Onídìrí Festival: Benjamin Mayowa Sax dazzles on debut performance in London
UK-based Nigerian saxophonist Benjamin Mayowa AJAGBE, more popularly known as Benjamin Mayowa Sax, made his debut London performance in endearing fashion at the second edition of the Onídìrí Festival.
Organised by by Roots and Radiance Network CIC, the festival gathered Africans in diaspora at the Ripple Centre, Barking, London, in August 2026, to celebrate African heritage, beauty, innovation and the creative economy.
Benjami Mayowa Sax turned up with an impressive fusion of Afrobeats and Fuji-inspired instrumentation amongst the array of performances at the festival alongside, storytelling, African hair artistry and visual art.
His performances on the alto saxophone were amazing byplaying the lead melodies, backing up with backup voices and other strings and percussion musical instruments which electrify the audience.
His saxophone tone was distinctive, added the phrasing that was more reminiscent of Fuji music’s rhythmic drive and improvisation on an Afrobeat foundation, lending the performance a distinctly Nigerian flavour.
What made this performance so incredible was the command that the lead sax had over the arrangement and didn’t overpower other elements in the performance.
Benjamin took the melodic lines in and out of the singers and introduced the woodwind voice with confident statements when needed to the musical structure.
Sustained notes (long notes) gave contrast and helped to delineate the direction of the performance, while shorter responses established a call and response relationship with the vocals.
Benjami Mayowa Sax was expressive with his performance with a blend of contemporary Afrobeats and the vibe of Fuji which is also popular among Nigerians.
He dazzled his audience beyond the blend of both genres with his command of the saxophone by giving familiar sounds a fresh voice without discarding their character.
His tone was focused, projecting and expressive; traits that are important to have when a saxophone plays the lead role in a live cultural situation.
He added more life to his performance by joining other artists in dancing with his Africa-themed attire to compliment the occasion, adding a cultural feel to the festival. Benjami’s saxophone, dance and interactions with the ensemble reflected the festival’s celebration of African identity and blend of tradition and modern creativity.
Benjamin, as a unique saxophonist, often plays the role of a singer, articulating melodic ideas, reacting to vocal lines and creating expressive tension by manipulating the phrases and dynamics.
This added a story line to the instrumental performance but also retained that rhythmic flow that a set with Afrobeats’ influence needs to have.
That cultural dialogue was strengthened by the visual presentation.
Benjamin danced to songs and music with the other artists in the African themed costume and seemed a part of the larger festival celebration of African identity.
His blending of Nigerian music traditions is particularly fitting to the Onídìrí Festival and Roots, Rhythm and Revolution exhibition, which was designed around the confluence of tradition and contemporary creativity.
He delivered very well with ensemble awareness also.
The saxophone was the lead instrument for the performance, but Benjamin did not make the show a solo affair.
He listened and answered to the backup singers and the musicians around him, letting the saxophone lead, answer and support.
That restraint added to the music’s credibility, and to the leadership’s sense of purpose, rather than adding to the excess.
Benjamin’s UK performance grows as he makes his London debut.
The Nigerian-born, UK-based saxophonist, songwriter and performer has performed in London, Bradford, Sheffield, Manchester and Wolverhampton.
The Afro-jazz, Highlife and Afrobeats aesthetic of his music is complemented using the saxophone as a central melodic instrument, which has become more prominent in his repertoire with time.
That artistic direction was very apparent at Onídìrí Festival 2026.
Benjamin Mayowa Sax anchored an Afrobeats show with a woodwind piece that was musically driven and infused with Fuji influences through its phrasing.
More significantly, the performance suggested a developing artistic identity in which the saxophone does not simply embellish African popular music; it leads, interprets and reshapes it for a contemporary British audience.
