Segun Awe

Segun Awe was born in a Christian home in Aiyetoro Ekiti, Nigeria. A village with no electricity or running water. He attended primary and secondary school in Nigeria where he was introduced to music at very young age. He began playing drums in the school band, church choir, the masquerades and even playing in the village band. Segun was so good at playing the pot drums, that at the request of the King of his village, his headmaster was forced to release him from his primary school studies to play for the masquerades during the festival.

After completing his education, he left for Ibadan city where he joined a band as a back-up guitarist. While playing conga, Segun started learning how to play guitar using an old abandoned guitar owned by the band he was playing with. He even taught himself how to play guitar because the professional guitarist refused to teach him without being paid. Segun recalls how he watched the professional guitarist placing his fingers and how he played the guitar. At the end of two years, the lead guitarist left and the band had no choice but to allow Segun to play guitar.

Segun played lead guitar for three months until the original guitarist returned. During this time he fell in love with the guitar and felt he couldn't stop playing so he decided to leave the band in search of a place he could continue playing and honing his skills as a guitarist.

Segun joined one of the most popular bands as a guitarist. After making 25 albums with the group, he left and travelled to London where he learned theory of music and saxophones. He then went back to Nigeria and formed his own band. In May 1990, he established his 17 piece band Afritonas, meaning African tones.

Calling on the many connections Segun had established as well as his vast experiences, he managed to record his first album called Afritonas, "Music of the Roots" in 1992. This was produced under his own label, Afritonas Limited.

His second album ?Ajagbe-Ejo? was released in 1994 again on the Afritonas label. After the two successful albums in Nigeria, Segun performed at the Maison De France, in Nigeria in front of many of the world's diplomats. Here he was advised to take his music to America because they believed his music had such appeal and was suited to a wider audience. In New York, Segun recorded his first world pop CD ?One Way Ticket? which is currently being sold on the Afritonas International Label.

According to Segun, ?The album ?One Way Ticket? stands for peace love and unity. Most records, albums or CDs released talk about carnal love but the love in this album goes beyond that - because if you truly love, you will not kill nor discriminate. With this type of love there will surely be peace in the world.?