Biography

"Beautiful Nubia... one of the best things to have happened to contemporary music in Nigeria...a rare creator of rich sounds and a gifted performer. (Steve Ayorinde, The Punch, January 21, 2005)

Jangbalajugbu, Beautiful Nubia's first album to be distributed outside of his native Nigeria, has sold in excess of one million copies in Nigeria and the West African region.

Awilele, the fast-paced follow up made the top ten world music charts of many campus/community radios in Canada and the USA, reaching Number One on the Earshot! International Music Charts in February 2005. The album also garnered Beautiful Nubia a nomination in the Favourite World Artist/Group category at the 6th Annual Independent Music Awards held in Toronto on March 1, 2006.

In 2004, he was the recipient of an Ontario Council Of Folk Festivals Songwriter Award for his song, The Small People's Anthem. His 1999 album 'Voice From Heaven' earned a nomination in the 'Best Artist from West Africa' category at the Kora All-Africa Music Awards 2000 in South Africa. A year later he and his band received another nomination as 'Best African Group' for the single Fire On The Roof (2001).

His newest release, Kilokilo brings together the diverse elements upon which Beautiful Nubia’s music has been built throughout his decade of recording, fusing the didactic with the spiritually elevating and the gently grounding. As usual, he comes with a message of hope and love. Of renewal and growth. Of a place where we can have peace if we learn to share of ourselves so that others may smile. In this album, Beautiful Nubia’s ability to fuse ancient tradition and rhythms with contemporary sounds reaches a distinctly new level of achievement. Kilokilo rose to Number One on the Earshot! International Music Charts in February 2008.

Discography:
Seven Lifes (1997)
Voice From Heaven (1999)
Fire On The Roof (2001)
Jangbalajugbu (2002)
Awilele (2004)
Fere (2006)
Kilokilo (2008)