Today, the music industry is full of both old and young musicians alike but no permanent base or venue to display their talents except through social functions and corporate sponsored events which in most cases hardly come by easily.

Gbedu Master Returns with Gbedu Music Village: Kola Ogunkoya

By Bimbo Esho

Kola Ogunkoya is a household name in the Nigerian Music Industry. Popular for his hit song ‘Pemiloruko’ Ogunkoya has broken the jinx by setting up two entertainment music village in the bustling city of Lagos. One in Ayobo- Ipaja and the other in Lekki for all lovers of Gbedu Music in Nigeria and Diaspora.

Ogunkoya popularly called *Gbedu Master* and who is known for his Afrobeat and Highlife style of music has since relocated to the United States. On several visits to Nigeria he has studied the music scenes enough to understand that the greatest setback in the music industry today is lack of performance centers and platforms for thousands of musicians springing up daily.

Today, the music industry is full of both old and young musicians alike but no permanent base or venue to display their talents except through social functions and corporate sponsored events which in most cases hardly come by easily.

Years ago, popular social clubs and hangouts were owned by popular musicians such as Caban Bamboo( Bobby Benson), Miliki Spot( Ebenezer Obey), Stadium Hotel( Victor Olaiya), Kalakuta( Fela Kuti) and others.

These entertainment spots sprung up in the mid 60s and early 70s and helped greatly to expose young music acts, promote liveband culture and most importantly maintain a balance in the Lagos social space.

These clubs helped popular musicians to build up their fan base through regular gigs. For instance, Lagbaja’s Motherland was a place of fun for lovers of good African beats and dance but since the masked one relocated abroad a vacuum has been left.

For me this initiative by Gbedu Master coming to Lagos is a laudable one as it will help regale the good memories of Gbedu Music in Lagos.

Bimbo Esho is the Managing Director of Evergreen Musical Limited. She lives in Lagos, Nigeria.