Alhaji Ayinde Barrister?

He was unique, spectacular, very caring.  Someone who had the interest of everyone in his heart.

How would you describe his death?

It was shocking, but I give God all the glory.  We believed it was the time he was destined to die.

When did you meet him?

That was 27 years ago.

How many children do you have for him?

I have one, a girl.

Where is she?

She is in the US.  She studied Philosophy and Sociology, she is now working.

How old is she?

She is 26.

How is life going to be after Ayinde Barrister?

Life is going to be good because he left a good legacy.  So, I don’t think there would be any problem for us.  We have always learnt to be independent, even when he was alive and without him now, I believe the same thing will be the vogue.

What do you do for a living?

I am a civil servant now, I used to be a journalist.

 

‘I can’t quantify the loss’ – Alhaja Adiat Balogun, wife

What would you miss most about Ayinde Barrister?

I will miss him so much because he was a very caring man, a nice man, a sweet man.  We are all going to miss him and I don’t think there would be anyone that can replace him.  We loved Alhaji a lot, but God loves him most.  We just pray that God gives him Al-jannah Fridaos.  He was a fantastic entertainer.

How would you place him in your heart?

He was my first love, he was my darling, my husband.  He was my everything.  He would always be in my heart.

How do you feel losing a man of that calibre?

I can’t even quantify the loss. He is gone and he is gone, we can’t see him again, it is painful.

When did you meet him?

That was 1975.

How many children do you have together?

I have a daughter, her name is Honey.  She is in England, she is 33 years old.

 

‘He will forever live in my heart’

  • Alhaja Kudirat Balogun, wife

When exactly did you begin with Alhaji Ayinde Barrister as husband and wife?

About 40 years ago.

How old is your first child now?

My first child is about 40 years also.  Her name is Shakirat Balogun.

How many children do you have for him?

I have just only one and that is Shakirat.

How do you feel about his death?

I feel very sad, but I only resigned to fate.  There is nothing one can do about death.  It is a terrible thing in my heart.  But my prayer is that his humble soul should rest in peace.

What would you remember most about him?

I would forever remember him for his melodious songs.  We started our relationship through his thought provoking songs and till he died, I still loved him.

 

‘He was a genius’ – Alimot Olabisi Balogun, wife

How would you describe Alhaji Agba, your late husband?

He was just a genius and a special being.  Very loving and caring.

How would you describe him as an entertainer?

He was a very good entertainer.  In fact, he was a legend of our time.

How does it feel missing him?

It feels so sad.  I only have my hope in God.  Nobody can take his place in my life.  I will forever miss him.

What would you remember most about him?

His love for his family.

Being among his many wives, how does it feel?

We all know he was a man of the people.  So, we knew when we married him.

When exactly do you marry him?

25 years ago.

How many kids did you have for him?

I have one girl, she is now in the US, she is a student.

 

‘He was a good man’ – Alhaja Fausat Balogun, wife

How would you describe late Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister?

He was a good man, a nice father that loved all his children and he really took care of them.

How would you describe his death?

It was a sad incident.  I received the news of his death with a rude shock.

What would you remember most about him?

I would forever remember him. He was the father of my daughter.

For how many years were you married to him?

About 40 years.

  • February 1, 2011
Encomium

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