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Femi Lasode hails from Ilawo, Abeokuta, Ogun State, but was born in Port Harcourt,
Rivers State, Nigeria, on December 4th 1955. Obafemi Lasode holds a B.Sc. in Business
Administration (International Marketing) from the prestigious Kogod Business School,
American University, in Washington, D.C. and an M.A. in Communications Arts from
Brooklyn College, City University of New York. He also attended St. Gregory's College,
Obalende, Lagos.
Femi Lasode is well-known as the music director behind the musical production outfit
“Afrika ‘n Vogue” which has produced a number of successful musical works such as Afrobeat Sketches, 1996, (including songs such as Original Wayo, Suffer,
Suffer and Arrogance, Ignorance featuring Francis Goldman); Afrikan Rythms,
1998, a musical project which featured Nigerian musical stars such as King Sunny Ade,
Sunny Neji, Francis Goldman, Yinka Davis, Alariwo of Africa, Peterson Agu,
Prince Allam Bloo, and Princess Cheena Aboh (hit songs from this project
including the award-winning A Song for the World, Honest Work, Love U Tonite,
Abeokuta, and Original Wayo remix).
In 1983, he joined Inner City Broadcasting Corporation, New York as Promotions
Coordinator for WLIB radio. There he was instrumental in the successful hosting of two
African musical stars at the world-famous Apollo Theatre in New York, U.S.A.
The first was Sonny Okosuns, the Ozziddi King in 1984, followed by Fela Anikulapo-Kuti,
some years later.
Femi Lasode produced an exciting cross-cultural African radio music programme on
Radio Nigeria 2 tagged Afrika In Vogue. This programme ran from the first quarter of
1989 and lasted for a year. In 1995, Obafemi Bandele Lasode established
Afrika ‘n Vogue/Even-Ezra Studios which presently produces musical works as well as
Radio and T.V. programmes for T.V. and Radio stations, world-wide.
Within the 7 years of its existence, Even-Ezra Audio Video studios has provided
audio and/or video support to notable Nigerian artistes such as Daddy Showkey,
Majek Fashek, Plantashun Boiz, Fada U-turn, Sunny Neji, Evi-Edna Ogholi,
Seun Anikulapo-Kuti, Blackky, Chief (Dr.) Oliver De Coque, Yinka Davies,
Princess Cheena Aboh, Francis Goldman, Kola Ogunkoya, Danny Wilson, Pasuma Wonder,
Alariwo, Baba Fryo, Daddy Fresh, Stella Monye, Weird M.C, Ayetoro, Gboyega Adelaja,
Skidd Ikemefuna, Bola Abimbola, Queen Change, Lekan “Azeez” Odutan, Rosemary Chukwu,
Lady Sybil Sparkle and a host of other musicians whose music genre cuts across
Afrorap to Afroragga, to Afrobeat to Highlife, Fuji, Juju and Apala, to afro-gospel.
Obafemi Lasode has produced over 250 Nigerian locally - produced musical videos,
spanning across Nigeria. He is the creator and producer of a number of musical
video programmes such as Chartbusters; Afrikan Party Jam; City Rythms; and
Afrikan Carnival.
In 1998, Obafemi Lasode produced and directed the epic movie,
Sango the Legendary Afrikan King. That same year, the movie was screened during the
Film Society of Lincoln Centre, New York, USA as part of the Fourth New York-African
Film Festival. It was also screened at the Brooklyn Museum Of Arts,
and the Chicago Museum of Arts. This was followed in 1999 with a screening during the
7th Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles, California. That same year,
it was featured at PANAFEST ’99 in Ghana at the following venues: Cape Coast,
Accra, Takoradi, Kumasi and Koforidua. In the year 2000, the movie was shown at a
2-day African Workshop at the Centre of African studies (CAS), School of Oriental
and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, Russel Square, London, U.K.
The African epic movie was also selected to open the Minneapolis/St. Paul
International Film Festival, U.S.A.
In 1998, Obafemi Lasode directed his second movie titled Mask of Mulumba,
a martial arts action-packed adventure movie. He currently has four more
movies in the pipe-line: the Amazons of Africa, a co-production with the
Nigerian Film Corporation, Jos; Oshun Oshogbo; Lishabi; and Tears of Slavery.
Obafemi Lasode facilitated the production of 8 (eight)
videos for the successful Nigeria '99 soccer fiesta, under the auspices of Afrika 'n Vogue,
Even-Ezra Studios, Lagos, Nigeria.
Five (5) of the videos produced for PMAN/LOC were for songs written and sang by
PMAN (Performing Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria) artistes for the global
FIFA soccer event, held in Nigeria. This included the theme song and promotional songs.
Obafemi Lasode has also worked closely with the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC),
to produce AFRICAST '98 in Abuja. He also co-produced the video productions for
a series of Golden Tones, Benson and Hedges Music Concerts, held in Nigeria.
At the advent of the political transition programme in 1999, Obafemi Lasode
produced the political jingles for Chief Lucky Igbinedion, the incumbent Governor of
Edo State in Nigeria. His Studio actively partook in PANAFEST '97 which was held in Ghana.
He is the Executive producer of a movie titled Back To Africa a co-production with
Black Ivory, based in New York. Currently He is the creator and Executive Producer
of the popular comedy series Paradise Park, presently running on NTA Network;
he is also the Executive Producer of a number of other comedy programmes
presently running on Nigerian television, such as Salami’s Household,
and a new comedy series, Silent Night. He is currently producing a TV soap-opera,
First Family. Obafemi Lasode recently authored a book titled, TELEVISION BROADCASTING:
The Nigerian Experience (1959 - 1992), which is being used at TV College, Jos;
Lagos State University; and University of Ibadan. He also produces musical shows,
drama/theatrical performances, as well as manages musical acts.
Femi Lasode’s Afrika ‘n Vogue/Even-Ezra Studios has been behind the
production of a number of television jingles for NTA2 channel 5, NTA Channel 10,
ITV Benin, as well as the extremely popular “Mama, Papa” jingles for African
Independent Television (AIT). His outfit has also won a number of awards such as
FAME, AMEN, REEL and THEMA awards. Obafemi Lasode is a member of the
Performing Right Society (PRS) based in the UK.
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