Pasuma biography and path to success
Wasiu Alabi Pasuma biography is full of interesting facts. Learn more about the popular Fuji musician's early life, music and acting career, family, net worth and many more.
Pasuma Alabi's biography
Wasiu Alabi Oganla, also known as Pasuma, was born on November 27, 1967.
How old is Pasuma?
As of 2018, Wasiu Alabi Oganla Pasuma age is 51. Last year he had a great celebration for his 50th birthday.
Childhood
Pasuma’s birthplace is Mushin Lagos State, Nigeria. In Mushin, the future artist attended mission primary school. In 1979, he moved with his family to Kwara State and attended Nigerian model high school for his secondary school education.
In one of the interviews, Wasiu Alabi said that he has gone through hell, suffering as he was single-handedly raised by his mother as his parents got separated when he was nine years old. He said there were days when they had no food to eat at all and days when they only ate once a day. There were other days when his mother insisted that he ate before going to sleep while she would go to bed hungry. Some days she would give him money to school but some days she wouldn’t.
The artist also said that growing up in Mushin was been a rough time for him. He explained that there was something about Mushin that people ran away from:
“When someone asks you where you are from and you say Mushin, they don’t want to have anything to do with you”.
But the singer perceived it as a challenge. When he was a young boy living in Mushin, he decided that he wanted to get out of the place and make people know that it was not only rascally people that came out of Mushin.
Pasuma’s father wanted him to be a medical doctor. His father, a well-educated man, didn’t want his son to have a rough life which musician career was associated with. His mother didn’t want her son to be a Fuji musician as well. She told to Wasiu Alabi:
“Do you want your father’s family to think I don’t know what I am doing, that I am not taking care of you? Do you want your father’s words to come to pass?”
Then he told her:
“Mummy, don’t worry, I will survive it”.
He didn’t expect that everything would be like that, he just told his mother not to worry. After she realized after so much persuasion that he had chosen his path, she supported him:
“She supported me with prayers. She encouraged me to succeed because she wanted to be able to stand before my father and his family and proudly say this is her son in spite of all they had said. And thank God it has come to pass. My daddy and his family now point to me saying “omo wani, omo wani” meaning he is our son. For my success, I will give thanks to God and to my mum”.
Photo: sheikhiyanuolohunblog.com.ng
Music career
Wasiu Alabi Oganla is a Nigerian Fuji musician and film actor. Being the leading artist in his musical genre, he is always in the spotlight. Pasuma started his musical career in 1984, at the tender age of 17. Though he only had the opportunity to record his first album in 1993. This debut album titled “Recognition” made the artist popular. The artist said he titled the album “Recognition” because he was seeking for recognition then.
King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal was the person who inspired Pasuma to do music. Deep inside the young singer felt he could do more. He often gathered his friends and sang. The passion for music was so strong that he decided to leave the Nigeria Model High School and go into music fully. In 80’s and 90’s, he used to play at the hotels in Mushin, Ojuelegba, Ebute Metta, Surulere, Jibawi and others. In 1993, Eru Owa Records offered the artist to record an album for him. He refused initially, but they insisted and urged him to try. In the end, they signed an agreement which gave birth to his debut album titled “Recognition”.
The artist started playing and performing on the stage since 1984 after his secondary education but the truth is has been on the street for a very long time. Pasuma explained that being on the street made him a successful Fuji musician because his father didn’t want him to play Fuji music. Unlike Juju which takes its root from gospel or church music, Fuji music is a street music which helped Pasuma become somebody who he was that day.
The second album, “Choices” was released the following year and the third album in 1995 titled “Orobokibo”. This album earned him “The best Fuji artist” award at the FMA awards.
To celebrate 30 years of the musician career, the Fuji star Alabi Pasuma decided to release a hip-hop album. Even if you have never heard any Pasuma music, you might easily recognize him as the Fuji musician who didn’t sound like any other Fuji musician.
On August 2015, Pasuma released his debut hip-hop album titled “My World” which featured Olamide, Oritse Femi, Tiwa Savage, and Patoranking to mention a few. Even though Pasuma remained faithful to his musical roots and Yoruba street lifestyle that he lived, he always was interested in hip-hop lifestyle Nigerian artists like Wasiu Ayinde Barrister, Osupa, KWAM1 lived. Even the way Pasuma dressed was a ‘hip-hop’ style: denim jackets, Tommy Hilfiger shirts, baggy jeans, Kangol caps, and Heavy style glasses. The attempts to become a hip-hop star might seem ridiculous for somebody, but his influence on hip-hop music and even careers of the known singers like Olamide is quite significant.
Photo: ofofozone.com
On September 6, 2015, Pasuma passed Olamide, Phyno, Flavor emerging the winner of Best Indigenous Artist of the year at the Nigeria Entertainment Awards. In 2016, Pasuma was nominated for the Best featured Non-Islamic Artiste in Islamic album alongside Saheed Osupa, Sule Alao Malaika, Shefiu Alao, Taye Currency, Muri Thunder.
Pasuma has collaborated with many prominent entertainment stars including Bola Abimbola, King Sunny Ade, Patoranking, Tiwa Savage, Olamide, Oritse Femi and Reekado Banks to mention a few. Pasuma is regarded as one of the top 10 talented Nigerian Fuji musicians of all times. The artist surely passed a long path to becoming a successful musician.
READ ALSO: Top 10 richest Fuji musicians in Nigeria
Wasiu Alabi Pasuma has recorded and released over 30 fuji music albums. Here is a list of all the albums the artist released. They are arranged in the order they were released:
- Recognition, 1993
- Choice, 1994
- Orobokibo, 1995
- So Far So Good, 2012
- Computer
- The man
- Confidence
- Loyalty, 2013
- London experience
- London Scope
- Afican Puff Daddy
- Entertainer
- American
- Extervanganzer
- Desperado
- High and joker
- Judgment
- Unique and superior
- Fuji Motion
- Maintain and Sustain
- Initiator
- Importer and exporter
- Stability
- In and out
- Brain box and Stadium
- Role Model
- Feel it
- Ability
- Yankee Party Time
- Sure pass, 2013
- Role Model, 2013
- Stability, 2013
- Infinity, 2013
- Influential
- Purity
- December tonic
- Torin tilu
- My World, 2015
- Me, Myself and I
- Undefeated
- Compatibility
- Goodness and Mercy
- Wisdom and Maturity
Pasuma is known to play in a few Benson and Hedges concerts from 1996 to 1998. He performs in concerts in Nigeria and abroad.
Here are the most popular Wasiu Alabi Pasuma songs:
- Gbemisoke
- So Far So Good, part 2
- Ogede Ti Pon
- Iseju Meji (ft 9ice)
- Abegi Anu
- Abilit, part I
- So Far So Good, part 1
- Sabaka Night
- Mushini
- Whyne am
- Kowale
- Change
- Action (ft Olamide)
- Quality
- Olorun Oje (ft Q dot)
- Am on fire (ft Phyno)
- Labe igi (ft Oritse Femi)
- Oruka
- Our Lagos (ft Patoranking)
- Ife (Ft Tiwa Savage)
- Ogede ti pon
- Abo
- Oganla (ft Olamide and Lil Kesh)
READ ALSO: Who is the richest between Pasuma and Osupa?
The artist got the name “Pasuma” in 1997 from his musical pal Adeola Omotayo, the CEO of Heavy Sounds. The artist is also known under the names Pasuma Wonder, Oganla Fuji.
The singer says that once, after watching him on the stage on several occasions, Adeola Omotayo called him aside and asked:
"Jibola do you know that the way you bounce and jump about on the stage, reminds one of a guy I know who uses a brand of energiser called Pasuma Strong?" “My feeling then was, if the drug is that good, maybe, it could bring me luck”.
Since he had never heard of the name Pasuma and how the drug worked he became curious. After that encounter, he spent a few nights thinking about the name Pasuma and, in the end, decided to adopt it and add Wonder instead of Strong, the artist explained.
Pasuma changed the Wasiu Alabi and his Fuji Cabaret to Wasiu Alabi and his Pasuma Wonder Band.
Pasuma's contribution to Fuji music
Pasuma has contributed to Fuji music significantly. When the Pasuma’s album Orobokibo was released, it became obvious that the musician is going to attract money bags. By the end of the 90’s, the genre of Fuji music had become one of the most popular dance genres in Nigeria. He became popular with the street type of Fuji music. Due to its popularity with young Nigerians, Fuji is now the main trend in Nigerian hip-hop music.
While a lot of people considered fuji music a street music, Pasuma had done a lot to change that perception:
“People called it street music, some others called it gutter music but I call it good music. I have not allowed it to affect me or my career. People like KWAM1, tried to make people have a better understanding of fuji music. I would not say his efforts did not yield much because he did everything to ensure that fuji music becomes the kind of music everybody would love to be identified with”.
On his own part, Pasuma mingled with hip-hop artists who were considered the elite in the music industry. He is known to infuse hip-hop into fuji music. This was achieved by working with different hip-hop artists who featured him in their songs and he featured them in his as well. The songs were accepted among listeners. Because of that, people began to see Fuji music in another light. Pasuma is one of the artists who have given a new meaning to fuji music.
READ ALSO: How many houses does Pasuma have?
Acting career
As an actor, has been featured in such Nigerian movies as “Aiye Miami”, “Iyanje”, “Jaiyeola Ni Mo N Je” and “Alenibare” to mention a few. In total, he acted in more than 30 Yoruba movies. Like a true pop star, he has entered the movie industry, appearing in some Nollywood films. Pasuma has reportedly dated several actresses from this industry, namely, Ayo Adesanya, Bisi Ibidapo-Obe and SheBaby. These are only a few of names he’s been alleged to have dated.
Pasuma has been featuring in movies for a while but he suddenly stopped. The reason for this was that he was a music person and also an entertainer. As he said, people saw the acting potential in him, and they tapped into it. But the artiste considers himself first a musician before anything else.
Photo: youtube.com
What is Wasiu Alabi as a person?
In one of the interviews, the famous musician said that he was a cool-headed, gentle, and indoor person. He doesn’t go out unless it is important for him to do so. He watches movies a lot, especially when he doesn’t have a show. He also watches football too because he is an Arsenal fan. He loves to be with his family. He also loves to help people solve their problems because he believes that God has given him the wisdom to solve people’s problems. But people who don’t know him would say he is a difficult and tough person. The singer said that the people who are close to him knows that he was a simple person who didn’t want people to suffer because he had gone through hell, while he was young.
Pasuma's wife
In the film titled “Jaiyeola Ni Mo N Je” produced by Yoruba actress Jaiye Kuti, Pasuma played the role of her fiance and husband. There were rumors that Jaiye Kuti got married to the actor. Jaiye Kuti said that she never dated Pasuma explaining that the on set photos of them were from the movie. She also explained that she chose Pasuma to feature in the film because he was very popular and that it would encourage people to buy the movie.
One more actress Pasuma was reportedly in a serious relationship with, was Ronke Odusanya a.k.a Flaky Ididowo who, according to his words, he planned to marry. However, according to the latest information, as for now Pasuma does not have an official wife, and the Fuji maestro says that he feels comfortable.
Photo from: madailygist.ng
Pasuma's children
Wasiu Alabi Pasuma is known to have ten children (two boys and eight girls) from three different women. The oldest Pasuma’s daughter is 28. The artist had his first child when he was 23.
Pasuma has been married once, but he got divorced. There were rumors that he had over 20 children but the singer rejected them explaining that such rumors could be spread by those who didn’t really know him.
Photo: 9jastartv.blogspot.com
Pasuma's net worth
It is known that Ayinde Wasiu Marshal, Osupa and Pasuma have always been in contention of who is the richest Fuji musician. That’s true that Pasuma is called the King of Fuji music, but he is not the richest Fuji musician in Nigeria. The wealthiest Fuji musician is Ayinde Wasiu Marshal, Pasuma’s inspiration and mentor.
The estimated net worth of Pasuma Wonder is N455 million as of 2018. Pasuma is known to own two mansions, in Omole with a cost of N60 million and OPIC. The musician also owns expensive cars including Range Rover jeep and Toyota Highlander SUV.
Wasiu Alabi Pasuma is a hugely talented musician who built his career from very poor beginnings. This is a very productive professional who releases nearly 5 albums each year. Pasuma’s contribution to Fuji music cannot be compared to any other musician. One can even say that he is a remarkable Fuji artist other artists would like to be.
READ ALSO: Who is Pasuma's father?
Source: Legit.ng
