“Metal on concrete jars my drink lobes …”
That opening phrase, by Sagoe in The Interpreters (published 1965), Wole Soyinka’s first novel, said it all. Lagos of the 1960s: a vibrant night life grooving with Highlife, the king of urban music and popular culture!
That metal chairs screeched on bare night club floors sent Sagoe grumbling about his hearing health! Lagos nights and happy chaos!
Sixty years later (1965-2025), Afrobeats might have upset Highlife; as twinkling new generation star, Modola, proved on the nite. For the more nativist, Fuji could have also elbowed aside Juju — that 1930s musical creation of Tunde King.
The eternal Lagos vibes — Ariya Eko! — propelled the MUSON mirth of October 5: the Ariya Eko Independence Music Festival, to toast Nigeria; and honour those that merit it.
Its theme: Musical Journey of a Nation at 65. Venue: Shell Hall, MUSON Centre, Onikan. Organizers: Evergreen Musical Company, the treasure the late Femi Esho left behind, flowering and booming still, under her father’s daughter, Bimbo Esho.
Sponsors: the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and Pastor Daniel Olukoya’s Mountain of Fire Ministries (MFM) extremely rich musical arm.
The honourees: Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey (Ariya Eko Timeless Contribution), Lemi Abiodun Ghariokwu, aka “King of Album Sleeves” (Ariya Eko Graphics Gifted Hands), Evang. Funmi Aragbaiye, JP, (Ariya Eko Gospel Pioneers), Uncle Toye Ajagun (Ariya Eko Muscial Peacemaker), Alhaji Kolington Ayinla, aka Kebe nKwara (Ariya Eko Fuji Revolution Doyen), Yoruba poet, Ajobiwewe: Baba Sulaiman Ayilara Aremu (Ariya Eko Esa Oriki Resilience), D Guv’nor, Ken-Calebs Olumese (Ariya Eko Night Life Legend), Mainframe genius, Baba Tunde Kelani (Ariya Eko Distinguished Film Maker) and Admiral Dele Abiodun (Ariya Eko Juju Leaders).
The others: Dr. Ola Balogun (Ariya Eko Pioneering Film Maker), Samba Queen Stella Ada Monye (Ariya Eko Cultural Values), Mrs. D. A. Fasoyin (Ariya Eko Evergreen Gospel Anthems), Tee Mac Omatshola Iseli (Ariya Eko Distinguished Flutist), King Jossy Friday (Ariya Eko Cultural Innovator), Laolu Akins (Ariya Eko Multi-Talented Producer), Queen Salawa Abeni Ibiwunmi (Ariya Eko Waka Transformer), Evangelist J. A. Adelakun (Ariya Eko Evergreen Gospel Anthems) and Premier Music (Ariya Eko Musician’s Backbone).
The list speaks for itself: the showbiz spirit of the age. MFM’s Pastor Daniel Olukoya, duly represented, also announced N500, 000 for each honouree.
Ebenezer Obey, with King Sunny Ade (KSA) drove the longest musical hegemony in Nigerian contemporary history. Such durable quality! Such classy fecundity!
Admiral Dele Abiodun, with his Adawa Super hits, carved out a fair share of the Juju market, striking a rivalry of his own, with the late Emperor Pick Peters, but no less vibrant in their own rights!
But Elder Femi Akinmade told Ripples during that memorable night, that many of the Juju hits had the muse, Ambrose Campbell (1919-2006), to thank. Campbell, a Lagos-born Saro, founded the West African Rhythm Brothers (formed 1940s), UK’s first black band.
Obey’s philosophical monster hit, “Eni Ri Nkan He”, was a re-make of the Campbell original. So was Dele Abiodun’s “It’s Time For Juju Music”. Both, of course, added own contemporary flavours!
Kolignton, with the late Ayinde Barrister — both of them Civil War veterans — were able Fuji pioneers. They transformed the Muslim “Were”, performed at dawn during Ramadan, into dance-floor commercial music. KWAM 1, Adewale Ayuba and co were the younger Turks that have deepened that heritage.
Were Fuji to have a female gender, Salawa Abeni’s Waka would certainly be it! Both had Islamic roots. As Afro-Juju’s Sir Shina Peters (SSP) under Prince Adekunle, Salawa was a teen-wonder, that carved out own niche, in the Lagos music world. Ariya Eko!
But on October 5, Alhaji Jamiu Salami’s Lefty Band also outed with “ijinle” — rootsy –Sakara music from Isale-Eko! The original “Lefty”, Alhaji Salami Balogun (1913-1981) is dead and gone. But his left-handed percussion genius continues to define the group.
Left-handed Balogun would send his favourite tambourine into provocative messaging, getting instant responses from dancing patrons! The “Lefty” legend was born!
On the night, Lefty leapt right from the dead, when his current inheritor ignored the compere’s appeal to wind down. With Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in-situ, as the White Cap Chiefs that represented the Olowo Eko, Oba Rilwan Akiolu and the Oniru of Iru, Oba Wasiu Lawal, the Lefty Band would be damned to let go its day in the sun!
Pray, what with the ijinle groove, went on in the governor’s mind? His Okepopo, Lagos, nativity? The Iga Jakande (Jakande Palace) just a stone’s throw away? The Igunnuko Oshodi clan at Epetedo? Or the “felele” football challenge at Onola? Memories!
Obey, at own investiture by the governor, turned the Owanbe house bard, praising the governor, Lagos State and President Bola Tinubu, with other honourees — Salawa, and the Gospel pair of Funmi Aragbaye and Mrs. Fasoyin — all on the charmed roundtable!
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Mrs. Fasoyin and her CAC Good Women’s Choir, Ibadan! It was the age of indigenous carol challenge at Yuletide. Prof. Akin Euba (1935-2020), leading the likes of Richard Bucknor, Art Alade, Afolabi Alaja-Browne, Roseline Ngor and Funmi Adams, outed with “Elu Agogo Keresimesi”. That carol hit clawed for radio air space with the traditional foreign ones.
Then, out of the blue, came “Odun Nlo S’opin O Baba Rere …” from the Good Women, with sizzling dancing, native Pentecostal mirth, vocals, percussion and allied flavour! It has since become a yearly constant on radio, as the year rolls to an end!
Stella Ada Monye, the Samba queen? The globe-beater Afrobeats Stars of today have her and the likes of the late Sonny Okosuns and Bongos Ikwue — very much alive — to thank for their pioneering works.
Fela, the Abami Eda! Whoever dares talk of Fela, the patron saint of Afro Beat, in the past tense! Who? And who, more than Lemi Ghariokwu, gave graphic poetry to Fela’s irreverent and incandescent music, the blight of military tyrants?
Laolu Akins brought SSP out of a musical death-at-noon with monster hits like Ijo Shina, Ace, etc. After the pioneering efforts of Dr. Ola Balogun, Tunde Kelani and his Mainframe gave new depth and poetic technicality to the local Nigerian cinema!
The sight-and-sound of Lagos — and Nigeria — at 65!
No wonder, the likes of Baba Eto, the late Adeolu Akinsanya, also leapt alive, from the back-up orchestras, replete with the MFM Highlife band, bending old secular classics, with today’s proselytizing, to win new souls for Christ — Ariya Eko!
But then: those who make others happy, often bear deep personal woes. Dele Abiodun dedicated his award to his late daughter; and King Jossy Friday, to his late wife, who ironically died after sending a text message to her friend who just became a widow.
Stella Monye too was there with her only child, Ibrahim. Ibrahim has been battling to stay alive, after a horrendous teen accident at 11 in 1999, when his mother was away on a national assignment. Ibrahim is now 36.
Who will help fund Ibrahim’s life-saving surgeries, so Mum Stella is not fated to a future morbid dedication, after a future award? Who?
