About Najite

Son of an Urhobo tribal chieftain, NAJITE AGINDOTAN is a master percussionist who, from a very young age, traveled with the Urhobo cultural music troupe under his father's direction. They traveled throughout West Africa and performed at national festivals in their native Nigeria. A fervent participant, Najite devoted himself to theater performance, traditional dancing and drumming.

In his early teens, Najite was introduced to international superstar Fela Kuti and his original afrobeat music, a potent combination of Nigerian dance styles layered with funk guitars and Yoruba rhythms. Najite became Fela's student and, upon the death of his father, he was taken by Fela as his godson in a traditional ceremony at the African Shrine in Lagos, Nigeria.

After relocating to Los Angeles, California, Najite immersed himself in the arts of the African Diaspora. His talent and reputation grew as he worked with jazz luminaries such as Horace Tapscott's Pan-African People's Arkestra, Billy Higgins and Jimmy & Jeannie Cheatham. During this period Najite was also privileged to contribute to the work of African artists such as Remi Kebaka.

During his time in Los Angeles he has received several prestigious awards and grants. In 2000 He was recognized with a Congressional Award for Cultural Excellence by Representative Diane Watson, and has received grants from the California Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts and the University of California's Riverside, San Diego and Los Angeles campuses. In 1991 he received a NAACP Image Award as Best Musical Director for the stage play "Omalingwo".

Najite & Olokun Prophecy is a culmination of his African and American experiences, an expression of his love for the music and people of the world.