October 5, 2025, was not like every other Sunday evening on Broad Street, Lagos Island. That night, singer Adekunle Gold transformed the historic street into a carnival of rhythm, nostalgia, and youth culture. With merch stands, tattoo booths, snooker games, and a crowd buzzing with excitement, the Fuji Street Carnival became his creative way of unveiling his latest body of work titled, ‘Fuji’.
Hosted by Mainland Block Party, the event was more than a concert; it was a cultural movement aimed at repackaging a genre once tagged “old-school” and reintroducing it to Gen Z and millennial audiences. The street was sealed off, glowing in gold and red lights, as fans trooped in long before the show began.
By 10 pm, Broad Street had transformed into a sea of energy. Gen Z fans in trendy streetwear waving phone flashlights, and older fuji loyalists nodding in nostalgia as the beats filled the humid Lagos air. The crowd was massive and diverse, with elevated VIP sections flanking the stage, marked by white seats for celebrities, influencers, and special guests. Among them was Seyi Tinubu, son of Nigeria’s president, who watched the spectacle from the VIP stand.
Although anticipation ran high, the show started late. DJs and hypemen kept the audience engaged, teasing the moment everyone was waiting for. Adekunle Gold didn’t take the stage until about 11:30 pm, but when he did, the mood instantly shifted.
Dressed in an elegant white native outfit and a brown Yoruba-style skullcap, AG opened his set with nostalgia, performing early classics such as ‘Sade’, ‘Orente’, and ‘Pick Up’. The crowd erupted, singing along word-for-word.
Then came one of the night’s biggest highlights—performances by iconic fuji musicians, such as Saheed Osupa, Taiye Currency, and Obesere.
Osupa, known for his lyrical depth and commanding stage presence, took the audience on a nostalgic journey through his classics. His ability to connect with the young crowd was remarkable, even pulling female fans up to dance beside him.
Taiye Currency started strong with his viral song, ‘Werey lan fi wo werey’ (“madness should be met with equal madness”), but his momentum dipped midway. Though lively, his performance lacked the spark needed to fully connect with the younger audience; a shortfall amplified by the absence of a live band.
That decision proved to be one of the night’s few weak points. Fuji thrives on live instrumentation, and without it, some of the performances felt flat. At one point, Osupa missed a chorus cue, a reminder that the genre’s essence lies in the raw pulse of talking drums and percussion; not pre-recorded beats.
Zlatan also made a surprise appearance, celebrating old and reinforcing the night’s fusion of street credibility and mainstream artistry.
By the time Obesere, the ‘Egungun Be Careful’ singer, closed the show, it was nearly 2 am. The crowd was tired but fulfilled, dancing to the last beats of a night that felt at once retro and futuristic.
