Rev. Josiah Jesse Ransome-Kuti was a musician, educationalist and cleric from Nigeria, renowned for composing Christian hymns in the Yoruba language and setting the Christian hymns to traditional music.
He was born 1855, in Igbein, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria. In 1922, The Rev. ‘JJ’ Ransome Kuti made a journey to London, England from his home near Abeokuta to attend the Church Missionary Society Exhibition. He recorded 43 songs, released on the double-sided Zonophone discs by the Gramophone Company, one of the earliest recording companies in the UK. He became the first Nigerian to release and record album in 1925. The Rev. ‘JJ ’was the grandfather of the Afrobeat King, Fela Ransome-Kuti and the Nigerian Nobel Peace prize writer, Wole Soyinka.
Ref: Josiah Ransome-Kuti – Wikipedia
Rev. J. J. Ransome-Kuti and the History of Yoruba Gospel Music | Religion@UVM
Image credit. Rev. J. J. Ransome-Kuti and the History of Yoruba Gospel Music | Religion@UVM
