Our Reporter
I started when live music had raw, undeniable power. No social media. No streaming. It was just you, your horn, your band, and the people dancing in front of you until sunrise. From Fela’s Shrine to stages across Europe, America, and back home in Nigeria, I have played Gbedu, Highlife, Juju, Jazz, and Afrobeat. I fused them into what I now call Afro Gbedu.
The road hasn’t always been smooth. The music business can be beautiful, but it can also be tough. There were times when the money didn’t come through. Times when promoters didn’t keep their word. Times when I traveled with a full band and came back with more stories than profit. But through all the ups and downs, one thing has never changed: your love.
Your support, your encouragement, your shouts of “GbeduMaster!” at nightclubs, festivals, and town squares are what keep me going. You bought my cassettes back then. You bought the CDs. Now you stream the music. You all are the reason I am still here after 40+ years, still blowing the saxophone with fire and passion.
I have watched legends rise and fall. I have seen music evolve from analog to digital. But the truth inside the horn remains the same. Music is meant to speak truth. Music is meant to heal. Music is meant to make you dance your sorrows away.
I am grateful to God and grateful to every fan who has supported this journey from the 80s until now. To my old fans and my new followers, I see you and I appreciate you deeply.
My new song Imole Light is out now. Imole means Light, and that is exactly what our generation needs. Please go stream it, share it, and dance to it. Let the light shine through the music.
Follow me on all platforms @kolaogunkoya so we can continue this Gbedu journey together. Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, everywhere. The Gbedu hasn’t stopped. The story is still being written. And with you, we will take it global.
