In september of 2005, the media office I worked for decided to go 100% indigenous for their music content. It was a big challenge because at the time contemporary Nigerian artistes were scarce! So I resorted to my father’s library&my station’s library. My initial inventory of dad’s library provided me with dizzy k falola, Tunji Oyelana &the benders, Sunny Okosuns&Ozzidi band, Onyeka Onwenu, Christy Essien Igbokwe, Funmi Adams, Julie Coker, Segun Arinze, Chris Mba, Charly Boy etc. My studio library provided most of the remaining.
Then 6months into the exercise, there was an upsurge of “Nigerian Sounds” which unfortunately did not match what I thought was a Nigerian sound. First was the production quality; it felt like when EMI moved out of the country, producers packed out! Then the lyrics to say it lacked depth was/is an understatement. In the midst of all these I began a search for “the new Nigerian sound”. I was aware that the sounds of ambrose campbel, onyeka, KSA, may not be representative of present day realities? Then in the midst of all these, a friend, simply called tony doe, travelled,and brought me a CD, God’s given by Siji. The intro track stopped me! It was his “Oriki” and it opened me to another world of music.
At the time I was exposing myself to yvonne chaka chaka,angelique kidjo, papa wemba etc. So this was very refreshing for me!
However, I had Gods given for 5 years&listened only to santuary. Then in February of ‘09 a friend came in &asked if I’d heard of Siji? I was soo excited as a got a copy of ADESIJI. The song that quickly stole my heart was ENIYAN DUDU. Its was “percussiony”; fed my hunger for lyrics&truth, I got a sound! Then Ekundayo! I’d wake up daily and pray that song! Then in 2009, I met Siji, and those 2hrs were the most expository of my “media” life. Some other day on this forum you’d get to listen to that interview.
Of course since 2005 there have been number of good artistes spring up from Nigeria(home&abroad), but I must say Adesiji Awoyinka, whose lone quest when I met him, was to discover&re-invent the Nigerian sound,is best described as a renaissance artiste, whose sound is more Nigerian than most who claim to be Nigerian artistes. So do your music library a favor this new year, get the Album ADESIJI.

Love yourself;Love your Neighbour; Love this country; Above all Love God He is the essence of your being