Daniel Okiror

Daniel Okiror (born in Gulu, Uganda) is a multitalented and multilingual artist and cultural promoter from Uganda. He owns a record label called Akogo Africa.

Okiror, also known as Eleja, is also a social entrepreneur and philanthropist who runs a number of charitable projects. He studied music at Africa Institute of Music and graduated from Makerere University with a bachelors degree is social sciences. He also graduated from the University of Nairobi with a masters in project planning and management.

Okiror's music is a fusion of folk sounds such as ajosi, eleja and ekembe as well as Afrobeat, pop, rhumba and Afro-jazz.

Okiror was raised by his mother's relatives in the poverty-stricken village of Acanipi and in the Nakatunya slums. The prevailing conditions did not deter him from learning lingala music as well as handmade instruments.. Okiror participated at a music school festival and realised that his love for music was more than just a hobby. This prompted him to join a local church choir.

He later crafted his amagar'eleja sound, which is inspired by the Luo people in Kenya. Armed with a band, Okiror plays the akogo, adeudeu and amagareleja instruments fused with sounds from the acoustic guitar, drums, jembe and saxophone. He has released three albums namely 'One Lover' (2009), 'Light in Africa' (2011) and 'Emuria Koliai' (2014).

He has performed around the globe in such countries as South Korea, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Israel, Sudan, the Netherlands, the US, the UK, Germany, Belgium and France.

Okiror founded the Daniel Okiror Intercultural Foundation/Beats of Hope. The foundation provides aid to street children and acts as a platform for intercultural exchange and artists residency. It runs projects in Uganda, Kenya and the Netherlands.

The foundation is credited for the following projects:

1) Wana wa mola street boy's home In Mombasa Kenya.

2) Akogo house artists hostel Mombasa Kenya.

3) Akogo Africa impact travel, record label and volunteer/intern placement in Kenya and Uganda.

4) Africa Safari Festival in the Netherlands.

5) SameDrumBeat Festival in the Netherlands.

6) World Wednesday in the Netherlands.

7) Akogo Festival in Uganda.

8) The Beats of Hope Centre and Modal village in Uganda (coming soon).