Adegoke Odukoya, also fondly known as Ade Bantu is a famous Nigerian-German musician, producer and social activist. He is the founder of the 13 piece band, BANTU and the creator of the monthly concert series and music Festival Afropolitan Vibes which holds in Lagos, Nigeria and Afro-German musical collective Brothers Keepers.
Ade was born on July 14 1971 in Wembley, London. He is biracial, being the son of a German mother and a Nigerian father.
In 1973, he relocated to Lagos, Nigeria with his parents Barbara Odukoya and Adeleke Odukoya. After the death of his father in 1986, Ade relocated with his mother and 3 siblings to Germany. He is the elder brother of musician Abiodun.
Ade Bantu’s Music Career
Ade Bantu began his musical journey some years back when he was attracted by Germany’s emerging hiphop movement.
He joined the Hiphop group Exponential Enjoyment with Goldlover D (Sini Demir), Double A (Mola Adebisi) and General GG (Götz Gottschalk) in 1989, using the alias and stage name “Duke T”.
Their single “Think for a Moment/Style Introduction”(Tan Tric 12”) is the 3rd German hiphop release (1989). They went on to produce the first multilingual Hiphop album in Germany titled “Chop or Quench” (1993).
It featured the pioneer German hiphop crew Advanced Chemistry. This was followed by a Free Jazz Hiphop album in 1993 with Peter Kowald, Sainkho Namtchylak and Peter Brötzmann titled “Expo’s Jazz & Joy”.
The talented superstar officially changed his stage name to Ade (later to Ade Bantu after BANTU’s 2005 album release). BANTU’s debut album “Fufu” became an instant success in Nigeria earning them two radio hit singles “Nzobu” & “Fire Inna Dancehall”.
In 2000 after a wave of racist motivated violent attacks on foreigners which climaxed in the killing of Alberto Adriano, Adé Bantu set up the Afro-German musical collective Brothers Keepers. Their song “Adriano (die letzte Warnung)” (Adriano the final warning) was released in 2001.
It became an anti racism anthem selling well over 220,000 copies and making it to the Top 5 of the German pop charts.
An album titled “Lightkultur” was released as well as a Sisters Keepers single “Liebe und Verstand” (Love & Understanding).
In 2003 and 2004 respectively, Ade Bantu, his brother Abiodun and German reggae singer Gentleman released the single “Rudie (Hold It Down)” together with UB40, thus making BANTU’s much anticipated European debut album “Bantu”. The album featured Don Abi, Sly Dunbar, Positive Black Soul and Pee Froiss from Senegal.
In 2005, Ade Bantu has since came up with a number of hits including: “Am I My Brothers Keeper?”, “Fuji Satisfaction” an eclectic mix of Fuji, hiphop, Dancehall, Afrofunk and Afrobeat that featured Nigerian Fuji singer Adewale Ayuba in 2005.
It recorded a huge success and won critical acclaim and the Kora Awards as “Best Group West Africa” and “Best Group Africa” 2005. This amongst other things promoted his move back to Lagos, Nigeria.
In 2006 he performed with Afrobeat Academy Band during the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. He has collaborated and toured with Tony Allen and Seun Kuti.
Other released to the credit of group BANTU are “No Man Stands Alone” an album of collaborations which was mostly recorded in Nigeria. The album featured Highlife music legend Fatai Rolling Dollar, Sound Sultan and Nigerian-German singer Nneka
Ade Bantu is the founder of Afropolitan Vibes a live music concert series & annual music festival that features alternative music acts alongside Nigerian and African music legends.
Ade Bantu was a member of panel of judges of Project Fame West Africa, a music TV reality show, a show he worked on from 2012 to 2015.
The hard working and versatile Ade Bantu has been politically active both in Nigeria and Germany. To this end, he was the founder of the now defunct Brothers Keepers e.V. an NGO in Germany affiliated with the Brothers Keepers musical project that visited schools, lobbied for changes in asylum and anti-discrimination laws and helped victims of racist seek redress.
Ade Bantu is strong activist and anticist. He was involved in the Anti Shell campaign in Germany and co-initiated the Ken Saro Wiwa week in 1997.
Bantu has been in the forefront against people being discriminated against because of colour, especially AfroGermans and Africans in Germany as well as social issues in Nigeria.
Adé Bantu has also made several appearances at concerts and workshops in German, Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania and Nigeria.
He is the co-founder and creative director of BornTroWay a community arts project targeted at disadvantaged youths in major African cities. The project was launched in Ajegunle, Lagos in 2011.
Ade Bantu hosted “Good Morning Africa” from 1997 to 2000. He co-directed Nigerian-German hip hop/soul singer Nneka’s video “Africans”.
Awards
Ade Bantu has several awards as part of his immeasurable contributions not only to the development of entertainment industry in African states but a promoter of peace, cultural values and human dignity through his group.
With Brothers Keepers he was awarded the 1LIVE Krone Radio Award for “Adriano (die Letzte Warnung)” in the category “Best Single of the year 2001”.
Ade Bantu’s Marital Life
Ade Bantu is married with children.
Ade Bantu’s Net Worth
Ade Bantu is indeed a superstar in the entertainment world with an estimated net worth of about $1.5 million dollars.
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