By Uche Amunike
Veteran Fuji maestro, Kolawale Rasaq Ilori, popularly known as Kollington Ayinla, has refuted the rumors making the rounds in the media space, that he is dead.
Reports had at first, been making the rounds on social media since Tuesday that the 75 year old Fuji musician was battling an undisclosed ailment and in fact was in critical health condition.
He however, opened up on the status of his health at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos.
Speaking, in a video that lasted two minutes and nineteen seconds, Kollington Ayinla thanked the Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu for supporting him during his illness.
He also expressed his thanks to the CMD of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Adetokunbo Fabanwo and the hospital management for all their care and support to him while on his sick bed.
He was grateful to God for giving him divine healing while also thanking his fans who offered one support or the other towards his recovery, stating that he is alive because of God, the Lagos State Governor, the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital and others.
His words: ‘I want to thank Lagosians. I want to thank the government of Lagos State Government and the management of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital and the team under the leadership of Adetokunbo O. Fabanwo. It is only God that can save life but I want to appreciate him and the team because I would have gone to the great beyond.’
‘I give it to the LASUTH. They are king for taking care of me. They deserve my salutations. LASUTH LASUTH LASUTH, you are king. They said I was dead, but I’m here speaking alive from the LASUTH now’, he stated in his native yoruba language.
He continued: ‘I thank Nigerians, those who could visit me and those who could not come. It wasn’t a slight ailment. I won’t use the ailment to repay you because many people thought I was dead, but we thank God. LASUTH saved my life, and I thank God. Those who sent money because they couldn’t come.’
The 75 year old Kollington Ayinla was born in August 1949. He is a native of Ilora, a town situated in the outskirts of a Ilorin in Kwara state. He’s nicknames included Baba Alatika, Baba Alagbado and Kebe-n-Kwara.
For many years, Kollington dominated the Fuji music scene with his late friend and competitor, Ayinde Barrister. They both helped in making the Fuji genre of music popular in their time and between the mid 1970s and late 1980s, both friends were ranked as the leading stars of Nigerian Fuji music.
Sadly, when the popularity of Fuji music started to grow, the market became big, simultaneously increasing the competition between Kollington Ayinla and his friend and partner, Ayinde Barrister.
When famous Apala musician, Haruna Ishola died in 1983, both Kollington Ayinla and his friend and partner, stood side by side at his burial.
In the 1980s, Ayinla took a major step when he established his record company, Kollington records, marking the beginning of his enduring prolific career which released music that spanned over 100 albums.
On December 16, 2010, Ayinde Barrister died in a London hospital.
