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With the political tension in the country, US-based musician, social commentator and activist, Prince Ayo Manuel Ajisebutu has sued for peace, urging Nigerians to embrace love as the only virtue that can save the nation from possible disintegration.
He says: “Imagine how millions of lives could have been saved in Rwanda and Burundi if the world stood up at the beginning of the genocide that ravaged the two countries. My mission is to inspire people globally to behave royally and do everything with love for the greater good of humanity.”
Ajisebutu is the Founder/President of MansMark Records, a US-based entertainment outfit. In 1995, he organised several rallies to save the human rights activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni 9 from being killed by General Sanni Abacha. He later joined forces with Comrade Tunde Okorodudu and other Nigerians in Oakland and San Francisco to form ‘Free Nigeria Movement’. Their activities received the support of organizations such as Greenpeace, Amnesty International, and Rainforest Action Network.
Ajisebutu’s history of activism and constant call for love, peace and unity dates back to the ‘80s and are reflected in his songs like Save Nigeria (1991), Africans Unite (1991) and soon to be released Make a Change. His first album, Love Candidate, with his then stage name, Ayo Manuel, was released on his MansMark Records label in 1983. The album voiced his intention to run for office as the ‘Love Candidate’ (a political statement) and received extensive airplay on radio and television. He released his second album, Party Zone in 1991 and was distributed by Polygram, Nigeria. His album, Put on a Smiling Face was released in 1996 and was met with high praise from fans and peers.
As a peace activist, Ajisebutu writes and produces a hybrid-style of music that blends traditional African dance rhythms and Nigerian juju tunes with Western and Caribbean sounds. Since his arrival in the United States, he furthered his passions with new music and activism, spreading his melodies and motivational messages through troubled youth homes and women’s prisons in the San Francisco Bay Area, along with playing a significant role in several human rights campaigns.
