CALABAR CARNIVAL

Christmas season is here again. What can the average Nigerian musician offer? Did I hear you say a lot! Millions of Nigerian fun seekers are longing for good entertainment. There is a readymade music market in Nigeria. Every serious minded musician in this nation should key in to this fact and tap the great opportunity offered by the largest concentration of the Blackman on earth.

The annual carnival in the City of Calabar in Cross River State Nigeria is a classical example of what showcasing of music talent can do to an economy. The month of December is usually dedicated to this event. Many Nigerian popular musicians are usually invited to perform. If you don’t book for a hotel accommodation in Calabar before December of any year, believe you me, you will find it very difficult in getting a hotel room to stay if you want to witness the month long carnival.

This was a legacy His Excellency, Mr. Donald Duke (Governor of Cross River State, 1999 – 2007) bequeathed on the state. Thus, each year musicians struggle to perform in Calabar during the carnival. This has indirectly encouraged healthy competition amongst the upcoming Nigerian artists, who now dream of performing at the annual Calabar Carnival.

The 2012 edition of this event has kicked off in Calabar with many Nigerian popular artists billed to perform. These include 2Face, P-Square, Whizkid, Seun Kuti, Niggar Raw, J-Martins, Blacky, Sunny Neji and others. Also a world renowned Trumpeter, Hugh Masekela of South Africa will perform in this year’s carnival.

I wish all fun seekers who are in the Ancient City of Calabar for this year’s carnival a happy stay.

 

Emeka E. Okeke       

QUALITY OF NIGERIAN MUSIC

The quality of Nigerian music has gone down drastically since the late 1980s. When I listen to the music played on the Nigerian airwaves these days, I keep on wondering whether these new breed artistes have anything in their heads at all.

Music is supposed to be exciting! But most of the new generation music we hear today on our radio stations is repulsive, the lyrics are vulgar and the rhythm is far below standard when compared to what is obtainable in the other African countries such as South Africa, Ghana, Congo, and Cameroon.

The music of the 1970s and 1980s are far better than the nonsense the new breed artistes are churning out today in the name of music. The problem with the new generation musicians is that they lack proper orientation and training. Music is a longtime investment; a good music artiste needs to play at least one musical instrument and takes time to compose good music making good use of his/her cultural attributes.

Originality is the mark of a good musician, but what do we have in Nigeria today? Imitators and copycats! Everybody want to do rap, hip hop like the Americans forgetting that there are a lot of cultural differences between Africa and America. No African born and bred in Africa can compete favorably with an American born artiste in pop, rap and hip hop music just as no American artiste would beat a Nigerian in highlife, juju and fuji music.

Our new generation musicians should do their home work very well by listening to artistes like Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Osita Osadebe, Rex Lawson and Christy Essien Igbokwe all of blessed memory. They should also listen to the living legends; King Sunny Ade, Ebenezer Obey and Onyeka Onwenu.

 

Emeka E. Okeke  

 

 

WHITNEY HOUSTON (1963-2012)

               

               

Whitney Houston was born on August 9, 1963 in Newark, New Jersey, in the United States of America. She had a very sound gospel background as her mother Cissy Houston was a great gospel performer. Whitney, just like Michael Jackson had music all around her when she was growing up. The famous Dionne and Dee Dee Warwick are both her cousins, while the superstar Aretha Franklin is her godmother.

She began her singing career in the church and later moved over to the nightclubs of New York where Clive Davies, a music producer spotted her. Whitney did some modeling jobs before she was signed on by Arista Records. Her debut album “Whitney Houston” was released in February, 1985 and it was a commercial success. A track “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” from her 1987 album was a monster hit in Nigeria, the most populous black nation. She won her first Grammy in 1986. She has also won many other awards all over the world.

By far, the most popular and widely accepted Whitney Houston single that cut across race, age and social status is “I Will Always Love You” which was originally written and performed by the country music superstar, Dolly Parton. This single by Whitney is still reputed as the best selling single by a female artiste of all time.

Generally, Whitney Houston has sold more than 170 million records in her lifetime and she is still selling! She has won 6 Grammys, 22 American Music Awards and 30 Billboard Awards before she died on 11^th February, 2012. Apart from music Whitney has also featured in three popular films: “The Preacher’s Wife”, “The Bodyguard” and “Waiting To Exhale”.

Nevertheless, Whitney Houston had a negative side, just like any other mortal. Alcohol and drug use over the years have been her greatest demons. She struggled with the help of her family members, especially her mother, to conquer her demons up to no avail. On the other hand, her one and half decade marriage to R & B singer Bobby Brown which ended in 2007 was volatile, though it produced a lovely daughter, Bobbi Kristina who incidentally was with her in the Beverly Hilton Hotel where she was found dead in the bath on Saturday, February 11, 2012.

Emeka E. Okeke

MAJEK FASHEK: The Reggae-Crooner

Majek Fashek,

an Edo State born Nigerian reggae-crooner is a bundle of talents. He plays many

musical instruments, but he is very popular as a guitarist. Members of his defunct

band “JASTIX” including Amos McCroy Jegg, George O’Well and Black were very

popular reggae instrumentalists and studio session musicians in Lagos in the

1980s. Unfortunately, JASTIX Band as popular as they were then could not record

any album of their own due to disappointments they suffered from music

producers and record companies, especially the defunct JAPEX Records.

However,

Majek Fashek is man of destiny. He was employed by the Tabansi Records as an

artiste promotion manager and before long he mesmerized the company’s

management with his style of singing and a voice very close to that of the late

reggae legend Bob Marley. The proprietor of the company late Chief G.A.D.

Tabansi signed him on to record an album for the label. The then magic finger,

Lemmy Jackson was hired by the company to produce the record. The album titled

“PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE” was released in 1987 and it became an instant hit. One

of the nine tracks in the album “Send Down The Rain” became a sort of a

national anthem in Nigeria in the late 1980s.

Upon the

fortune and fame that this debut reggae album brought to both Majek and the

Tabansi Records, the business soon turned sore and there was a long press war

between the artiste and the company which culminated in Majek Fashek’s switch

over to another record label, CBS Records.

He recorded

two albums for the CBS Records but none of them was successful as his debut.

With his dwindling fortune and fame, he joined the Golden Fleece to America. He

recorded some songs in the United States of America but was not able to break-even

or penetrate the American market. The press did not help matters; he was given

very negative publicity. Many reported his drug related problems and some even

reported that he ran mad and was repatriated back to Nigeria to be treated and

rehabilitated in a church!

However, the

reggae-crooner is back to Nigeria and an entertainment outfit “A-Plus Global

Entertainment” is currently repackaging him. Soon Majek Fashek will stage a comeback

with a ten track album likely to be titled “JAH REVELATION” Will the rainmaker

rule the Nigerian airwaves again as he did in the late 80s and early 90s? Time

will tell!

Emeka E.

Okeke

CHRISTY ESSIEN-IGBOKWE (1960-2011)

Christy Essien-Igbokwe was born on 11th November 1960 in Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria. She lost her mother at the age of 12 and lived with her mother’s friend who encouraged her singing capabilities by buying her a cassette player to record her songs.

She began her musical career in Secondary School, singing at various clubs in Aba, Abia State such as Uka Onu’s Club and Unikoko.

She played the role of Apeno, the wife of the cantankerous character Jegede Shokoya in the sensational Nigerian TV comedy ‘‘The New Masquerade’’. The role shot the young Christy to stardom as an actress. She later featured in two Nollywood movies “Flesh and Blood” and “Sacred of Womanhood’’ in the early days of Nollywood.

Nevertheless, it was in music that Christy Essien made her mark internationally. She began her music career in NTA Aba on a programme called ‘‘Now Sound’’. She released her debut album (Freedom) in 1976 at the age of 16.

She worked very hard and followed up with other albums; ‘‘Patience’’ and ‘‘Time Waits for No One’’ were both released in 1978. She released ‘‘One Understanding’’ in 1979 and ‘‘Give Me A Chance’’ followed in 1980.

By and large, her 1981 hit album, ‘‘Ever Liked My Person’’ remains her best LP till date. This album was released under London-based label, EMI International Records, which was more inclined towards promoting Nigerian pop music in Europe and America, ‘‘Ever Liked My Person’’ featured production from one of Nigeria’s top producers, Lemmy Jackson, who was touted as Nigeria’s Quincy Jones. This album sold above platinum till date and so popular was one of its hit tracks ‘‘Omo Mi Seun Rere’’ that a number of African countries have sang their own version.

Christy was reputed for composing and performing what would later be known as Akwa-Ibom state’s anthem of sorts, “Akwa-Ibom Mmi (My Akwa-Ibom)” in 1987, its year of creation.

During her music career that spanned four decades, she won several awards including International Special Achievement Award Mexico (1983), Africa Music Mother Award (1984), World Song Festival Award, Association of Theatre Arts Practitioners Lagos (1996), and National Honours Award (MFR) in 2002.

In the home front she was never found wanting. She got married to Edwin Igbokwe from Awka (Anambra State) in 1979 at age 19, a marriage blessed with four sons.

Politically, Christy Essien was very active; she was the first female president of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), an organisation she helped found in 1982.

Christy Essien-Igbokwe died on Thursday 30^th June 2011 at a Lagos hospital after a brief illness. Though she is dead her spirit will continue to live in the hearts of music lovers and her fans.

Emeka E. Okeke

NAIJA MUSIC

Naija music is a new music genre that is now widely accepted in Nigeria. The origin of this music genre cannot be traced to any particular root; however its artistes could be said to have understood hi-hop, rap, afro pop, reggae and afro gospel music very well. A typical naija song is a combination of the aforementioned music genres.

Naija music is a hi-tech music generated by computer aided musical instruments. The artiste sings in Pidgin English with some embellishments in the three major Nigerian languages (Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa).

The lyrics of naija music cut across current affairs, love affairs, ills of the society and religion.

Naija music is currently the most popular music played on the Nigerian airwaves, which include more than 100 radio stations scattered all over the 36 states and the Federal Capital City Abuja. Who say Nigeria has not come of age? Prior to the popularization of naija music in the country, music by the American, European and Caribbean artistes were ruling the airwaves.

The most popular naija music artistes include P-Square, Tu-Face, D’banj, Nigga Raw and Bracket.

Emeka E.Okeke

RECORD COMPANIES IN NIGERIA

At independence in October 1960, Nigeria had no indigenous recording company. Decca, was the only reputable recording company doing business in the country. It recorded and distributed well known highlife musicians, such as Bobby Benson, Eddy Okonta, Kula Lobito( Fela’s 1^st band) and Ebenezer Obey.

However, there was a boom in the recording business in the country immediately after the civil war in early 1970s. Two prominent foreign recording companies EMI Records and Polygram Records built big pressing plants in Lagos to cater for Nigerian artistes coming out from the civil war.

EMI Records churned out many Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s albums, which were very successful not only in Nigeria but also in Europe, America and other African countries.

EMI Records also recorded and distributed Sonny Okosun, Bongos Ikwue and The Grooves, Christie Essien and Dizzy K Falola, all of whom were big stars in the 1970s and 1980s.

On the other hand, Polygram Records recorded and promoted many Nigerian musicians including Stephen Osita Osadebe, Victor Uwifo, Voice Of The Cross (a gospel duet), Onyeka Onwenu and some other afro pop artistes. It also brought reggae music to limelight in the country by recording and promoting foremost Nigerian reggae artistes such as Ras Kimono, Ortis Wiliky, and The Mandators.

An Igbo entrepreneur Chief G.A.D. Tabansi saw a great opportunity in the recording business and set up the first indigenous record company in Nigeria ‘Tabansi Records’. It was a formidable record company in the 1970s and 1980s that recorded and brought many artistes to limelight including Bony  Mark, Felix Liberty, Jide Obi and Majek Fashek.

Other indigenous recording companies sprang up in quick succession in the 1970s; these include Rogers All Stars, Melody Records, Olumo Records and Polydor Records. They all made great impact in the 1970s and 1980s recording big artistes like Chris Okotie, Nico Mbarga, Chris Mba, King Sunny Ade, Oliver De Quoque and Captain Muddy Ibe.

Unfortunately, by the late 1980s, the economic fortunes of these recording companies have started to dwindle occasioned by the structural adjustment programme introduced by the military leadership in the mid 1980s, coupled with the high rate of piracy made possible by the importation of hi-tech record/cassette duplicating equipments from the Asian countries.

By early 1990s, the expatriate recording companies such as EMI Records, Polygram Records and CBS Records sold their pressing plants and left the country for other economic viable countries such as South Africa and Kenya.

However, indigenous investors that bought these record companies tried to no avail to maintain the standards set by their former owners. By 1990s, Polygram Records has metamorphosed into Premier Music, EMI Records was renamed Ivory Music while CBS Records became Sony Music.

Nevertheless, these companies recorded many artistes who made waves in the 1990s including Shina Peters, Daniel Wilson and Blacky.

Today the dice is cast; piracy has continued to affect the business of making genuine records in Nigeria. The economy is bad, and corruption has continued to increase. Most of the record companies that boosted the music industry in the 1970s and 1980s have become moribund. What is in vogue now is label owning, most artistes now have their own labels to distribute their records. However, the network of private labels are usually not wide, and so record making and selling is mostly limited to the area an artiste is able to cover here in Nigeria.

Emeka E. Okeke.