4th March, 2011
Born Bisade Ologunde, Lagbaja is a Nigerian Afro beat musician who started music actively in 1993. He is a singer-songwriter, instrumentalist and a marvelous saxophonist.
According to Lagbaja, his mask is used as an icon of manâ€
Equally the mask and the name symbolise the faceless, the voiceless in the society, particularly in Africa.
Also known as “Omo baba muâ€
His music is a product of various influences ranging from traditional Yoruba music to jazz. Often, the music is purely instrumental- interplay between traditional Yoruba percussions, drums, chants, and western instruments, especially the saxophone.
When there are lyrics, they are primarily sung in Yoruba, English or a blend of the two as is colloquially spoken in Yoruba cities. Many of his songs dwell on serious social issues, while others simply entertain; passing serious messages in humorous ways.
One thing that links all the songs together is his use of traditional African drums. Traditional Yoruba drums are the most prominent. The ensemble of drummers constitutes the larger part of the band. Lagbajaâ€
In March 1997, Lagbaja established his club, Motherlanâ€
He won the 2006 Channel 0 Music Video Awardsâ€
— Kayode Aponmade