Sowande

Sowande is a surname of Yoruba origin in Nigeria. It is borne by people in Yoruba-speaking regions and among the Nigerian diaspora. The name’s bearer is most famously Fela Sowande, a Nigerian composer, organist, and pianist who is widely regarded as a pioneer of Nigerian art music. Sowande is noted for blending Yoruba melodic and rhythmic elements with Western classical musical structures, and for contributions to church and concert music in Nigeria. The surname is one of several Yoruba family names that spread through Nigeria and abroad, reflecting the cultural and linguistic diversity of the Yoruba people.