Popular Fuji musician, Saheed Osupa, has stirred reactions after openly admitting that he uses voodoo, popularly known as juju, as part of his quest for success and personal progress.
The singer, whose real name is Saheed Okunola, made the revelation while performing at the 52nd birthday celebration of veteran actor Fatai Odua on March 30, 2026.
In a video that surfaced online and began trending on Wednesday, Osupa was seen speaking to his backup singers during a stage performance after they struggled to match his pace.
While joking with them, he advised them to seek spiritual help to improve their memory and stage delivery.
The Fuji star explained that the items involved in such practices should not necessarily be viewed as fetish, insisting they are simply meant to improve one’s life and well-being.
He also recalled how he once rejected advice from someone who urged him to publicly deny being involved in spiritual practices.
“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.
“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 hilariously said.
Osupa went further to claim that many people also engage in juju privately, even if they refuse to admit it publicly.
“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.
His remarks have since generated criticism, particularly from Islamic clerics and social media commentators who rejected his claim that everyone practices juju.
A TikTok cleric identified as Alagusiy distanced himself from Osupa’s comments and urged the singer to turn back to God.
“You don’t need to be promoting Ifa because there are a lot of Muslims who believe so much in you and follow your footsteps. Please return to God, he’s the one who made you famous and rich. Not Ifa or juju that you engage in. Even if you don’t pray or engage in anything fetish, God has already destined you to be great,” he said.
Another cleric, Uwais Lukman, argued that Osupa had never been as religious as many believed, pointing to his continued involvement in music with instruments.
“Musicians are never seen as people who are on the right path because they can promote one religion today and another tomorrow. It is their job. For the simple fact that he still engages in music with instruments to promote it makes him less of a Muslim,” he said.
Also reacting, an Islamic commentator identified as General Tom accused the singer of becoming too absorbed in spiritual practices.
He added that Osupa’s reliance on juju may have come from experiences with clerics he consulted in search of prosperity.
Despite the backlash, Osupa has maintained his position. Responding to critics on Tuesday, he said he has never spoken against any holy book and still believes in both Jesus Christ and Prophet Muhammad.
However, he criticised what he described as hypocrisy and eye service among many people discussing the issue.
Although he did not withdraw his earlier statement about juju or directly mention any cleric who criticised him, Osupa insisted he remained firm in his beliefs.
The veteran Fuji singer has, on several occasions in the past, spoken about seeking spiritual support from priests while performing on stage.
