LAGBAJA UNMASKED

🔴Bisade Ologunde is a Nigerian afro beat musician, singer, song writer and percussionist. Born in Lagos . 1960, widely known as Lagbaja for his signature use of mask which covers his identity. He adopted the name Lagbaja meaning “anonymous” or faceless one in Yoruba. The name Lagbaja reflected the style and choice of his stage atire – a slitted textile and rubber mask. So that the artist represented the common man, in keeping with the carnival tradition of the Yoruba people.
His music is a product of various influence ranging from traditional Yoruba music to jazz. Often his music is purely instrumental an inter play between traditional Yoruba percussion, drums, chants and western instruments, especially the saxophone. When there are lyrics, they are primarily sang in Yoruba, English or a blend of the two.
In March 1997 Lagbaja established his club , Motherlan at Opebi in the heart of Ikeja Lagos. Motherlan’s design was influence by the traditional African town or village square where people gather under the moonlight for ceremonies and artistic events. The place had a serene gorge of beautitul trees and marges traditional Africa with the contemporary, creating the ambience of the country side in an urban city. Lagbaja always performs at mothelan every last Friday of the month to a full house of faithful’s and sometimes brings on guest artist and comedians to show case their trade.
His songs entertain and also talk about social reform, and they include, Coolu Temper, 200 million mumu, Paradise, Konko Below and Omo Jayejaye just to mentiion a few.
Lagbaja has class and has emerged in the fore front of contemporary African music, rich in the traditions of the continent while cosmopolitan in attitude and style.