Lagbaja - Bisade Ologunde

Bisade Ologunde Biography / Profile

Bisade Ologunde popularly known as Lagbaja which means 'anonymous’ or ‘faceless one’ in Yoruba was born in 1960 in Lagos, Nigeria. He is a descent of Odogun’s Compound, Ijagbo Community in Oyun Local Government Area of Kwara State.

Bisade Ologunde Age

Not available.

Bisade Ologunde Career

Lagbaja whoose signature look is a slitted textile and rubber mask, formed his first small band in 1991 in Lagos after teaching himself how to play the saxophone. His debut album "Lagbaja" was released in 1993 to critical aclaim.

In 1994, he released a new album which included songs like ‘Naija Must Sweet Again’, which many took to be an attack on Nigeria’s military rulers.

In 1996, he released another album which had thesame theme and included songs such as ‘Bad Leadership’ which concerns what Ologunde views as the biggest problem afflicting contemporary Africa. After this album, he was invited by the International Red Cross Committee to join Youssou N’Dour, Papa Wemba and Lucky Dube on a Pan-African project to promote awareness of humanitarian abuses. Each member of Ologunde’s band was sent to selected troubled areas of Africa and invited to submit two songs each documenting their experiences. The project was the subject of a film documentary by Cameroonian director Bassek Bakhobio.

In March 1997, he established his club called “Motherlan” in the heart of Ikeja in Lagos. He stated in an interview that the club was influenced by the traditional African town or market square, where people gather under the moonlight for ceremonies and artistic events like dance, music and storytelling.

Lagbaja whoose groovy fusion has been referred to as afrojazz, afrobeat, higherlife and afropop refers to his sound as Africano, alluding mostly to the central role of African drums and grooves in his music.

He is an ambassador of the Telecommunication company, Globacom.