Veteran Nigerian rapper Olusegun Osaniyi, popularly known as Lord of Ajasa, has become a United States citizen.
The pioneer of mainstream Yoruba rap shared photographs and video clips from his citizenship ceremony on his Instagram page on Wednesday, including an image of himself holding his American citizenship certificate.
The rapper posed with his wife and the American flag, marking the milestone and drawing congratulatory messages from fans, colleagues and other members of the entertainment industry.
Music producer and Coded Tunes founder, Olumide Ogunade, popularly known as ID Cabasa, was among those who congratulated the rapper, writing, “Congratulations Lord Oshi.”
Lord of Ajasa replied, “Thanks Cabasa.”
Singer Abolore Akande, better known as 9ice, also celebrated the milestone, commenting, “Congrats apase1,” to which the rapper responded, “Thanks Baalè.”
The development has also renewed attention on Lord of Ajasa’s contribution to the growth of indigenous-language hip-hop in Nigeria.
He emerged as one of the early artistes to establish Yoruba rap in the mainstream, paving the way for a generation of indigenous-language rappers who came after him, including the late Dagrin, Olamide and Reminisce.
Songs such as “Le Fenu So,” “Esha Lo Bade” and “Mai Lo” remain associated with the early years of Yoruba hip-hop and have kept his name relevant in conversations about the evolution of Nigerian rap.
His career has also been linked to the formative years of the indigenous rap movement and the Coded Tunes era, making him a recurring figure in discussions about the history of Nigerian hip-hop.
