Lord of Ajasa becomes a citizen of the US

Yoruba rapper Olusegun “Lord of Ajasa” Osaniyi has announced he is now a citizen of the United States.

The 44-year-old, known for his songs mainly in Yoruba, shared this news in a video on his Instagram Story on Wednesday.

In the video, Lord of Ajasa was with his wife, Funmi. She celebrated his achievement and encouraged him to share his new status with fans.

He held up his US citizenship certificate while standing next to the American flag.

He said: “My fans, I’m now a US citizen; you all should know. This is my new country’s flag. I’m now fighting for my new country.”

He also shared a photo of himself and his wife with the American flag in another post.

Fans and colleagues reacted to the post, celebrating his achievement in the comments.

Music producer Olumide “ID Cabasa” Ogunade, actors Kunle Afod and Yemi Solade, and singer 9ice were among those who sent him congratulatory messages.

The Ondo-born artist is known for his role in the early growth of indigenous-language rap in Nigeria. He helped the genre gain more acceptance among mainstream music lovers.

In his early career, he worked with many well-known Nigerian musicians, including 9ice, Olamide, and the late Da Grin.

His music journey has also faced challenges. The rapper reduced his full-time music work around 2019 due to health issues, including a peptic ulcer. Even with less activity, he still performed on stage occasionally.

His announcement about gaining US citizenship has put a spotlight back on his career and his contribution to Nigerian hip-hop.

Fans have also looked back at his long ties with the United States, where he often traveled for performances and events. Over the years, these trips sparked talks about a possible move.

He became popular with the song “Ma Yi Lo,” released in 2000. Since then, he has put out several songs, including “Le Fenu So,” “Oti Ya,” “Ara Awe,” “Lacasera,” “Who Be Dat,” “Halelluya,” “Bi Ere,” “Tete Wa,” “Ojumo Re,” “Aye Mon,” and “Lori Ila,” among others.