Bose Ogulu, AKA Mama Burna, is a powerhouse momager, but what else is there to her?
Bose Ogulu isn’t just Burna Boy’s mother and manager—she’s a force of nature, a polyglot powerhouse, and a trailblazer who’s worn more hats than most of us could dream of juggling.
As the mother and manager of one of Africa’s biggest musical exports, she’s spent years steering Burna Boy’s career to global heights while raising a family with finesse. But to pigeonhole her as “Mama Burna” is to miss the full picture of her life. So, who is this remarkable woman beyond the spotlight’s edge?
Here are 10 things you probably didn’t know about Bose Ogulu.
1. She’s a Polyglot
Bose Ogulu could charm you in five languages without breaking a sweat. With a Bachelor of Arts in foreign languages, she fluently speaks English, Yoruba, French, Italian, and German. It’s a skill set that’s not just impressive—it’s a feather to her razor-sharp cap of intellect and global outlook.
2. She Worked as a Translator
Before the music world claimed her, Bose Ogulu was a translator with serious credentials. She earned a Master’s in translation and spent years working for the Federation of West African Chambers of Commerce, bridging languages and cultures with the kind of precision that would later define her management style.
3. She is the Founder and CEO of Spaceship Collective
Bose Ogulu is the founder and CEO of Spaceship Collective, the parent company of Spaceship Records and Spaceship Publishing.
4. She Ran a School
From 1997 to 2015, Bose Ogulu was the visionary behind Language Bridges, a music and language school that did more than teach. She orchestrated cultural immersion trips to non-English-speaking countries, giving over 1,800 young people a passport to the world.
5. She Lectured For a Decade
For 10 years, Bose Ogulu graced the halls of the University of Education in Port Harcourt as a French lecturer. She retired in 2018, but not before leaving a legacy of students who likely still hear her voice when conjugating verbs.
6. Her Roots Run Deep with Fela Kuti
Bose’s father, Benson Idonije, wasn’t just any music critic—he managed the legendary Fela Kuti. That makes her the granddaughter of Afrobeat royalty, in a way. She’s called Fela the closest thing she had to a godfather, a connection that pulses through her family’s musical DNA.
7. No, She Didn’t Dance for Fela
Let’s clear the air: the rumor that Bose Ogulu was one of Fela Kuti’s dancers? Total fiction. She was a kid when her dad worked with the icon, not a performer swaying to “Zombie.” It’s a myth she’s had to swat away more than once.
8. Burna Boy Begged Her to Manage Him
Bose didn’t stumble into talent management—she was pulled in by her son. In a Wildtown interview, she revealed Burna Boy pleaded with her to take the reins, convinced anyone else would “destroy him”. She stepped up, and the rest is Grammy-winning history.
9. She’s Seen Nearly Every Corner of Africa
Thanks to her translation career, Bose has crisscrossed the continent, touching down in almost every African country. That kind of mileage doesn’t just build a resume—it shapes a worldview, one she brings to managing Burna’s Afrofusion empire.
10. She’s Finds the Label “Mama Burna” Limiting
Bose manages both Burna Boy and her daughter Nissi, but doesn’t box her in with a nickname. “Being a mum is my highest degree,” she’s said, but she bristles at being reduced to “Mama Burna”. It’s not that she minds the title—it’s the idea that it’s all she is. “I have a problem with people limiting me to just that,” she confessed in an interview, and honestly, we can’t blame her.
