Foreigners interested in our culture, tradition than Nigerians abroad — DJ Mykejay

Determined to preserve African culture and tradition from eroding due to migration from the continent, a United Kingdom (UK) based Nigerian songwriter and African culture ambassador, Michael Ogunbayo, popularly called DJ Mykejay, has embarked on an advocacy drive, ensuring Africans abroad continuously identify with their culture and tradition.

Ogunbayo added that the advocacy would ensure that the parents not only embrace it but also inculcate the same in their children to continue and sustain the drive towards making African culture globally accepted.

He noted that the decision to embark on the aggressive advocacy drive was burned out by the discovery that in the UK and many other European nations, Nigerian culture and that of other African nations were being taught in schools, while owners of the culture do not promote and teach their children about African culture and traditions.

According to the culture ambassador, that is one of the major works I have been doing in the UK, bringing many Africans together to ensure that they continue to have a link with their culture at home.

In an interview with newsmen yesterday, while promoting events towards celebrating Nigeria’s 65th independence anniversary, DJ Mykejay stressed that many Africans abroad do not value their culture the way foreigners, particularly those who have visited the country, cherish it.

“For instance, in the UK, some schools are teaching African culture and tradition. And they do this more than the way we have been celebrating our culture over the years. Most Nigerians in the UK do not allow their children to speak their native languages. And that is what I have been doing since arriving in the UK to ensure that Nigerians living here have a link to their home through culture.

“The culture that we are distancing ourselves from is what our hosts here are aiming to learn from us. Many of them know more about the Nigerian culture than those who share the blood but are based in the UK. We all need to ensure that the public knows where we are from, and this is our culture”.

On how he aimed to ensure an attitudinal change, the African culture advocate disclosed that the advocacy would be done through his music and events that would strictly be put together to promote the African continent’s culture and tradition.

Listing events which he had participated in to promote African culture and tradition, to include the Amala festival, New Yam festival, and others, the ambassador revealed that his music would not deviate from celebrating the continent’s culture and tradition.

While adding that through the music, the children have better access to their culture, Ogunbayo explained that the uniqueness of his songs was that they are inspired by his way of life and from activities happening around him. 

“I blend my song with reality using both the Western and African languages. I can sing in Yoruba and English simultaneously, and that has always assisted the songs I write for artists. I also ensure that the song promotes culture and traditions”.

“I will always engage in events that will promote the culture of the continent abroad. Through this, I believe that people will remember their culture even when they are not in the country.

“Aside from that, as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of my firm, Mykejay Entertainment, I have discovered and promoted many artistes, assisting them to gain stardom. So, my decision to move abroad is to take it beyond the standard it was in Nigeria.

“Outside the shores of the country, my goal is to ensure that Nigerian artiste get global attention like their UK and European counterparts. I will be doing this by sponsoring Nigerian artists to the UK and assisting them in setting up a collaboration with their foreign counterparts. I believe that doing this will help Nigerian artists showcase their talents and promote the country’s culture as well.

“I do not want it to be Wizkid, Burna Boy, Davido, Tems alone. I want many Nigerian young artists to also have access to global platforms that will allow them to showcase their God given talents. I want to, in the next five years, host the largest African Festival in the UK where all the best and upcoming artistes can perform to the attention of the world and promote our culture”.

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