Tunday Akintan is a multi-instrumentalist and virtuoso saxophonist, who is comfortable switching roles between musical instruments, without missing a beat. Tunday was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, and grew up in the same neighbourhood as the iconic Fela Kuti, whom he credits in his work. 

By the age of 7, Tunday was already hanging out with Fela Kuti’s band members in the streets of Lagos, without his father’s consent. 

Tunday always visited Fela and his band members as a teen, running around playing and testing out their instruments, but never knew he was with an icon. He was first mentored in his teens by Rilwan ‘Showboy’ Fagbemi, a legendary Afrobeat musician and Fela Kuti’s baritone saxophonist.

Tunday’s father, a prominent accountant in Lagos, sent him to London to study accountancy, but Tunday defied him to pursue a music career instead. The tension surrounding Tunday’s musical choice led to the song Papa Want No Music. 

Tunday studied music at Goldsmiths, University of London, and then obtained his Masters Degree at Bournemouth University, Dorset. He has taught at Goldsmiths University as well as various primary schools in London.