The Day Jùjú Music Touched the World: I.K. Dairo’s Yamaha Festival Honor

The Day Jùjú Music Touched the World: I.K. Dairo’s Yamaha Festival Honor

The Day Jùjú Music Touched the World: I.K. Dairo’s Yamaha Festival Honor

In 1972, famous Nigerian Jùjú musician I.K. Dairo was honoured in Japan at the World Popular Song Festival, also known as the Yamaha Music Festival.
This event helped introduce Jùjú music to the world and showed the global value of Nigerian music.

I.K. Dairo won a Yamaha L2G motorcycle as a special prize for his musical talent. The award showed that his unique style—mixing Yoruba drums, guitar, accordion, and wise sayings—was appreciated worldwide.

By then, Dairo was already a well-known figure. In 1963, he became the first African musician to receive the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire). His songs often included Yoruba stories and proverbs, which made him a cultural ambassador for Nigeria.

The photo of him receiving the Yamaha motorcycle is still remembered today as a proud moment in Nigerian music history. It proved that African music wasn’t just entertainment—it was true art that deserved global respect.

I.K. Dairo’s success in Japan opened the door for many Nigerian musicians and continues to inspire new generations.