kola ogunkoya

Kola Ogunkoya

Musician

Kola Ogunkoya is a Nigerian America Afrobeat musician who uses the term "Afro Gbedu" to describe his style of music, which includes jazz, highlife, Jùjú, funk and traditional Yoruba music.

Kola was born in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria but was of Yoruba background, the son of an itinerant police officer. After moving from Iboland to Lagos, he attended Iponri Estate High School & Okota Community High School, a tough environment. He was a successful amateur boxer as a teenager, but due to opposition to his pursuing this career from his father turned to music, singing and playing trumpet in his local church. He plays an array of instruments including saxophone - soprano, alto, tenor and baritone, trumpet, fluger horn, and slide trombone.