UK BANNED LORD OF AJASA FOR 10YEARS( PERSONA NON GRATA)

Words:Adedosu 'kenzy' Adekunle

Nigerian lyrical rapper and performer, LORD OF AJASA (real name Olusegun Osaniyi) might have seen himself in a dilemma as he has reportedly been banned from entering the UNITED KINGDOM for the next 10 years.

Ajasa, emerged in the Nigerian music scene in the early nineties with his unique use of Yoruba language infused in his raps. After years underground, he briefly became the toast of music lovers , getting a record deal and securing major hits. He became a sought-after performer and almost got signed to Nigeria's biggest record label KENNIS MUSIC.

Sadly, he never made it to the A-list and as such never made any commercial success. And he was still struggling to find his way to the top when the late rapper icon DAGRIN came and kicked him in the butt. Never known to be loyal, fans soon went to bed with Dagrin, leaving Ajasa high and dry.

Ever since, he’s been struggling to revive his once brilliant and promising career.

Unfortunately, the rapper may have recorded another major setback, with the discovery, last week, that he’s been declared a ‘persona non grata’ by the UK.

The United Kingdom is a major performance destination for Nigerian acts.

Sources say the British High Commission resident in Nigeria banned him when they found out that he presented fake documents when he first applied for a visa sometime ago. Those with inside information tells journalist that it was a London-based music promoter who wanted the Akure-born rapper over in the UK for a couple of shows that sent over the ‘documents’ which he presented at the British Embassy as at the first time of visitation. Ajasa claims he was never aware that the documents were fake.

‘When they denied him visa, he did not bother to appeal. He just took it philosophically that the trip was not meant to be. However, when he went back recently to apply for another visa, the embassy officials now brought out his file that he presented fake documents the first time. He was really furious because he was innocent. It was the person in London that should be banned, not Ajasa’, a source told Nigerian Newspaper The Punch last week.

According to The Punch, ‘When Ajasa was contacted, a man who rather his name not be mentioned picked up the call and shed more light on the situation stating that Ajasa was working on getting a lawyer to appeal the ban’

‘If he had appealed the visa denial that first time, they would have told him his documents were fake but he didn’t and that is why this happening. He has missed so many shows in London and that is the painful part. We will get a good lawyer to help us reverse the ban’, the source explained.

Ajasa who released his third album ‘3rd Avenue‘ early last year, could not be reached for comments.