Before the global rise of Afrobeats, jazz stood as a powerful, defiant form of Black expression—rooted in history, resistance, and cultural identity. In today’s fast-paced, algorithm-driven music landscape, its place in Nigeria has shifted. Yet through the voices of musicians and cultural advocates like Dede Mabiaku, Duro Ikujenyo, and Ayoola Shadare, jazz emerges not as a fading genre, but as a foundational force still shaping contemporary sound.
Dede Mabiaku: A Life Shaped by Sound and Resistance
Dede Mabiaku—actor, jazz–Afrobeat musician, and former Egypt 80 band member—represents a rare blend of artistic disciplines. His journey into music began early, from singing in his secondary school choir to performing in university bands while studying theatre arts in Jos and Benin.
During his National Youth Service in Owerri, he formed a band and worked with a recording company, eventually moving to Lagos to pursue acting with the Nigerian Television Authority—despite his parents’ wishes for him to study architecture.
Jazz, however, remained central. Introduced at home through his father’s organ playing, Mabiaku’s passion deepened through exposure to rich music collections and, crucially, live performances at Jazz 38 in Ikoyi. There, he encountered a thriving jazz culture—and the lingering influence of Fela Kuti.
A chance meeting with Fela would prove transformative.
“That handshake—I still feel it,” Mabiaku recalls, describing the moment that led him into Kalakuta and cemented his commitment to music as both art and resistance.
For Mabiaku, jazz is inherently African—exported during the transatlantic slave trade, reshaped in America, and later reabsorbed into African genres like Afrobeat. However, he expresses concern about today’s music industry, where social media and rapid visibility often replace discipline, mentorship, and artistic depth.
Surrounded by images of Fela in his home, Mabiaku maintains a deep connection to the legend. “Fela is not dead. Fela lives on,” he says, reflecting a philosophy that continues to guide his work.
Duro Ikujenyo: Preserving Legacy Through Practice and Memory
Pianist and jazz–Afrobeat musician Duro Ikujenyo traces his journey through years of apprenticeship and close collaboration with Fela Kuti. Their relationship began in London during Ikujenyo’s student years and later evolved into a lasting musical partnership.
He recalls Fela’s early experimentation with classical music, highlife, and jazz—guided partly by his mother, who emphasized the commercial viability of highlife. Exposure to American musicians and activist Sandra Izsadore later reshaped Fela’s direction, leading to the creation of Afrobeat.
In Nigeria of the 1960s and 70s, jazz was not widely accessible. Programmes like “Just Jazz” on the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria became vital learning tools for aspiring musicians, including Ikujenyo, who studied recordings diligently. Informal venues and mentorship opportunities also played key roles in nurturing talent.
While working at the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Ikujenyo pursued formal studies at the Royal School of Music in London from 1974 to 1978. He later joined Fela’s band after the 1978 Berlin tour and became lead pianist of Egypt 80 by 1979.
He describes Fela’s sound as deeply rooted in jazz harmony, particularly minor 7th chords, which led him to study works by jazz greats like Charlie Parker and Miles Davis. This foundation later informed his own musical projects and performances.
Today, Ikujenyo sees jazz’s decline in Nigeria as linked to limited music education, lack of instrumental training, and insufficient institutional support. In response, he has taken steps to preserve musical heritage by scoring and archiving over 100 highlife songs.
“One of my friends sent me a song Fela did some 45 years ago. Even Yeni didn’t remember,” he notes, highlighting the urgency of preservation.
Ayoola Shadare: Reimagining Jazz for a New Era
Music promoter Ayoola Shadare offers a broader, global perspective on Nigeria’s jazz scene. As founder of the Lagos International Jazz Festival, his vision has been shaped by exposure to well-supported jazz ecosystems in Europe and South Africa.
In Nigeria, he observes, jazz remains on the fringes—often perceived as elitist or reserved for mature audiences. While the country is home to highly skilled musicians, the genre operates more as a passion-driven community than a structured industry.
Shadare’s early encounters with jazz were rooted in iconic Lagos venues such as Jazz 38, Jazzville, Jazzhole, Scotch Bonnet, and Turaka, along with contributions from key cultural figures who sustained the scene.
Rather than preserving jazz as a rigid tradition, he advocates for evolution. In recent years, jazz in Nigeria has increasingly blended with Afrobeat, highlife, and soul—expanding its reach and relevance.
A defining moment in his journey came over two decades ago at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, where he met its founder, Rashid Lombard. Inspired, he launched the Lagos International Jazz Festival. However, sustaining it has proven difficult due to funding challenges, infrastructure gaps, and the complexities of building long-term audiences for a genre that values depth over immediacy.
Despite the global dominance of Afrobeats, Shadare sees opportunity in collaboration rather than competition. Through initiatives like Planet Afrobeats and NAIJAZZ, he emphasizes the shared musical DNA across genres.
For Shadare, jazz may not dominate the charts, but its influence runs deep—shaping musicianship and quietly underpinning much of Nigeria’s contemporary sound, from highlife and fuji to Afropop and Afrobeats.
A Quiet Force in a Loud Era
In an age defined by speed, metrics, and viral success, jazz in Nigeria occupies a quieter space. Yet, as these voices reveal, it remains a vital thread in the country’s musical fabric—informing technique, inspiring innovation, and preserving a legacy of expression that continues to evolve.
While its mainstream visibility may have diminished, its impact endures—subtle, resilient, and deeply embedded in the rhythms of modern Nigerian music.
