By ‘Dayo Farore
Saxophonist and singer, Lagbaja has been missing-in-action since the release of his double disc album, ‘Paradise’ and ‘Sharp Sharp’ in 2009. Many however foretold he could go out of form when former vocalist, Ego Ogbaro went solo, but he proved so many wrong when he re-surfaced with the song, ‘Dream Come True’, unveiling new female vocalists, and featuring actress Ufuoma Ejenobor in the video; a fitting replacement for Ogbaro.
However, the then all groovy and classy Motherlan’ he used to run on a regular basis for his monthly gig now accommodates a voucher retailer flying a blue umbrella just outside the first gate that bears the piano-like design. The man who rocked our airwaves with killing hits like; ‘Konko Below’, ‘Gra Gra’, ‘Feyin E’, ‘Nothing For You’, and the ballad ‘Never Far Away among many others and has over four LPs to his credit now leaves many wondering what he really intends to do with Motherlan’ in the end.
Just as Lagbaja goes missing even after hitting us with his latest double disc album, Motherlan’ remains idle and abandoned; and a shadow of itself.
Where is Lagbaja? three years gone, no album and less than five Lagbaja gigs at Motherlan’, what will be the future of Africano? Or is this leaving the stage when the ovation is loud? Fingers are crossed as we wait for ‘Omo Baba Muko Muko’ to make a comeback…
NET Quick Facts
Lagbaja Discography
Lagbaja 1993
Cest Un African Thing 1996
ME 2000
WE 2000
Abami (Tribute to Fela Anikulapo – Kuti) 2000
Africano….the mother of groove 2005
Paradise 2009
Sharp Sharp 2009
His style of music is called, ‘Africano,’ a genre he formed by himself possibly culled from Afrobeat.
Ufuoma Ejenobor is a popular model-actress-presenter with over 20 Nollywood movies to her CV.
