Tayo Conga: Africa’s Drumbeat Echoing Across the World

From the tranquil town of Ikogosi in Ekiti State, famous for its mysterious warm and cold springs, came a boy who discovered the voice of rhythm in the pulse of the drum.

That boy, Oluwatayo Oluwadamilare Ajayi, now widely known as Tayo Conga, has become one of Africa’s most respected percussionists and cultural ambassadors.

His journey is a testimony to passion, faith, and the power of music as a tool for heritage preservation and global connection.

For Tayo Conga, drumming is not simply about sound—it is about philosophy. His understanding of percussion runs deeper than technique.

“Life itself is full of rhythm,” he says with conviction. “The movement of day and night, the rising and setting of the sun, the appearance of stars, the moon, time and seasons, all flow in rhythm. The drum is a mirror of this truth, and when it speaks, everything smiles in its time.”

It is this worldview that distinguishes his artistry. His rhythms are not just meant to entertain but to connect hearts, preserve culture, and inspire communities both at home and abroad.

Growing up in Ikogosi, surrounded by cultural festivities, traditional sounds, and natural beauty, Tayo developed an early fascination with African percussion.

The drumbeat, often the centerpiece of communal gatherings, planted in him a sense of belonging and purpose.

What began as curiosity blossomed into passion, eventually pushing him toward a career in music and cultural promotion.

That passion brought him into the fold of Tumbadora African Entertainment, where he now serves as lead percussionist.

With Tumbadora, he has graced some of the most prestigious stages on the continent and globally, performing at events such as the African Drum Festival, the International Jazz Festival, and the Forbes Under 30 Summit Africa.

His beats have echoed before audiences that included diplomats from the United States, Brazil, the Netherlands, and Spain, making his artistry both an entertainment delight and a cultural showcase.

Beyond performances, Tayo Conga has embraced the responsibility of teaching.

Through percussion workshops, he passes on the knowledge of African rhythms to younger generations and to foreigners eager to learn.

For him, drumming is a universal language that transcends cultural boundaries. His workshops are not just about the technicalities of sound; they are about transmitting history, values, and spirituality embedded in African music.

In 2025, Tayo Conga reached one of the proudest milestones of his career. Alongside the Tumbadora African Crew, he received an official invitation to perform at the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) during the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) in Algiers, Algeria.

The event, one of the continent’s premier cultural and economic gatherings, provided a platform for Tayo to showcase Africa’s rhythms to policymakers, investors, and creatives from across the world.

For him, this invitation was more than recognition; it was validation of his mission to use drums as a cultural bridge.

While he is celebrated internationally, Tayo remains deeply invested in nurturing culture at home in Nigeria.

He is the convener of the Spirit of Drums concert and the Gathering of Arts and Sound showcase. Both platforms celebrate percussion and heritage, bringing together musicians, dancers, and cultural enthusiasts to keep African traditions alive.

His Tayo Conga Drum Workshop and his quarterly cultural shows, often staged at the prestigious Nike Art Gallery in Lekki, Lagos, are other channels through which he promotes heritage. These gatherings are immersive cultural experiences, blending music, art, and storytelling.

For Tayo, every beat of the drum is an opportunity to remind his audiences of Africa’s enduring beauty and resilience.

He has also been instrumental in curating cultural tourism through the African Heritage Tour Series, which highlights Nigeria’s iconic sites such as the Ikogosi Warm Spring and the Badagry Slave Trade Zone.

By combining tourism with cultural storytelling, he positions drumming as more than performance, he makes it a tool for education and identity preservation.

Tayo Conga’s drumming also has a spiritual dimension. As Chief Percussionist in the music department of Elevation Church, Lagos, he uses rhythm to elevate worship experiences, helping congregants connect more deeply with God.

For him, drumming in church is not merely performance, it is ministry. “The drum is my voice,” he says, “and through it, I worship, inspire, and uplift others.”

Asked about his role models, Tayo references Wole Oni, the celebrated African keyboardist and percussionist who is also a Yamaha ambassador, along with other cultural icons who use music as a tool for unity.

These figures, he says, showed him that music is not just an artistic expression but also a form of service, service to heritage, to community, and to the world.

Tayo Conga’s advice to aspiring percussionists and cultural promoters is simple but profound: “Believe in God. Trust in Him and stay true to your roots. Be consistent in practice. Remember, your talent is not only for entertainment. Use it to serve, to preserve culture, and to inspire the world.”

Today, Tayo Conga’s beats echo far beyond the shores of Nigeria. From the historic grounds of Ikogosi to international stages in Algiers, his journey shows the timeless power of percussion.

The rhythms that shaped his childhood have now become a global voice, connecting people across continents and cultures.

Each performance, each workshop, and each cultural event adds to his mission of ensuring that Africa’s heritage continues to thrive.

As his drumbeats reverberate across the world, one thing remains clear: Tayo Conga is not just playing music, he is telling the story of Africa, one rhythm at a time.