Nigerian Music

Jùjú

Music is a big part of Nigerian culture. The music in Nigeria ranges from several generations but currently favors in Hip hop, R&B, and Reggae. In the 1930s, the city of Lagos introduced Nigerian Fusion Jùjú music a form of rap music. Including Yobura vocal, Christian congregational singing, and other popular African styles. Jùjú music became very popular and musicians started performing concerts. The ensembles of this music include sekere, guitar, tambourine, and ukulele-banjo. 

Example of Jùjú music:

The downfall of Jùjú music occurred in the 1980s. 

Highlife music

In the 1940s, a new era of music called Highlife was introduced. This genre of music stems from West Africa and originated in Ghana. Highlife music and dance have a combination of both jazz and local music. This genre of music included asymmetrical drum rhythms, guitar melodies, and traditional drumming. Unfortunately, by the 1960s Highlife music lost its popularity to other styles of music that are guitar centered.

Osita Osadebe

The king of highlife music in Nigeria is Osita Osadebe. Osadebe produced highlife music for over four decades before he passed away in 2007. His career started as he performed music at nightclubs before releasing his first album in 1958. He now has over 500 songs he produced throughout his career. 

Fuji Music

In the 1960s, Fuji music was known as a socio-cultural movement. It has been said that Fuji music began with Ajiwere and that Sikiru Ayinde Barrister is the one who created Fuji music. The popularity of Fuji began at Owambe parties and started as an improvisational style of music. By the late 90s, Fuji took Jùjú popularity and became the number one popular music. 

Akorede Babatunde Okunola is the king of Fuji music in Nigeria. Besides Fuji music, he is a film actor and hip Fuji creator and goes by the name King Saheed Osupa. His music career began in 1983, right before Fuji gained its popularity. His first album was released in 1992 and was called Fuji Fadisco, since then Okunola now has 28 albums out. By 2008 he was given the title King of Fuji music in Nigeria with a net worth of N300 million.  

Akorede Babatunde Okunola popular song: