PASUMA IN MURDER MESS

By Victor Enengedi and Ngozi Akums

Pasuma one of Nigeria’s most prominent Fuji musicians, Wasiu Alabi Odetola, popularly known as Pasuma Wonder is currently enmeshed in a murder mess.

From all indications, the Fuji veteran who recently celebrated 20 years on stage may be on his way into police net if matters are not well handled. Eye witnesses are saying that a member of the convoy of the Fuji star over-ran a teenage fan after Pasuma’s vehicle knocked down the victim on their way from a show at Idimu-Council area of Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State.

The victim, Bidemi, a 12-year old fan of the ‘Orobokibo’ singer is said to have been lurking around to get a glimpse of the star as he was leaving the St. Augustine Events Hall, Isheri-Idimu where the show took place only to lose his life in the process. ‘Pasuma was trying to avoid the area boys as he was leaving and so he was driving fast and it happened that he knocked the boy down and the vehicle behind him ran over the boy’, an eye witness told NET correspondent.

Pasuma is said to have been driving in his newly acquired Range Rover Sports and did not bother to slow down to find out what had happened. ‘He sped off without caring’, another eye witness said.
But the singer’s minders insist he’s innocent and absolutely unaware of what happened after he left the event venue. Those close to Pasuma told NET he wasn’t initially aware of the situation and that the decease may have been hit by a random car coming behind the musician.

NET investigations reveal that ‘Paso’, as the singer is fondly called in the streets was trying to avoid the area boys who were desperate to extort him. It has become an accepted tradition in the Fuji industry, for Fuji artistes who perform in an area to ‘settle’ the area boys because they form the largest percentage of their fan base.

Pasuma according to a few ‘area boys’ who were at the scene of the incident said the self- acclaimed Oganla of Fuji is fond of not ‘settling’ the area boys and it was in this bid to avoid being extorted that led to the untimely death of the teenager.

‘Paso no dey like to settle. Na because e no wan settle make am drive fast like that’, one of the area boys said.

Other sources say he actually tipped fans and some miscreants, but like Oliver Twist, some camps wanted more and the musician sped off after he had had enough. Speaking to NET in a telephone conversation, Pasuma’s manager, Afolabi Oyekoya refused to confirm or deny the allegations. He was yet to issue an official statement as at press time, and NET enquiries were left unanswered.
The family of the victim could not be reached for comment. Our correspondents’ visit to the St. Augustine Events Centre, venue of the show did not yield results as the management refused to comment on the incident.

All efforts to get the police officers at Idimu Police Station Area M also proved abortive, as the officers refused to entertain any questions and directed that we referred the inquiry to the office of the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, whose number was switched off at the time.
Pasuma is not the first celebrity to be involved in a hit and run. Years ago, the current president of the Actors’ Guild of Nigeria, Ibinabo Fiberesima was arrested and imprisoned for killing a Lagos doctor. Also, last year, singer Terry G was alleged to have been involved in a hit and run situation. It is not clear how the case ended.