Professional keyboardist, Olatunji Ajibola, who became visually impaired at the age of 10, speaks with AYOOLA OLASUPO about how he taught himself to play the keyboard, built a career as a musician, producer and singer, and why he believes disability should never define a person
Could you take us through your childhood journey?
I’m from Ogun State, and I went to the School for the Blind for my primary education along Ajao Road, Surulere, Lagos State. That’s Pacelli, and after that, I attended King’s College. During my time at King’s College, I began to understand the reality of the country: nobody is coming to help you.
Before then, I had started playing music. I started playing the drums at the age of five. After I lost my sight, I was in the School for the Blind, but there was nobody to teach me the keyboard, so I started learning the keyboard by myself. Most of the people staying with me at home were people who were seeing a blind person for the first time.
I had great listening skills for music, and I loved music; music has always been a passion. It’s either music or nothing for me right from the beginning. At the age of nine, I was playing the drums; even people who were much older than me always marvelled at how I was able to attain such a height. I didn’t learn from anybody.
