How Onimama Fausiya, Leye Williams Emerged Stars Of Goldberg Ariya Repete 2017

FUNSHO AROGUNDADE/Ibadan

For more than 10 hours, the excited crowd inside the Trans Amusement Park on Friday July 21 was on their feet catching the fun of their lives as legendary Juju icon, King Sunny Ade; Fuji legend  King Wasiu Ayinde Marshall alongside music stars Alabi Pasuma, Taiye Currency and Adekunle Gold all created an exhilarated euphoria that kept the crowd glued to their positions for undiluted entertainment that spiced up the night and lit up the city of Ibadan.

It was a night of music and culture as the curtain was drawn in a spectacular style at the grand finale of the 2017 edition of Ariya Repete, the Yoruba cultural music talent hunt, sponsored by Goldberg.

From over 400 Juju and Fuji music talents that auditioned across seven cities of Akure, Ibadan, Ilorin, Ijebu Ode, Ado Ekiti, Abeokuta and Lagos, 10 finalists emerged from a keenly contested semi-finals in Abeokuta, Ogun State, preparing ground for the spectacular finals in Ibadan.

After various superb contests among the 5 finalists for Juju and another 5 for Fuji, the duo of Onimama Fausiya and Leye Williams both emerged overall winners in Fuji and Juju categories respectively.

Fausiya, a budding female Fuji musician from Ilorin, Kwara State clinched the overall prize of N1 million plus a recording deal in the Fuji category, while Leye Williams, a talented Juju artiste from Osun State clinched the same prize of N1 million with a recording deal in the Juju category.

An elated Fausiya, who is the first female artiste to clinch the Aare 1 of Fuji music under Ariya Repete platform, could not hide her excitement when announced the winner as she responded to the hearty cheers of the crowd who was astonished by her breathtaking performance.

She revealed that her belief in herself due to the inspiration she got from her dad who is also a Fuji musician led her to choose music as both her passion and career.

“I always watched my dad during rehearsals with his musical band while I was growing up, and it instilled the level of confidence and inspiration that has helped me in my own musical sojourn,” Fausiya said.

She added; “Words cannot express my feelings at the moment but I know that Ariya Repete has changed my life for the better. I will never forget this day.”

Leye Williams, who was crowned the Aare 1 of Juju music that same night also made history by being the first Juju artiste to be crowned under the cultural music talent hunt platform.

He expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Goldberg and Nigerian Breweries Plc for making the cultural contest an expanded music platform that also identifies with aspiring Juju artistes in Nigeria.

“I have not seen any other cultural music contest like Ariya Repete in the Southwest. My story and victory is a testimony that Juju music is alive again and will be revived fully amongst the youths who aspire to promote our Juju musical heritage, courtesy of Goldberg,” he said.

Azeez Ajani and Wasiu Onilewura emerged first and second runners up in the Fuji category and carted away N750,000 and N500,000  respectively, while Adeniyi Temitope and Yomi Bright emerged first and second runners up in the Juju category and also went home with N750,000 and N500,000 each.

Other contestants in both Fuji and Juju category who made it to the final this year received consolation prizes of N100,000 each.

Franco Maria Maggi, Marketing Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc congratulated the winners and implored them to be good ambassadors of the platform, Ariya Repete, which has brought them to the limelight.

“Congratulating you will not be enough, but I must enjoin you to be good ambassadors of this platform that seeks to discover and promote indigenous Yoruba music genres that has made you the newest Fuji and Juju superstars in Nigeria,” he said.

He challenged the other contestants to keep alive their dreams saying that they are all winners and must remain good ambassadors that should represent their musical passions in a positive light.

Fuji legend, KWAM1 used the occasion to acknowledge the success of Ariya Repete in its maiden edition saying that Nigerian Breweries has proved her capability of growing an entire music industry in Nigeria.

“To those of you that bring Fuji and Juju music back to reckoning, the industry thanks you. I hereby use Ariya Repete platform to commend Nigerian Breweries for their immense support to boost the industry that will preserve the cultural heritage of our people,” he affirmed.

It was a night filled with spectacle and musical excitement as the contestants and legendary artistes kept the audience excited by their magical performances.

Kudos were also extended to popular Nollywood actor, Odunlade Adekola, who was the anchor of the entire show for keeping the audience alive and make the night an interactive one.

Unlike some other shows, the Goldberg ambassador ensured that time management was strictly adhered to as he coordinated the event with intermittent ad-lib commentaries.

With Ariya Repete, Goldberg continues to bring to its consumers the best of Fuji and Juju music, two indigenous Yoruba music genres, aimed at promoting the culture of the people of South Western Nigeria, in line with the brand’s 3-point agenda of culture, respect and enjoyment.