In the crowded streets of Lagos, music has always been more than rhythm, it has been survival, memory, and identity. Two men rose from different corners of the city, bound by that pulse. Wasiu Alabi Pasuma, the Fuji sensation from Mushin, and John Odafe Asiemo, the beloved Daddy Showkey of Ajegunle, stood as pillars of two distinct sounds.
Pasuma, known to millions as “Oganla,” modernised Fuji, giving it the swagger of the new generation. Daddy Showkey, with his signature Galala style, turned the struggles of the streets into national anthems. Yet behind their fame lay a story of quiet friendship that would reveal itself only through tragedy.
The Accident That Silenced a Voice
In 2007, Daddy Showkey’s booming voice and stage energy were silenced by a terrible accident. He was bedridden for years, his movement restricted, his music career suddenly frozen. The man who had once filled arenas found himself alone in recovery, fighting pain, and despair.
During that time, his phone grew silent. The music industry moved on. Many who had cheered him disappeared. But there was one friend who did not, Pasuma.
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Pasuma’s Hidden Kindness
While Daddy Showkey struggled with recovery, Pasuma quietly took care of his family. There were no press releases, no headlines, no cameras. He sent help, checked on them, and made sure his friend’s home did not fall apart during those dark years.
Years later, on a brightly lit stage in June 2025, Daddy Showkey finally told the world what had happened. With tears in his voice, he said, “Pasuma was the one taking care of my family. I can never forget him in my life.”
The crowd erupted in applause. For the first time, the private act of loyalty between the Fuji king of Mushin and the Ghetto Soldier of Ajegunle became public knowledge.
A Bond Forged in Hardship
The story of Pasuma and Daddy Showkey is not just a celebrity tale; it is a parable about friendship in the face of hardship. In the Lagos music world, where fame is fleeting and loyalty rare, their bond became a symbol of enduring brotherhood.
Daddy Showkey later explained that he spent nearly three years recovering after the 2007 accident. During that period, his ability to earn was gone. He could not perform or record, and his household depended on the kindness of others. Pasuma, who owed him no debt but shared his heart, stepped in.
No written contract bound them, and no camera documented the gesture. It was the kind of help that needed no witnesses.
The Day of Gratitude
In 2025, when Showkey stood again on stage beside Pasuma, his gratitude was visible. The two men embraced under the lights, one who had fallen and risen again, and one who had refused to let his friend fall alone.
For many who watched that moment, it was more than entertainment. It was history reclaiming its voice. The streets of Mushin and Ajegunle, often divided by rivalry and poverty, were united through that embrace.
The story spread quickly across Nigerian media, reminding millions that compassion still breathes within the noisy world of fame.
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Legacy of Loyalty
Pasuma never boasted about his kindness. He continued performing, making albums, and representing Fuji music around the world. Yet, among his many achievements, this act of friendship became one of his most enduring legacies.
For Daddy Showkey, it was a lesson in faith and resilience. His public acknowledgment was not just to thank Pasuma but to remind the younger generation that loyalty is a form of love that time cannot erase.
The tale of these two men stands as a chapter in Nigerian music history, one that speaks not of beats or fame, but of humanity.
Author’s Note
In the heart of Lagos, amid the noise of fame and the rhythm of survival, the friendship of Pasuma and Daddy Showkey shines quietly. Their story teaches that real brotherhood is not declared in good times but proven in silence when the world looks away.
References
“Pasuma took care of my family for three years – Daddy Showkey.” Vanguard News, June 24, 2025.
“How Pasuma fed my family for 3 years – Daddy Showkey.” PM News Nigeria, June 24, 2025.
“Friends I helped abandoned me after accident – Daddy Showkey reveals why he stopped singing.” PM News Nigeria, April 29, 2020.
“Daddy Showkey calls Pasuma his only friend, hails him for always supporting him.” Pulse Nigeria, June 23, 2025.
“How Pasuma fed my family for three years – Daddy Showkey.” Tribune Online, June 25, 2025.
“At a time, I was almost paralysed – Daddy Showkey.” Modern Ghana, 2020.
