Nigeria and USA / 2020 / 97mins / Documentary / Yoruba and English

From the colorful, celebratory sounds of Juju to the politicized urgency of Afrobeat, Nigerian musicians have spearheaded some of Africa's most prominent musical movements. Oftentimes, their work formed the backdrop against which the nation blossomed. So what happened to these pioneering artists who rose to prominence during the country's halcyon years - and continued to endure when it faltered? Elder's Corner is a voyage of return and discovery, an epic tale of survival and the undeniable power of music to reconnect the past to the present.

Adesiji Awoyinka

Siji Awoyinka is a multidisciplinary aural and visual storyteller. Born in the UK to Nigerian parents, he spent much of his early childhood in Lagos and London before coming to the US to further pursue his musical ambitions. His music fuses elements of Soul, Jazz, Highlife, Afrobeat and Gospel music with traditional Yoruba rhythms drawn from his rich ancestral background. His critically acclaimed musical works, among them; God-given (BBE 2004), AdeSIJI (IVY 2008) and Home Grown (IVY 2014), have found appreciative audiences worldwide and continue to garner praise. Additionally, he has contributed songwriting and production talent to projects for the likes of Salif Keita, Cesaria Evora, Osunlade and Wunmi. Siji's bold and visually arresting videos; Yearning For Home, YMorenike, YIjo and YLagos Lullabye, have appeared on a number of major networks including MTV, BBC, VH1, BET and many others. His feature length documentary film, Elder's Corner (2020), premiered at Sheffield Docs, UK, DOC NYC, Blackstar Film Festival and Trinidad & Tobago International Film Festival. It also won an Ethnomusicology Commendation award at the prestigious RAI Film Festival, 2021. His newest short Funmi! (2024) debuted this year as well. Learn More