Fuji musician Saheed Osupa has stirred reactions online after saying he uses juju to succeed.
The 55-year-old made the statement while performing at the 52nd birthday celebration of veteran actor Fatai Odua on March 30.
According to a video from the event, Osupa said he openly engages in spiritual practices and does not see anything wrong with it.
“Everybody practises voodoo. While some hide behind the scenes to do theirs, I do mine in the open. All those talks of mine that I rely solely on the Bible and the Quran are pure lies,” he said.
He added that he once rejected advice to deny such beliefs.
“Somebody told me one time to grant an interview, denying that I’m a fetish person, but I told him that I am, and why should I deny it. I didn’t kill anyone with my juju or commit evil with it. I am only looking for how to progress. Nothing more.”
The singer also spoke about his daily routine and belief system.
“That’s why anytime I wake, I always pay obeisance to my Ifa. I don’t know the deity beyond it, because it is worth paying homage to.
If I don’t engage in voodoo, what else should I have employed? Is it Phensic or Panadol that will make me successful? It is not good to be poor and still not live a good life. Even if one is not enormously rich but should enjoy comfort,” he said.
Osupa further advised his backup singers to adopt similar practices to improve their memory, listing items they should use while noting it does not make them fetish.
His comments have drawn criticism online, with many disagreeing with his claim that everyone practises juju.
Osupa is one of the leading figures in Fuji music, a Yoruba genre popularised by pioneers like Ayinde Barrister. He has remained active for decades and is known for his rivalry and later reconciliation with fellow Fuji star Wasiu Pasuma, with whom he settled differences in 2023 after a period of public tension.
