For the lovers of jazz music in the house, you all know the charm of a saxophone, filling the room with an aura of a heavenly place by the riverside, with evergreen tall trees, birds chirping and the breath of freedom away from the noise.
While you thought saxophone is about a man playing the instrument, how about the man being the instrument? 31-year-old Tosan Arugha has been dubbed the human saxophone because he makes a sound remarkably similar to the instrument using just his mouth.
Though his Instagram videos, Arugha’s coordinated skills have seen him entertain his audience with renditions of popular Afrobeats songs from Nigerian performers such as Teni Entertainer and Burna Boy, that have gone viral with his fans sharing them all over social media platforms some who have been generous with cash donations.
In 2010, Arugha survived a bomb blast in Nigeria’s oil-rich but volatile Delta region, following an attack by a militant group, Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), which left him hospitalised for six months. While in the hospital with sustained injuries and severe burns in his face, music gave him something to live for and keep him happy during this twist of events in his life.
“Before my third surgery, I realized I could blow music with my mouth. I made music to keep myself happy. I did not want to fall into the circle of boredom. I was in the hospital for six months after the incident,” he said.
When he got back to his feet, he took his newly discovered talent to the church, catching the eyes of the congregants and more church gatherings became familiar with his unique talent. Not until his brother encouraged him to join social media early this year, that he got to show his talent to the world.
“He introduced me to social media influencers, who urged me to open an Instagram account to sell myself publicly,” he said.
Arugha has morphed into a music sensation is currently perfecting his talent by rehearsing songs and practising to get better, as he gets gigs and deals to perform.
“I spend my time working on new music now because I can be called to perform at any time,” he said.
