Bisade Ologunde, known professionally as Lagbaja is a Nigerian musician and multi-instrumentalist known for his unique style of music, which blends Afrobeat, highlife, and traditional Yoruba music. He is also recognized for his distinct identity: he always performs wearing a mask that covers his entire face.
Lagbaja can also be interpreted as ” Faceless One” or ” Anonymous. ” He has never performed with his face exposed, which has piqued the interest of many fans. As a result, it’s no surprise that Lagbaja s true identity is a hot topic on the internet.
ALSO READ: Check Fact: Brief History Of Ìbàdànland
Bisade Olugunde was born in Lagos, Nigeria, on January 16, 1960. He is from Kwara state’s Oyun local government area; little is known about his early life, but he was raised as a Baptist. During his lifetime, his father served as a Baptist deacon. He had a typical Nigerian boyhood, growing up in a time when the country had only recently earned independence and things were much better than they are now. Deacon D. A Olugunde, his father, passed away in 2012.
He worked for the Kwara state government as a retired civil servant. His father worked in the cabinet of Cornell David Bamingboye Kwara state’s first military administration. On his mother’s identity, no information is publicly available.
Lagbaja is well educated, although it is unknown which schools he attended; nevertheless, it was later disclosed that he received his tertiary education from Obafemi Awolowo University Ile Ife. To keep his identity disguised, much about the man is kept hidden from the public eye. Lagbaja rose to prominence through music, and he is noted for his distinct sound and fashion sense. In the early 1990s, he began his musical career.
The saxophone is Lagbaja’ s favorite instrument, which he taught himself. In 1991, he created his first modest band in Lagos, Nigeria, after mastering the saxophone. The band was a regular performer at Lagos’ Sea Garden venue. Their music was influenced by 1960s high life music as well as Western jazz percussion instruments like the talking drum and congas, which featured significantly in their tunes.
The band had built up enough local support and was earning gigs at the French Institute after performing at the Sea Garden for a period. The band’ s first album, ” The Colours Of The Rhythm, ” was published in 1992. He continued to release music after that, but his breakthrough came in 2000 with the release of the double album ” We and Me”.
The playlist was harsh in its criticism of Nigerian politicians and asked that they be transparent. It also urged unity and brotherhood in the country. Ego Iheanacho accompanied him on the vocals for the tunes. The album’ s popularity spurred him to create more, and his songs were well received by fans at the time. Lagbaja is currently married with children, however there are no images of his wife online. His wife’ s identity is a well guarded secret, so those hoping for photos of Lagbaja’ s wife will be disappointed.
You won’ t discover much information about his children, however Moyosade, one of his daughters, is well- known. In the year 2013, Moyosade married Olamide Oblilana in Opebi, Lagos. The ceremony was attended by Lagbaja without his mask, but visitors were not allowed to take photographs. Moyosade is believed to work for a company in the United States as a management specialist. She earned a master’ s degree in business administration from Pennsylvania State University.
Without a doubt, Lagbaja has found success as a musician and will be remembered as one of Nigeria’ s musical superstars. He and his family now reside in Manhattan, New York City, in the United States. A source revealed to NaijaGists the reason why Lagbaja never unmask his face.
ALSO READ: HISTORY OF AARE ONA KAKANFO
According to the source: “This is not Lagbaja, I know him. Why are you even trying to unmask him? He has his reasons for wearing the mask. He used to be in the choir in 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”. The Ologundes are from Ijagbo near Offa in Kwara State.
The mask has become a significant part of Lagbaja’s persona and brand, attracting curiosity and intrigue from his fans. Lagbaja’s decision to cover his face with a mask serves multiple purposes, combining artistic expression, social commentary, and personal privacy.
1. Artistic Expression: The mask allows Lagbaja to create a mysterious and enigmatic persona. It adds an element of intrigue to his performances and music, captivating audiences and drawing attention to his unique style. By concealing his face, Lagbaja shifts the focus onto his music, emphasizing the universality of his message rather than his individual identity.
2. Social Commentary: Lagbaja’s mask serves as a symbol of anonymity and represents the facelessness of the common man. He uses it as a form of protest against societal issues and corruption in Nigeria. Through his music and performances, Lagbaja often addresses themes of social inequality, political oppression, and the struggles faced by ordinary people. The mask represents the voiceless and marginalized, giving them a platform to be heard.
3. Personal Privacy: By wearing the mask, Lagbaja is able to maintain his privacy and separate his personal life from his public persona. He can freely express himself artistically without the intrusion of media or public scrutiny. The mask allows him to retain a sense of anonymity and control over his public image.
Lagbaja’s decision to cover his face with a mask has contributed to his popularity and made him an iconic figure in Nigerian music. The mask serves as a powerful symbol, representing both artistic expression and social commentary, while allowing Lagbaja to maintain his privacy and focus on the message of his music.
ALSO READ: Call for Applications : Stanbic Digital Skill Empowerment Programme (DiSEP) 3.0
