Asiwaju
| "Asiwaju" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Ruger | ||||
| from the album Ru the World | ||||
| Released | 16 November 2022 | |||
| Genre | Afrobeats | |||
| Length | 3:36 | |||
| Label |
| |||
| Songwriter | Michael Adebayo Olayinka | |||
| Producer | Kukbeatz | |||
| Ruger singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Asiwaju" on YouTube | ||||
"Asiwaju" is a song by Nigerian singer Ruger. Produced by Kukbeatz, the song was released by Jonzing World on 16 November 2022, alongside "Red Flags", as the second single from his debut studio album Ru the World (2022). In December 2024, "Asiwaju" was certified gold in France.[1]
Composition and lyrics
Produced by Kukbeatz, "Asiwaju" is an Afrobeats song with lyrics centered on success, confidence, and leadership. Ruger described the song as being about his lifestyle, explaining that he was expressing how he felt ahead of his peers and believed that nothing could stop his progress. Its title comes from the Yoruba word "asiwaju", meaning a leader or forerunner, which reflects the song's theme of being at the forefront. The lyrics also contain references to wealth and status as Ruger celebrates his achievements.[2][3]
Commercial performance
Upon release, "Asiwaju" quickly gained traction and peaked at number one on Nigeria's Apple Music Top Songs chart, spending one month at the top.[4] The track, alongside "Red Flags", debuted on the TurnTable Top 100 Songs chart at number 70 after just two days of tracking.[5] In its second week, "Asiwaju" rocketed from No. 70 to No. 7 on the TurnTable Top 100, tallying 2.10 million streams (ranking fifth on streaming) and 23.2 million in radio reach (ranking 19th on radio). It was Ruger's fourth top-ten entry on the chart, joining "Bounce", "Dior", and "Girlfriend".[6]
By the week of 30 December 2022, to 5 January 2023, "Asiwaju" reached number one on the TurnTable Top 100, tallying 3.22 million streams and 69.6 million in radio reach. It held the position for four consecutive weeks, equaling the four-week reign of Gyakie's "Forever (Remix)" with Omah Lay as the longest-running number-one song released under Sony Music. During this time, the song also broke records for its performance on radio, with 78.9 million in radio reach during the week of January 13–19, 2023, surpassing Kizz Daniel's "Cough (Odo)."[7] "Asiwaju" eventually spent seven weeks atop the TurnTable Top 100, becoming the longest-running number-one song since Fireboy DML and Asake's "Bandana." It also tied for the third longest number-one run in the chart’s history, behind Omah Lay’s "Godly" (11 weeks) and Joeboy's "Sip (Alcohol)" (10 weeks).[8] After losing the number-one spot, "Asiwaju" remained on the charts for several additional weeks before exiting in early March 2023.[9]
Accolades
| Organization | Year | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| African Entertainment Awards USA | 2023 | Song of the Year | Nominated | [10] |
| The Headies | 2023 | Afrobeats Single of the Year | Nominated | [11] |
| Viewers' Choice | Nominated | [11] |
Charts
Weekly charts
| Chart (2022–23) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Nigeria (TurnTable Top 100)[12] | 1 |
| US Afrobeats Songs (Billboard)[13] | 16 |
| UK Afrobeats (Official Charts)[14] | 2 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2023) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Afrobeats Songs (Billboard)[15] | 27 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Nigeria (TCSN)[16] | 3× Platinum | 300,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[17] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
| France (SNEP)[18] | Gold | 100,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
- ↑ Owoeye, Olukorede (9 December 2024). "Ruger's Asiwaju earns Gold certification in France". The NET. Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ↑ "New Noise: Ruger – "Red Flag" + "Asiwaju"". Wonderland Magazine. 21 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ↑ "Ruger's Asiwaju goes gold in France". Music in Africa. 12 December 2024. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ↑ Okanlawon, Taiwo (20 December 2022). "Ruger sets record on Nigeria's Apple Music with "Asiwaju"". P.M. News. Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ↑ "Ayra Starr dethrones Tiwa Savage, becomes first female artiste to record 11 entries on Turntable Charts". Pulse Nigeria. 22 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ↑ "Ruger's 'Asiwaju' rockets from No. 70 to No. 7 on Turntable Charts' Top 100". Pulse Nigeria. 28 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ↑ Oriowo, Ayomide (10 January 2023). ""Asiwaju" Becomes the Joint-Longest No. 1 Song Released Under Sony Music as it Logs a Fourth Week at No. 1". TurnTable Charts. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ↑ Oriowo, Ayomide (30 January 2023). "Ruger's "Asiwaju" Spends Seventh Week at No. 1 on the Official Nigeria Top 100, Rexxie's "Abracadabra" Enters the Top Ten at No. 7". TurnTable Charts. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ↑ Oriowo, Ayomide (7 March 2023). "Omah Lay Breaks the Record for Most No. 1 Songs on the Official Radio Chart in Nigeria as "soso" Hits No. 1 This Week". TurnTable Charts. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ↑ Hansen, Gabriel (15 September 2023). "Africa Entertainment Awards USA 2023: All the nominees". Music in Africa. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- 1 2 Grein, Paul (28 August 2023). "Burna Boy Leads in 2023 Headies Awards Nominations: Full List (Exclusive)". Billboard. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ↑ "Official Nigeria Top 100". TurnTable.
- ↑ "Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs". Billboard.
- ↑ "Official Afrobeats Chart on 19/6/2022 – Top 20". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
- ↑ "Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
- ↑ "Nigeria certifications". TurnTable. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ↑ "British single certifications – Ruger – Asiwaju". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 25 November 2024. Select singles in the Formats field. Type Asiwaju Ruger in the "Search:" field.
- ↑ "French single certifications – Ruger – Asiwaju" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 25 November 2024.