By Olaitan Ibrahim
As the ‘ganusi’ controversy between Muslim clerics and Fuji maestro, King Wasiu Ayinde continues to get Nigerians talking, his rival in the industry, Abass Akande (Obesere) enjoys public approval as he marked his 60th birthday with heartwarming donations.
Born on January 28, 1965, Akande, also known as Omorapala, commemorated his birthday by building a mosque for his former secondary school in Lagos.
The Fuji artiste also donated essential learning materials, including books and school bags, to students.
Sharing a video of the mosque on Instagram, Obesere said he won’t stop his philanthropic gestures.
“To God Be The Glory! Today, we commissioned the newly built mosque at my alma mater and also donated learning materials to the pupils. This will continue and won’t stop for a bit,” the singer said.
Obesere’s birthday celebration and donations came amid a lingering controversy that followed the burial of his counterpart Wasiu Ayinde’s mother, popularly known as K1 de Ultimate.
Recall that K1 became a subject of conversation on social media following his controversial remarks about Muslim clerics and his refusal to apologise to them.
Ahead of his late mother’s 8-day Fidau prayer, K1 was seen in a viral clip conversing with a man. In their discussion, he used the words ‘ganu si’ in reference to the clerics who visited his residence after his mother had been buried.
“Alfas will not go to my father’s house; it’s my house they will, “Ganu si,” he said in Yoruba.
Many Muslim clerics found the word ‘ganu si’ insulting as many interpreted it to mean the clerics attended social events uninvited primarily for pecuniary reasons.
During the 8-day Fidau prayer, which took place on Friday, January 24, a respected and popular cleric, Sheikh Faruq Onikijipa — who delivered a sermon at the event — urged K1 to apologise for his purported disparaging comment about the cleric, but the musician refused.
He said he didn’t do anything wrong, adding that tendering an apology would amount to admittance of guilt.
His refusal to apologise sparked reactions among the Muslim community as some supported him while others criticised him for allegedly belittling the clerics.