CHIEF executive officer of Inspiro Productions and founder of the Nigerian Jazz Project (NAIJAZZ), Ayoola Sadare was celebrated recently by entertainment journal, City People.
Tagged ‘An exclusive evening with Ayoola Sadare and his friends’, the event was used to honour Sadare for his contributions to the arts and entertainment sectors where he has operated for almost 20 years.
Unsurprisingly, the event turned out to be a mini jazz festival as a number of artistes were on hand to support the man with an insatiable appetite for jazz.
Apart from the artistes, poets, writers and spoken word performers also registered their presence. Artistes who entertained guests at the gig include Deni, Irawo, a female talking drummer, Nesta, smooth jazz guitarist Femi Leye, OBA and Ayodele. Afro Jazz pianist, Dapo Dina, trumpeter/percussionist, Victor Ademofe, Imole Afrika and bassist, Bright Gain were not left out.
Explaining why his publication chose to celebrate Sadare, publisher of City People, Seye Kehinde, said “I have known Ayoola Sadare for years and been able to observe his activities. [He is] Always mobile, enthusiastic and trying to connect people and make things happen. He is truly a man of many parts constantly making friends with people and has succeeded in making friends and acquaintances in music, media, arts and culture, entertainment, business and life generally.
“His passion and identity remains jazz and jazz related music, a genre of music which he is successfully promoting and making popular through his companies Inspiro Productions and NAIJAZZ. He is also strongly connected with other African countries starting with South Africa pursuing the Tale of Two African Cities project – Nigeria South Africa week.
“NAIJAZZ is his baby which he is tirelessly working to promote; it is a project with the objective of returning and restoring Nigerian music to its glorious position; promoting authentic and indigenous Nigerian music and musicians for global relevance in a classic and contemporary format. This is a worthy cause which is set to bring honour to this great country Nigeria which we call home. We at City People are bound to support such a vision because of its legacy value. Sadare believes Nigerian music can be more prominent on the global stage positively and we also believe and urge him on in this quest.”
Responding, Sadare thanked City People and all the guests, explaining that the event was not for him alone but a platform to recognize those who have contributed to helping him fulfil his dreams for jazz and indigenous music.
He also disclosed why he has been promoting the NAIJAZZ dream. “I believe that for long, we have pursued other forms of music to the detriment of developing our own kind of music; rich, diversified and instructive. NAIJAZZ music is refining and restoring Nigerian music to its glorious position. There was a golden era of Nigerian music and the diversity was our strength.
Beautiful music was being made all over the country from Lagos to Lokoja, Kankia to Okrika.
“Other countries have musical ambassadors to the world playing music in their mother tongue; refined, packaged and presented to the world. This has brought not only the musicians fame and recognition but their country’s image has been enhanced. You can’t beat others at their own game; bring on your own game. We too can play our music and get global acclaim. This is the NAIJAZZ dream; this is what we are pursuing. I believe one day in the near future, NAIJAZZ artistes will bring home the Grammy to honour Nigeria.”
Fittingly, kindred souls who share Sadare’s passion for jazz and the arts turned out to spend the day with him. South Africa’s Consular General in Nigeria, Ambassador Mokgethi Sam Monaisa and his wife, staff of the South African High commission in Lagos and musicians, T-Mac, Yinka Davies, Keziah Jones, Joey Ducane and Stella Monye were all there.
On air personality, Tintin of Igroove radio; culture and media advocate, Jahman Anikulapo, Makin Soyinka, Toni Kan, Deji Toye, Victor Ehikhamenor, Toyin Akinosho, documentary filmmaker Femi Odugbemi and his wife, and Bimbo Nzeh of Mona Matthews also came to felicitate with the man popularly known as ‘Shaddie Bobo’.
Chief Kole Adeniyi-Williams of MUSON Centre, filmmaker, Dr Ola Balogun, architect Theo Lawson, former general manager of MUSON Centre, Iyabo Aboaba and Sadare’s siblings were not left out of the gig.
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