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Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s influence will forever tower over Afrobeat, with Femi and Seun Kuti alongside a handful of dedicated torchbearers keeping the genre’s originality alive. Yet, Bisade Ologunde, better known as Lagbaja, stands in a league of his own and arguably comes closest to wearing the crown after Fela himself. Beyond the distinct spice in his sound, pure, undiluted Afrobeat, not the pop-leaning “Afrobeats’, Lagbaja built a cultural identity that was as powerful as his music. With the persona of the ‘Omo Baba Mukomuko’, he crafted an iconic masked character that endured for years until curious journalists eventually revealed the face behind the mystique. Hit after hit, high-grossing albums, and sold-out shows across Nigeria and Africa cemented Lagbaja as perhaps the most commercially successful Afrobeat artiste after Fela. His ambitious triple-album release, ‘Me, We & Abami’, remains one of the most notable tributes ever paid to Fela Kuti. Though the long-rumoured rivalry between Lagbaja and Femi Kuti remains unresolved, one thing is certain: listening to Lagbaja is the only true way to understand his mastery. His seamless fusion of Juju, Fuji, and hip-hop, while never losing the core Afrobeat identity, is the kind of innovation that deserves academic study. Like a sacred masquerade that appears only when it truly matters, Lagbaja has never compromised his art, his style, or his disciplined mystique. In every sense, he remains a classic who continues to break his own records. (Written by Omogbolahan Akinwumi) 22 Views

The Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party (LP) has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Peter Obi, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, to resign from the party following his involvement in a new opposition coalition. In a statement on Thursday, Obiora Ifoh, LP spokesperson, reiterated the party’s rejection of the newly formed coalition, describing it as a gathering of “recycled, desperate and frustrated politicians”. “Former Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Gregory Obi, has received a 48-hour ultimatum to formally resign his membership of the Labour Party, having formally joined the coalition party,” the statement reads. On Thursday, Obi said the decision to join the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the party chosen by the opposition coalition, was not taken lightly. He was also present at the unveiling of the ADC coalition in Abuja. Ifoh alleged that Obi had been holding secret meetings with some of its members to woo them into joining the coalition. “We are aware of several nocturnal meetings between Peter Obi and some of our members, lobbying them to join him in his new party. We’re also aware that a number of them have refused to defect with him,” he said. “Labour Party has consistently said it is not part of the coalition, and therefore, any of our members who are part of the coalition are given 48 hours to formally resign their membership of the party. Labour Party is not available for people with dual agendas, people with deceptive persona. The party will not avail itself to individuals who have one leg in one party and another leg elsewhere. People who, in the morning, claim to be in the Labour Party and in the evening are in the coalition. Nearly 70 percent of the Nigerian population are youths who are tired of the old order, tired of gerontocrats deciding their fate. The new Nigeria that the youths are dreaming of is not what can be realised from what we are seeing in the coalition. These people are opportunistic politicians who are only interested in relaunching themselves into the circle of power — people who are desperate to continue holding on to power.” The spokesperson added that the LP remains committed to Nigeria’s renewal, urging members to stay loyal and maintain the party’s structure. (Source The Cable) 310 Views

Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) has debunked the news milling about that the commission budgeted N6 billion to feed the Police during the election in 2019. In a statement issued, INEC said, “There is no budget head for feeding the police in the INEC Election Budget”. 455 Views