LIFE AND TIMES OF ROBBIE SHAKESPEARE (1953 - 2021)

Robbie Shakespeare, full name Robert Warren Dale Shakespeare was born in Kingston, Jamaica on 27th September 1953. He grew up to become a great bass player and one half of the legendary drum and bass production duo popularly known as Sly and Robbie. They became one of the most influential rhythm sections and production duo in the history of reggae music and with their independent production company and label Taxi Records, they worked with artists such as U Roy, Dennis Brown, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, Gregory Isaacs, Black Uhuru and many more.

Their success and recognition led to them working outside of the reggae genre with artists such as Mick Jagger, Bob Dylan, Joe Cocker, Cindy Lauper and Grace Jones.
Robbie will be remembered as one of the greatest and most influential bass players in the world of reggae music.

Robbie Shakespeare died on 8th December 2021 following kidney surgery in Florida at the age of 68.
Rest on Robbie, your legacy lives on. Rest in power!

VICTOR UWAIFO THE NIGERIAN HIGHLIFE MAESTRO & GUITAR VIRTUOSO (1941-2021)

Highlife Maestro and Professor of Visual Arts, University of Benin, Sir Victor Efosa Uwaifo was born on 1st March 1941 in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria and obtained his secondary school education at the Western Boys' High School Benin and St. Gregory's College, Lagos, from 1957 to 1961.

He began playing guitar when he was 12 years old and grew up playing the instrument with dexterity and displayed kinetic dancing steps in his heydays. Some of Uwaifo’s albums ‘Joromi’ and ‘Mammy Water’ released in the early 60s, were instant hits and have remained evergreen. He was the winner of the first gold disc in Africa (Joromi) released in 1965 and seven other gold discs in Guitar boy, Arabade, Ekassa series and Akwete music. He recorded under the name Victor Uwaifo and His TItibitis.

Victor Uwaifo was also a writer, sculptor, and musical instrument inventor, University lecturer, and the first Honorable Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism in Nigeria, having been appointed by the administration of former governor Chief Lucky Igbinedion in Edo State 2001–2003. The music legend has travelled to many countries including the United States, Russia, Japan, United Kingdom, Bulgaria, Romania, Germany, France, Hungary, Rome, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Togo, Benin Republic, Spain, and Canada.

Sir Victor Uwaifo died at 80 after a brief illness in Benin City, Nigeria on 28^th August 2021. His legacies live on.

BURNA BOY THE TRAIL BLAZER IN THE NIGERIAN MUSIC INDUSTRY

Grammy award winning Nigerian singer Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulum popularly known as Burna Boy has made history as the first African artist to achieve over 100 million streams on Spotify, a Swedish audio streaming and media services provider. He made this mark with his last three albums; “African Giant”, “Outside” and “Twice As Tall” each of which had hit 100 million on the Spotify platform.

Earlier this year Burna Boy’s album “Twice As Tall” had won the best global music album at the 63^rd Grammy Awards. He is the second Nigerian artist to achieve this feat after Sikiru Adepoju won it at the 51^st edition in 2008.

Burna Boy had said in his acceptance speech ‘‘This a big win for my generation of Africans all over the world and this should be a lesson to every African out there, no matter where you are, no matter what you plan to do, you can achieve it because you are king’’. What an inspiring and encouraging words to the African youths in general.

Congratulations to this Trail Blazer in the Nigerian music industry!

LIFE AND TIMES OF BUNNY WAILER (1947 -2021)

Bunny Wailer, Reggae artist and co-founder of the Wailers reggae band died on Tuesday March 2, 2021 at the age of 73. Bunny Wailer, a baritone singer was born Neville O'Riley Livingston in Kingston, Jamaica on 10^th April 1947.

The Wailers were founded by Bunny Wailer, Bob Marley, and Peter Tosh in 1963. Bunny Wailer was the last surviving founding member after Marley and Tosh died in 1981 and 1987, respectively. 

The Wailers and other Rasta musicians also popularized Rastafarian culture among better-off Jamaicans starting in the 1970s. Though Bob Marley and the Wailers were known for their music, they were also activists calling for action through their lyrics. 
 

Johnny Nash signed the group to an exclusive publishing and recording contract with his JAD record label, formed in 1967 with Danny Sims, and financed some of the band's recordings.
      

Bunny Wailer won three Grammys for his work on "Hall Of Fame - A Tribute To Bob Marley's 50th Anniversary," "Time Will Tell - A Tribute To Bob Marley" and "Liberation (Album)."

The passing of Bunny Wailer, the last of the original Wailers, brings to a close the most vibrant period of Jamaica’s musical experience.

 

SO NSOGBUKWA PHILOSOPHY

So Nsogbukwa is a concept, it is a theory and it is a philosophy. The proponent of So Nsogbukwa idea, Emeka Eustace Okeke is an idealist with a checkered experiences in the world of Decision Making and Problem Solving. He has made some impacts in Training and Development.
Emeka Eustace Okeke is also a song writer and musician known as Emeka Okeke in the music arena. His song "So Nsogbukwa" an Afro-Gospel song is making waves on the internet and radio.
His personal experiences in life have taught him that there's no end to the problems in the world. Be it personal problems, political problems, social problems, environmental problems, religious problems, ethnic problems and racial problems; there's not going to be any end to all these.
However, the way one perceives a problem and attitudinal disposition will go a long way in finding solutions that will facilitate quick decision making. The leeway according to Emeka Okeke is putting our trust in Christ Jesus, the master problem solver to see us through as it was already stated in the Holy Bible; Matthew 11:28 "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest"