“Why I left football for music”-Pasuma discloses

Renowned Nigerian musician, Wasiu Alabi Odetola, famously known as Pasuma, recently shared that his journey into music stemmed from a background in football, which took an unexpected turn when he didn’t make it into the Nigerian squad for the 1985 FIFA U-16 World Championship held in China.In a candid interview with Nollywood actress Iyabo Ojo, the fuji icon reminisced about his transition from sports to music, citing the influence of Wasiu Ayinde’s groundbreaking 1984 album, ‘Talazo ’84,’ as a pivotal moment.Recalling the global resonance of Ayinde’s music, Pasuma revealed, “In 1984, Alhaji King Wasiu Ayinde released an album called ‘Talazo ’84,’ which was a massive hit worldwide.”He continued, “At that point, I was deeply involved in football. I even received an invitation to CODAK 85, the 1985 FIFA U-16 World Championship, as one of the four selected players from a club in Shogunle.””However,” Pasuma lamented, “despite my aspirations, I wasn’t chosen to represent Nigeria in the World Cup. That disappointment led me to pivot towards music.”Having been a professional footballer, Pasuma saw an opportunity in music, and as he put it, “that was how I ventured into music, and the rest, as they say, is history.”