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On Easterners refused to
wallow in self-pity after the war; they got back on the horse and rode on. One
of the major areas of post-war survival was music. Yes, MUSIC! While Easterners
were busy fending off the vandals’ indiscriminate air strikes during the war,
social life in those three years was non-existent. Prior to the war, the East
had been the lifeline of the Nigerian music industry. Most musicians of note
prior to the civil war were from the Eastern Region. Pre War Musicians: An Inexhasutive List 1) Late Famous Cardinal
Rex Jim Lawson, the Kalabari-born highlife King, whose hit included such songs
as Hail Biafra, as well as a 1965 song
often cited by revisionist historians as evidence that Igbos were ‘gloating’
over the outcome of the Kaduna Nzeogwu led coup. That song was used as an
excuse to justify the pogrom that ensued after the murder of Gen Ironsi. 2) Late Israel Nwaoba (alias Njemanze) of the Three Night Wizards
fame. It should be pointed out that this
pioneer musician died unceremoniously at the hands of Nigerian security agents.. 3)
Stephen Osita
Osadebe who is still going strong today.
Osadebe has hits Ọsọndi Owendi, etc. 4)
Late 5)
The Asaba-born Eddy Okonta. 6)
Late Celestine Ukwu
with hits such as Ọnwụwa Bịa Ọdika Ụwa
Ejesigo, and Ọnụ na Ekwu na Madu Abụrọ Chukwu and his almost prophetic last release “Ọnwụ
ama Eze,” just to mention a few. 7)
There were other
non-Eastern musicians who were heavily influenced by Eastern musical
phenomenon. The likes of the 8)
Victor Uwaifo to some extent with his 9)
Tony Gray with
hits like my girl 10)
Aigbe Liberty (Senior Brother of Felix Liberty of the Sex Bombers fame). 11)
Sunny Okosun, though Sunny’s career exploded after the War and after marrying
Mbaise’s own daughter Nkechi, which gave rise to Sunny’s hit Chinelo. There were so many other
musicians from the pre-war era whose names have not been mentioned here, as we
move on to the subject of this piece –the Music of the East in the post-war
era. With the end of the War,
there was what could be describe as an explosion in the music industry in the East.
This could be explained as an interplay of the culture of the people, the political,
social, and financial environment people found themselves in, as well as the
trait of innovation which is strong amonst the people of the region. Easterners had been left destitute by both the
war and the punitive Federal government policies that followed the war. So, it could be said that taking to music was
only natural in people of whose culture music formed an integral part. Some of
the groups started off by entertaining the Federal soldiers and other
carpetbaggers who then were the only ones that had money to spend for
recreational activities. Factors that Influenced post-War
Music of the East: 1)
As people
coming out from war, Easterners had to be resourceful in order to survive 2)
The Nigerian soldiers occupying our homeland were the source of 3)
The Beatles influence in popular Music Now let’s look at the groups
and the impact of those three factors upon the groups. Note that entertaining
Nigerian soldiers after the war gave rise to so many music groups, which later
became independent groups. Chief Among the Groups Were: 1)
The Funkees
(with now deceased Jake Solo, Harry Mosco Agada, and Sunny Akpan the best
Congarist of all time) 2)
Actions of Warri: though this group was based in Warri, all
their members were Igbo boys, who went searching for livelihood after the war. 3)
Spud Nathan
and the Wings: The Wings weren’t an army
entertaining band per se 4)
Founders 15
With Iyke Peters, and Marshall Udeoru of 5)
The Strangers
With Bob Miga: Though not an army entertaining
band, (Bob Miga’s boys later became One World and Black Children) 6)
Lasbry Colon
Ojukwu and the Semi Colon of Umuahia:
With the hits Slim Fit Maggie and Chi Chi Lovin) 7)
Herald 7: ( where Jerry Boyfriend, the Ehime Mbano-born
vocalist made his debut with the hit Shooting Star) 8)
Doves of
Calaber: (With the 9)
Apostles of 10)
Blo Phase 4:
with 11)
The Offege: Made
up of Igbo Boys from St. Gregory College Obalande Lagos, With Marvin Ukachi on
lead vocal with Hit Wizzie Labo). 12
Ceejays, of Those
were the early 1970s groups, many members of these early groups splintered into
mid 1970s and late 1970 groups. Then Came the mid to Later 1970 groups, among these
later groups were: 1)
One World:
(With Ani) One world broke away from Strangers 2)
Black Children: (who also broke away from Strangers and One World) 3)
Genesis: (made
up of guys who broke away from Semi Colon) 4)
Heads Funk: of
5)
Original Wings:
(with Arinze Okpalla, Charlie Duke, Charlie Fleming, Emma Chinaka a.k.a Emma
China, Jerry Demua, on Vocals) with hits like Tribute to Spud Nathan, Love was
Meant for Two, True Love Counts no Error
and many more hits, which would have also made them rich in any other country. 6)
Super Wings: (With Mannford Best & Jerry Boyfriend on
vocals) with hit again Jonathan Udensi tribute to Spud Nathan. 7)
Sweet Breeze:
(Later Esbee Family, With Daniel Anyanwu, Jackie More Anyaora, Bazy Akalonu,
Vin Ikeotuonye, and Nestor Phillip, later 8)
Sweet Unit (later
Rock of Ages): With Wahehe Njoku 9)
Friimen of
Aba, (with Gbemi Saka on Lead Vocal) with their only Hit freemen. 10)
Great
Commander of 11)
Jerry
Boyfriend and the NATO Band: (With his Solo Hit Leave that School Girl and
Mommy Owe me Childhood Freedom and Better Make your Peace with God. Though
after his band was formed, he could not duplicate that Hit, His Ehime Bus Stop
was never a market success. It is also worthy to note that Rock of Ages backed
him on his only hits during his solo career. 12)
Soloist 13)
Chris Okotie
(Before he went to Church) 14)
Jide Obi
(Another UNN phenom with his Hit Everybody Talking, Front Page News) 15)
Cloud 7 and 16)
Tony Okoroji:
(with the Hit Mrs. m na Ori Aku m) On
the High life scene we had many
notable names. Highlife after all was said to have originated in the ‘60’s from ‘Igbo blues ‘,
and the so called palm wine music. (www.afropop.org/explore/style_info/ID/17/highlife) Highlife exponents
included 1)
Late Ikediala
of Owerri: (though he was more remembered for the way he died than the hits he
made. With hit Nne ji Akịrị na Awọlị. It should be noted that Oriental brothers were Ikediala’s boys. 2)
The Peacocks
with Ralph Amarabem, (With The Hit 3)
4)
Skylarks: (who
broke away from the Peacocks 5)
Gentleman Mike
Ejiaha 6)
God father of
Highlife himself, Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe 7)
Ikenga Super Stars
of Prince Nico Mbarga: part Igbo part
Camerounian who in 1976 recorded such
megahits as Sweet Mother which
reportedly sold over 13 million copies and Christiana.. ORIENTAL
BROTHERS INTERNATIONAL BAND In 1977 after the release of the Murtala Mohammed hit, guitarist Godwin Kabaka Opara left and formed the Kabaka International Guitar Band . He was later to have such hits
as Onye
Ike kwere Mere Nkeya, Egbula Nwa Onya. and Nwanne Di Namba. In the early
’80, Warrior and Dan Satch led two factions of Oriental brothers with Sir
Warrior forming the (Original) Oriental
Brothers, and Dan Satch forming
another faction. This was after Decca West Africa sent Ebenezer Obey another
Decca star to mediate between warrior and Dan Satch. Like Kabaka before him, Warrior
was to have several hits such as. Onye
Oma Nmanu, Onye Obula, Ugo Chinyere Akara Aka,
Ofe Owerri, Ikemba, ( to Welcome Ojukwu from exile), Agwu Loro Ibeya, and many other hits. My man Paulson
Kalu, the Ohafia-born singer (with His Hit Onye Di Nma na Azu) 8)
Abraka (with
Azuanuka) 9)
Aloy Anyanwu
With the State Brothers 10)
Ediri
Chukwueke and the Olariche of Owerri We cannot conclude any
write up without mention Gospel music, although today in the East, Gospel music
has been bastardized, and any fool can now throw up or shout into microphone and
call it Gospel music. Before Gospel music was taken over by false preachers.
Three people popularized Gospel Music. The three people are Brother Lazarus and
brother Emmanuel of Voice of the Cross, and Harcourt White the leprosy
patient. Brother Lazarus and brother
Emmanuel of Voice of the Cross put Gospel into music and are still going strong
today, separating themselves from the pretenders of today. Their most recent
release On the Mountain Down the Valley has become a main stay with any Igbo
gathering here in US. Harcourt White, the Lepper patient turned singer dished
out so many hits before his death? This man took the story of his life struggle
and Biafra war experience and turned it into mega hits. My favorite is that one
about Biafra war. Where he sang, Akpọi
m ndi m na Alụsi ọgụ asị ka ma ọbụ Omume ha
ka m kpọrọ Asị. Meaning I don’t hate those we are fighting,
rather is their behavior that I hate. Those three people played the real Gospel
music different from what is obtainable today. In any other country all
those groups and musicians will be multi millionaires. However in dysfunctional country like
Nigeria, many of these guys are today almost destitute living in absolute
poverty. In coming series I am
going to write and profile some of these groups in details. There will be a detailed look at the Wings
before and after Spud’s death. I will delve into the feud that broke out after
Spud’s death between Arinze and Mannford Best. What led to the emergence two
factions of wings, the original wings led By Arinze Okpalla and Super Wings led
by Mannford Best? I will also look at,
fair or not, the insinuation that Mannford may have contributed to Spud’s death
that fateful night after that show at UNN. For some of you who went
to high school in the 1970s, stay tuned to read about your favorites groups of
that era and relive your carefree days. |
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