*Says, ‘I have always wanted to become a standout musician from childhood’

By BENJAMIN NJOKU

US-based- Nigerian physician, Bimbo Ogundipe may not be known as one of the top female singers in Nigeria, but her recent work will definitely catapult her into the limelight.

She discovered her passion for music after she released her debut album titled “Sambro Odo” in the 90s, while working with the Nigerian Sports Commission.

Being a physiotherapist to Nigerian athletes as well as the female soccer team Falcons at the second World Cup championship held in Sweden, Ogunndipe had the opportunity also to join the Nigerian Olympic team in Atlanta in 1996, and after the games, she stayed back in America to chase her dream of becoming a medical doctor. Interestingly, after 28 years of disappearing from the music scene, Ogundipe is returning to the limelight again armed with a new genre of music she calls ‘AfroAsia Rhythm’. She created the genre, which is encapsulated in her new song, “Keke” to promote the similarity between Asian rhythm and African rhythm. Ogundipe, who says she’s taking a break from her medical profession to focus on her music, believes that as an African woman, and an ambassador for her people, creating this unique blend of music and culture opens up a platform for her to connect with people around the world in a novel fashion. It also allows her to present the world with the talents and richness that Africa has to offer.

Excerpt…

My journey as a physiotherapist

I trained as a physiotherapist and physician. I bagged my Bsc as a physiotherapist at the University of Lagos in 1991. After my graduation, I secured a job at the National Sports Commission, where I did my youth service as physiotherapist, handling the athletes. I had the opportunity to travel around the world with the athletes as a member of the Nigeria medical team . In 1994, I was at the Commonwealth Games as a physiotherapist to the Nigeria athletes in Canada. In 1995, I was also a physiotherapist for the Nigeria female soccer team, Falcons at the second World Cup championship which was held in Sweden. In 1996, I also had another opportunity to become a member of the Nigerian medical team for the Atlanta Olympics games. After the competition, I didn’t return to the country as I disappeared to chase my dream of becoming a medical doctor. I have always wanted to become a medical doctor back in Nigeria. While in America, I was doing family medicine residency, but now, I’m taking a break to focus on music which has been on hold for 28 years now. I have always loved to sing since I was a child. My parents were both choir directors at the different Catholic Churches which we attended in Nigeria. When I moved to the United States, I was a worship /praise leader for a long time before I finally went to medical school.

Why I took a long break from music

The reason I took a long break after releasing my debut album in 1995, was because I wanted to pursue a career in medicine. When I moved to the United States, I had to complete the required courses prior to applying to medical school. That took me a long time in addition to supporting my family. This is because I did not train in America as a physiotherapist. So, the journey to become a physician took me a long time. Medicine is highly demanding. That’s why I haven’t gone back to complete my residency program. My music has been kept on hold for 28 years. But I’m back to continue from where I stopped with the release of my new song, ‘Keke.’ I’m taking a break from my medical career right now to focus on my music.

Carving a niche for myself

My genre is AfroAsian rhythms. It’s a blend of traditional African musical instruments with traditional instrumentals from Asia. My inspiration for this genre stems from the fact that while growing up in Nigeria, in addition to listening to and learning the songs of great Nigerian legends like late Chief Herbert Ogunde, Chief Jimi Solanke, Duro Ladipo, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, King Sunny Ade, Chief Victor Uwaifo, Nelly Uchendu, Miriam Makeba among others, I also listened to lots of Indian music and watched Bollywood movies. I fell in love with the music, the culture, and the language. I imagined myself in a Saree or Shalwar Kameez, and most times in Buba and Iro, or in georgette up and down attire, singing Hindi and Yoruba songs in the fields, throwing my hands up in the air like they do in the movies, moving, and dancing to the rhythm of the music, and hoping that one day, I too will be presented with the opportunity to sing and perform in Bollywood. It was this love that inspired me to incorporate some of the instruments that create these beautiful and soulful melodies into my song that is already laden with traditional African instruments..Working on this project, I insisted that my producer create something different from Afrobeats, which would be a blend of traditional African musical instruments with traditional instrumentals from Asia. That’s how we came up with AfrioAsian rhythms. It came to reality when we started this project. It’s a new genre and completely different from Afrobeats. It is my first trial. Obviously, a lot of work has to go into it. So I’m still working on it and a lot of research actually went into this project.

Origin of the title of my song, ‘Keke’

My music is not just for entertainment. I also want people to have an intellectual encounter with my music as an intellectual person. I love researching complex stuff, which is why I went back to medical school. This song talks about ‘Keke’ which is called rickshaw in English. While I was working on this 8-track album, my co-producer urged me to sing about ‘Keke.’ There and then, I created the melody as well as the lyrics. Initially, I recorded the song for the Nigerian audience and titled it ‘Keke’ But nine months ago, I woke up one morning and I had this rickshaw chant in my head. That’s how I went back to research on the origin of ‘Keke .’ How it started in Japan in 1800, and was called jin rickshaw|(jin means human while Rick means the force and Shaw-the vehicle ). South Africa was the first African country to adopt Keke as a means of transportation. It’s a metaphoric song about transportation. It celebrates the transportation system whether you drive a plane, danfo or kabu kabu because transportation is very vital to human existence . The economic development of any country today is directly related to the development of its transportation system. So, I felt this is the time to celebrate our transportation system in songs.

Music not taking the shine away from my medical profession

My music is not taking the shine away from my medical profession. As a matter of fact, I feel my music would enhance my medical profession because we know that music has been used as a tool of healing before the advent of medicine. It heals emotional problems, anxiety and also, it allows us to be more flexible while listening to it. Music also helps us to facilitate our learning process when studying.

Getting vibes from my music

Like I said earlier, it’s a new genre and I am getting positive feedback from my music. People can’t wait to see the video and know what it entails . I am getting very positive vibes from it .Indians can relate to it because of the instrument that is from their continent and the Africans also can relate to my music because of the instruments that are from their continent. I am hoping when I enter the studio again, it will be more refined .Every new thing takes time for people to get used to it. Initially people were saying this is a very different music. I like it ,it’s not something they are used to like infusing two different instruments from different cultures,more like trying to join the river and ocean together. I want people to begin to appreciate the flavor,beauty ,melody and rhythm of the song. I hope with the promotion more people will get to hear it and with the video it reaches to the world

My experience working with the Nigeria Olympic team

It was a very exciting one because I got to work with renowned athletes and traveling out of Nigeria and meeting people from other parts of the world and to be at the Olympics in America was an exciting experience . I can’t even describe it was fulfilling. The Olympics are like a melting pot. You have to put aside your biases and work with people you have never met before to achieve a goal . I can’t remember the details but I know it was an experience I would never stop cherishing and that’s why in my video “keke” I incorporated part of the Olympics which is coming out October 1st 2024.

When we travelled to Atlanta Georgia in 1996 for the Olympics we were able to meet different people, it made me appreciate other people and that is why my song has that element of multicultural flavour. It’s also about peace, not only about the transportation system because it connects people from different cultures and beliefs. It a song that when you listen to it you be like my country or region was mentioned the chanting of many countries in the song.

Collaboration with other top musicians

I would love to collaborate with anyone, including Burna Boy, Yemi Alade, Tiwa Savage, Simi, Rema, Davido among others. The fact that I’m not doing Afrobeats now does not mean I won’t sing it in the future. Even though my genre is AfroAsia, I sing in so many languages such as Igbo, India, Yoruba. Basically, I have no problem singing in different languages.

My perception about the transport system in Nigeria Like every developing country, there is a need for a lot of development to happen in the transportation system in the country to bring it up to power like other countries like China and America. There is a need for constant maintenance of the road so that traffic congestion can be eased. New roads have to be constructed, and maintained on a regular basis. I have lived in America for about 28 years and I can tell you, port holes are removed and roads are maintained every week and month. Good roads are essential for existence and livelihood and mobilizing patients from their house to the hospital. Also, there has to be a free route for emergency cases in every developing country. When you listen to my song its talking about how we use KEKE as a means of transportation to take you anywhere you want to go. When I was growing up, there was no KEKE although we had something similar to KEKE popularly known in the Yoruba community as KABUKABU, or coaster buses, I can’t remember witnessing the train system while growing up in Nigeria. I know Nigeria are doing a fantastic job trying to improve the transportation system in Nigeria but more effort is needed to reach the same level of other top countries , because transportation will do more good by creation more employment, enhancing globalization, boosting economic of the country