‘I pay obeisance to my Ifa when I wake, use juju for my progress’ – Saheed Osupa reveals

Legendary Fuji musician Saheed Osupa has sparked intense public debate after openly admitting to using voodoo (juju) and Ifa traditional practices to enhance his musical career and stage performance.

Popular Fuji musician Saheed Okunola, widely known as Saheed Osupa, has ignited a firestorm of controversy after publicly disclosing his reliance on voodoo (juju) to bolster his career success. Speaking on stage during the 52nd-anniversary celebration of veteran actor Fatai Odua, popularly known as Lalude, on March 30, 2026, Osupa rejected suggestions that he should hide his traditional spiritual leanings. In video clips currently circulating online, the Fuji icon is seen instructing his backup singers to adopt specific traditional practices to improve their memory and stage presence, arguing that such rituals are for professional well-being rather than malevolence. “Somebody told me one time to grant an interview denying that I’m a fetish person, but I told him that I am. I didn’t kill anyone with my juju or commit evil. I am only looking for how to progress. Nothing more,” Osupa declared.

The musician further elaborated on his daily spiritual routine, claiming that his adherence to the Ifa deity is the true source of his longevity in the competitive music industry. Osupa dismissed public perceptions that his success is solely rooted in mainstream religious faiths, characterizing those claims as deceptive. “That’s why anytime I wake, I always pay obeisance to my Ifa. Everybody practises voodoo. While some hide behind the scenes, I do mine in the open. All those talks that I rely solely on the Bible and Quran are pure lies,” he added. By claiming that many of his contemporaries engage in similar rituals privately, Osupa has challenged the social and religious taboos often associated with traditional African spirituality in the entertainment sector.

Osupa’s comments have triggered a polarized response across social media and religious circles, with some praising his “raw honesty” while others express concern over the normalization of fetishism. Despite the backlash, the musician remains firm in his stance that his practices are benign and focused exclusively on personal and professional advancement. He emphasized that being open about his beliefs distinguishes him from those who live double lives under the guise of Christianity or Islam. As of Wednesday, April 8, neither the Fuji Musicians Association of Nigeria nor any major religious bodies have issued a formal response to the singer’s provocative claims.

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