Long before Sunny Ade and Ebenezer Obey became famous, there was Tunde King the man who started it all.
In the 1920s and 1930s, Lagos was a lively city full of Yoruba locals and people who had returned from places like Brazil and Cuba. Together, they created a new music style called Palm Wine music, which mixed Yoruba traditional sounds with foreign influences. From this, Juju music was born right in a mechanic’s workshop in the Olowogbowo area of Lagos.
That’s where a group of young men would gather to drink, play music, and enjoy life. Tunde King led the group.
Who Was Tunde King?
Abdulrafiu Babatunde King was born on August 24, 1910, in Olowogbowo, Lagos Island, where many Saro (returnee African) families lived. His father, Ibrahim Sanni King, was a top court clerk and had spent time in Sierra Leone. Though Tunde was Muslim, he went to a Christian primary school and later attended Eko Boys’ High School. That’s where a classmate taught him to play the guitar.
Tunde became known among his friends who gathered at a mechanic’s shop to talk, sing, and play homemade instruments. By 1929, he had a day job as a clerk and played music part-time. By the mid-1930s, his fame grew. He made records, performed on radio, and played live at events, which was how he earned most of his money.
For example, he performed at the wake-keeping of the well-known doctor Oguntola Sapara in June 1935. He usually charged about 8 shillings per show, but guests often gave extra gifts while he performed. On good nights, he and his band made over £15, and once, a woman even threw him a golden bracelet worth £50 as he sang her praises.
Tunde King’s music was simple but powerful. His songs were full of wisdom and emotion. One of his most touching songs was made to comfort **Dr. Macaulay** after the loss of his daughter.
Tunde King passed away in the 1980s, but his impact lives on. He laid the foundation for Juju music in Nigeria and his name deserves to be remembered.
📸: Wikipedia
