WAR AMONG ISLAMIC SINGERS: ‘WE SUSPENDED ALAWIYE, LABAIKA FOR HOOLIGANISM AND WOMANIZING…. Wasiu Sadiq

Alhaji Wasiu Sadiq, President of Islamic Musician Association of Nigeria, [ISMAN] has thrown more lights on the lingering crisis that has engulfed its members of recent. He had an interview with Rahman Is’mail recently where he revealed many issues sorrounding the crisis.

We heard that you were behind the crisis that followed the Lagos chapter election of the Islamic Musicians Association Of Nigeria, (ISMAN) based on your position as the National President. Is that correct?

It is wrong for anyone to have imagined that. Of course, I’m aware of the campaign of calumny against me but one thing is that my name ought to be protected. I’m the president of the association, and I have had four years of experience piloting its affairs without any error. If someone now comes up with a story that I disorganized the election which I did not contest for; you should know that there’s more to that. Now, the issue of election is not the cause of the misunderstanding on ground. The election was conducted under credible, free and fair atmosphere but some members who realized that they were in the minority tried to cause breach of peace but thanks to the Nigeria police that quickly brought the situation under control. Before man and Allah, I swear with the sanctity of Holy K’aba, I don’t have personal candidate for the position of Amirat of Lagos State because the race was between Ashabi Baritide and Aminat Omotayebi and both of them are my good daughters in music and religion respectively. But the problem is, followers determine the winner in every contest especially in electoral fold. In a situation where two people are contesting, one must surely scale through but the ability to accept defeat was the problem. The accreditation and election were done openly.

Hamad Alawiye has accused you of being a bad and corrupt leader, claiming that you caused the ISMAN problem. What can you say to that?

I do not want to talk about Alawiye because the organization has already taken a step against him. Anyway, to the best of my knowledge, he was initially being paranoid because of what he had done. He never knew how the organization would deal with him after several atrocities had been committed by him; that is why he’s being preemptive of the discipline that the organization would bring to him.

What has the organization done to him?

He has been suspended as I’m talking to you, a letter of suspension has got to him.

What were his offences?

It is not even on the basis of election because he did not contest for any post. My brother, there is no crisis of any kind in ISMAN right from the state to the national level. What we are doing right now is reforming and restructuring. This organization has lost some value and integrity in the society due to the atrocities being committed by some few individuals whereby people are now beginning to regard the innocent ones among us as corrupt professionals. This is the issue we are dealing with at the moment and Hamad is not the only member who has been suspended. Ibrahim Labaika too was suspended. It is just the two of them.

So, what really went wrong?

Their offences are quite enormous. The organization has been trying to endure and call them to order because the kind of shame they are inflicting on the members through their waywardness is getting unbearable and you know, we are not singing secular music, we’re supposed to serve as role model to people but in a situation whereby a supposed role model turned out to be a man of bad conduct, what do you expect. So, these are the things we are working on to bring to order through hard policy. For instance, all the Nigerian artistes are clamouring for change on how to curb piracy and can you believe that one of the members of Islamic Musicians Association of Nigeria in the person of Hamad Alawiye pirated the jobs the association did for the Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola during the campaign for his reelection to the office? The job was titled WINNER. I’m telling you an obvious fact because he made the confession to the association. This is not to mention how he looted and embezzled Alimosho branch treasury just because he was entrusted with the collective fund meant for the branch. His hooliganism is nothing to go by. When he came up with the title OgaNla of Islamic song, as the president of the association he belongs to, I personally kicked against those condemning him and why I did that was based on the fact that, I know that such claim could paint us in bad light in the society but as a well tutored and experienced person. I know that not every man on earth is destined to achieve his goal through peaceful and legal means. I said to people then that this is how this man began his career and his fans loved him for that; I advised them to leave him alone as long as he did not contravene the rules and regulations of our constitution which is in accordance with the commandment of Almighty Allah in the holy Qur’an and the Hadith of the Prophet Muhammed (SAW). But unfortunately, Alawiye derailed and started misbehaving; engaging in public fight with Fuji artistes, like turning himself to a corporate beggar among fans and all that stuffs. Labaika was suspended by the organisation due to incessant complaints we are getting from people alleging him of hooliganism and womanizing.

We heard that these two artistes have left ISMAN to form their own organization…

They formed association? ISMAN is unaware of that, (he asked people around him if they heard of it and they said not at all). I wouldn’t know how true that is, but if that is true, I’m sure whoever knows their history will never pitch tent with them.

Are you the founder of ISMAN?

No, I am not. The organization was founded by the late renowned lecturer, Alhaji Abdulateef Adebowale. He was never a singer, he just came up with the idea of having one body that will bring together all Islamic music practitioners then. When the organization was formed, it was registered under the Corporate Affairs Commission, (CAC). The first meeting held at the old NTA channel 7 with Alhaji Abdullahi Akinbode who is now the founder and the national missioner NASFAT, emerged the first president. After his reign, Alhaji Waheed Ariyo of the blessed memory took over as president while I took over from Waheed Ariyo and the collective efforts of Ariyo and I expanded the wings of the organization to other states within the south-west region of the country.

What are you missing about the passing of Alhaji Ariyo?

I’m missing his sound advice and verse knowledge in bringing things to order.

What is the latest about you?

I’ve been off and on. I travelled

to America in 2012, I came back in 2013, I went back last year and I came back a while ago. Of course, it has been long I released an album but by Allah’s grace, I’m releasing a new album soon titled  “Aya mi Owon”.

How is your home doing, your wife, Alhaja Afsat, especially?

My home is doing well. My wife is doing fine and our union is still going strong. God used me to bring my wife to the music limelight. I compose and do a lot of things for her just for both of us to have a shining career. I did a duet with her which made her popular. That song was titled ‘Ola Fathia’.