What you don’t know about the Face behind this Mask “Lágbájá”

What you don’t know about the Face behind this Mask “Lágbájá”

He is a Nigerian Afrobeat musician, singer-songwriter, and percussionist.

Advertisements

Widely known as Lágbájá for his signature use of a mask that covers his identity. He believes in social reform through music.

Lágbájá’s name is Bisade Ologunde, a Nigerian afrobeat musician, singer-songwriter, and percussionist. Widely known as Lágbájá for his signature use of a mask that covers his identity. He believes in social reform through music.

Why does he cover his face?

He used to be in the choir at one Baptist church in Ilorin, and his parents are prominent Baptist members. His family opposed his decision to sing that kind of music. They believed that he wanted to disgrace them because of their position in the church. That was why he put the mask on.

Early life and career

Ologunde adopted the name Lágbájá (meaning “Jane Doe” or “John Doe”—a person whose name and identity are intentionally concealed in Yoruba) as he embarked on his career in the early 90s.

His name was reflected in his choice of stage attire—a slitted textile and rubber mask adopted so that the artist represented the ‘common man’ in keeping with the carnival tradition of Yoruba culture.

He formed his first small band in 1991 in Lagos after he had taught himself to play the saxophone. With a high quotient of percussion instruments, including congas and talking drums, Lagbaja’s album We Before Me (IndigeDisc/PDSE), released in 2000, demanded honesty from politicians and urged brotherhood and unity.

He shared the lyrics of his songs with a backup singer, Ego Ihenacho, who also plays tenor saxophone. With a firm, brawny tone akin to that of John Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders, he emblazoned the melodies of the songs, sometimes with Ego scat-singing along.