Media Team
Renowned Nigerian Afrobeat artist Abolore Adegbola Akande, better known by his stage name 9ice, has announced an unconventional birthday plan—to get traditional tribal marks when he turns 50.
The 45-year-old Ogbomosho-born musician shared this revelation in a recent TikTok video, explaining it as a tribute to his father who bears similar facial markings.
“When I hit 50, I’m getting my dad’s tribal marks as my birthday gift to myself. My crew thinks I won’t go through with it—just wait and see,” the iconic Yoruba lyricist declared.
Famous for weaving deep Yoruba proverbs into his music, 9ice rose to national acclaim with his 2008 chart-topper ‘Gongo Aso’, followed by multiple successful albums that cemented his place in Nigerian music history.
In a recent August 2025 interview with media personality Nancy Isime, the artist opened up about his spiritual journey, revealing his initiation into traditional Yoruba religion after a life-threatening health crisis.
9ice recounted how six months of inexplicably vomiting blood led him to an Ifa priest whose intervention ultimately saved his life, sparking his embrace of indigenous spiritual practices.
“My only regret is not discovering this spiritual path sooner,” the musician reflected about his transition to traditional worship.
