Meet the Man Behind the African Electric Guitar

It was Dr. Ezekiel Olaleye’s experiences as a young music lover that would eventually culminate in the establishment of Instruments of Africa (IOA) in 2016. The company is looking to stake its claim to the music instruments market in Africa currently dominated by imports from Asia, Europe and the US.

In an interview, Olaleye told Business Today that he established the company out of a desire ‘to see Africa thrive on the world stage and be at the forefront of innovation. The company caught the eyes of many with its flagship product, the African electric guitar.

The AEG stirred a buzz first for its striking design, which borrows heavily from the map of Africa. For Olaleye, the African electric guitar is a symbol of African identity. He experimented with several different versions of the AEG before landing on the current model, making tweaks along the way.

Despite its unique aesthetics, Olaleye states that the instrument was designed to provide high-quality audio and to be comfortable for guitarists. Early versions, he disclosed, looked good but didn’t sound as great.

IOA has since released 9 models of the African Electric Guitar – all named after African cities. They include Accra, Addis Ababa, Cairo, Kampala, Kigali, Kinshasa, Lagos, Nairobi, and Soweto.

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It sells them by partnering with music and sound stores in different locations across the continent, including Nairobi.

The AEG has been endorsed by artists including Nigerian Jùjú music legends King Sunny Adé and Ebenezer Obey. It has appeared in movies and music videos, and the company named Grammy Award-winning guitarist OT Woode from Ghana, alongside Femi Leye and Paul Tao from Nigeria, as its ambassadors.

While production of the AEG takes place in different parts of the world, Olaleye hopes to one day set up a production facility for IOA on the continent. Given the under-developed nature of the music instruments production market in Africa, he believes investment in manufacturing will go a long way in propelling the continent’s creative economies forward.

IOA is currently focusing its efforts on expanding into various markets and is also exploring introducing more instruments to its range.

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