It has taken decades for majority of Kenyans to – albeit after his passing on – finally take notice of arguably one of the country’s globally renowned music makers.

 Indeed, his is the story of a prophet not honoured in his own backyard. For years on end, the somewhat nondescript Job Seda aka Ayub Ogada often used his fingers, warm and husky voice – to create catchy and melodious music.

 And more often than not, Kenya’s celebrated indigenous music exponent would with ease, strike an instant chord and close bond with audiences at live concerts.

 As he strummed heady songs with the kamba nane (eight strings) nyatiti lyre – his deft mastery never failed to spellbind listeners, cutting across age, social, political barriers and global frontiers.

 “In Europe, promoters think they discovered me. But I was already creating songs long before I left Africa – the heartbeat of world music,” remarked Ogada in a past interview.

 Based in UK for over a decade, his persistent efforts gradually paid off. At the time of his passing on, he stood out among handful Kenyan artistes signed on international music labels.

 His debut CD En Mana Kuoyo was released in 1993 on the Real World Records label. The stable is home to a string of artistes inclusive, Somalian diva Maryam Mursal, Remmy Ongala, Papa Wemba, Zimbabwe’s Thomas Mapfumo, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Tabu Ley Rochereau, Misty in Roots reggae band and Uganda’s Geoffrey Oryema among others.

 Ogada’s musical sojourn began during mid 1970s – his efforts turning pivotal in capital city’s fledging 1970s urban music scene. Alongside some peers at Lenana School, they gradually morphed into nucleus of Nairobi’s pioneer rock band – Black Savage.

 They were among numerous ambitious outfits, found on weekends, each band rocking a motley of patrons drawn from all walks of life – irrespective of social class, race or the depth of their pockets.

 Black Savage is credited with a full album and multiple singles recorded from the mid 1970s before band members split up, some opting to pursue higher studies overseas.

 Seda re-grouped with musical friends, giving rise to the African Heritage band, whose tour overseas opened up avenues for the then enterprising artiste.

 But it was in late 1980s, when he landed stints as a busker in London’s subways, while strumming the nyatiti to entertain ‘revellers’ in London’s streets that his star began to rise.

 Within months, he transformed into a sought-after performer at sold-out concerts in the US and European cities, commanding pricey appearance fees.

 Along the way to fame, he recorded debut 10-track CD En Mana Kuoyo, as his repertoire grew with sound tracks featured in box-office award winning movies. Despite his less popular, ‘uncelebrated’ profile locally, Ogada irrefutably gained deserved credence among Kenya’s most accomplished artistes.

 “My songs were previously unavailable here though I was active in varied projects. I wrote and composed consistently. My earlier songs were recorded with African Heritage and Black Savage bands – popular in Nairobi’s late 70s to early 80s vibrant scene,” he remarked.

 Ogada rose to global prominence in the late 1990s. “I was commissioned, using the nyatiti lyre – to compose sound tracks for movies,” he noted. The songs Ondiek and Obiero were incorporated in the film, I Dreamed of Africa starring Kim Bassinger.

 His career milestone was inclusion in 2005, of tracks Dicholo and Kothbiro originally cut on En Mana Kuoyo in the film Constant Gardener – an adaptation of John le Carre’s bestseller book.

 The track Share It With Me, also features in specific movie scenes – incidentally shot on location in Kenya. Koth Biro is also featured in The Good Lie movie.

 In same year, Ogada created the tracks Running to Village and Coming Home for a South African adventure-drama film Duma directed by Carroll Ballard.

And before his return to Kenya in 2007, he had just finished several tracks for the film Into the Light – a South African script but Hollywood production.

For several years, his first album, which features songs Obiero, Dala, Wa Winjigo Ero, Thum Nyatiti, Kronkrohinko, Chiro, 10%, Ondiek, Kothbiro and title track En Mana Kuoyo has been available in select outlets locally.

Ogada’s sophomore 11-track CD is simply titled Kodhi – the cuts therein include Dero, I Para Ango Yawa, Otenga, Waritarita, Harmonic, A Prayer, Conversation, Extreme and a traditional medley track. There is an odd song titled Funeral.

Even more curiously, he sings “.. there is too much for the mind in this world.. the world is a mystery.. what do we do.. the world has changed.. what are you all thinking about.. we can’t go on this way.. I’m tired of this world...”

Kodhi – recorded alongside guitarist Isaac Gem and bassist Dudley Phillips – was released on Long Tale Recordings label in 2015, and may not be on sale in Nairobi but can likely be shopped online.

In an interview about two years ago, Ogada conceded his gamble to ditch the guitar for an indigenous, and almost forgotten instrument paid off.

It was love at first sight for the nyatiti and Ogada. “I often saw the instrument used by traditional groups or folk musicians. When I strummed the kamba nane strings, I instantly felt so strongly reconnected with my cultural roots,” he recalled.

His consistent dalliance with the Luo traditional lyre, estimated to be about 5,000 years old, earned him accolades. The nyatiti reportedly originated from the Nile Valley, finding its way from upper Egypt to Kenya after Nubians migration in last two thousand years.

“Its pictures are evident on hieroglyphs. I started out in late 70s as a percussionist and drummer for African Heritage band before taking on the guitar. We accessed traditional instruments collected from across Africa by (late Joseph Murumbi and Alan Donovan) founders of Pan African Gallery then situated along Kenyatta Avenue,” he noted.

For months, he experimented, trying to create and fuse sounds with varied indigenous instruments common in Africa – balafon, also known as xylophone and kalimba (thumb piano) or mbira from Zimbabwe.