Lord Eric Sugumugu, the Ghanaian-born percussionist and cultural educator, has died at the age of 81 following a short illness. He passed away on 17 February 2026 at the Royal Free Hospital in London, with reports indicating he had been battling lung cancer.
Sugumugu, originally Eric Carboo, was recognised as a pioneer of Afro-rock and African music fusion in Europe. He arrived in London in the early 1960s after studying electronics in the Netherlands and quickly became a sought-after session musician. He worked with notable figures such as Ginger Johnson and performed with the Rolling Stones at their celebrated 1969 Hyde Park concert. His early experiments in amplifying traditional African instruments helped shape a new crossover sound that contributed to the broader recognition of African rhythms in Western music.
Beyond performance, Sugumugu was dedicated to cultural education. In the 1980s and 90s, he led Agor Mmba, a band and participatory arts project that brought African drumming, storytelling, and dance into schools nationwide. The programme grew from a local Camden initiative into a country-wide cultural education effort, noted for inspiring young people and expanding awareness of African tradition in British communities.
He also performed with the Master Drummers of Africa at major venues such as the Barbican and on the South Bank. Sugumugu was widely remembered as an influential figure in blending African culture with Western music and as an advocate for cultural learning.
A celebration of the life of Eric Otooburah Carboo will take place on Sunday 22 March at Golders Green Crematorium, NW11 7NL
