Tribute to Benson Idonije Nigerian Music Encyclopedia
By Femi Esho, Chairman Evergreen Music
My most beautiful audience, before my delivery, let me share a costly joke with you. Several years ago, when this great highlife colossus we are celebrating today was handling the Great Highlife Party at Ojez Restaurant then at Iwaya, I put a call to him at an ungodly hour. The call was picked by his wife “May I know who is speaking she enquired? I replied to her, “his son Mathew ma.” Madam said “which Mathew be this?” I said, “his son.” “Which son?” I replied, “Mathew Idonije. Mummy you never heard about me? Mathew wey Daddy born when he dey for Secondary school.” Madam said, “shu- Ewo! Okay o. Baba Mathew, your son dey call you o!” At that stage, before kata kata burst, I quickly introduced myself properly – “Madam I am Femi Esho. Am his white bear bear brother wey you don meet for Ojez before” On my visit to his house the next week, we joked over it over a bottle of chilled wine.
I must start by congratulating this Enigma, the musical encyclopedia you are seeing today. So many people particularly in the art world whose lives you have touched have passed on.
There are virtually no Nigerian or Ghanaian musicians of note that you have not written about. You have also touched the lives of several foreign stars in all genres of music. Be it Jazz, Pop, Reggae, R&B, and all but I am going to limit myself to the topic of the day. Highlife Must Not Die.
Many Nigerian Highlife Veterans have passed on. Rex Jim Lawson, on the 16th of January 1971, Eddy Okonta May 1997, Fela Anikulapo Kuti August 1997, King Kennytone February 2010, Bobby Benson May 14, 1983, Roy Chicago February 1989, Orlando Owoh 2008, Inyang Henshaw in 1978, Adeolu Akinsanya 1987, Crossdale Juba December 1976, St. Augustine of Ashawo no be work fame, Celestine Ukwu 1980, J.O Araba 1989, Tunde Nightingale 1981, Ayinde Bakare 1972, Prince David Bull 2011, Stephen Osadebe, Paulson Kalu, Charles Uwegbue, Joe Nez, Fatai Rolling Dollar, Steven Amechi, Chief Billy Friday, Babyface Paul, Bala Miller, Zeal Onyia and several others.
Of course the Ghanaian greats such as Emmanuel Tette Mensah, Joe Mensah, King Bruce of Black Beats, Jerry Hanseen of Ramblers, Stan Plange of the Uhuru Dance Band, Star Gazers, the Comets, Rhythm Aces, and others. All these great highlifers have passed on. How I wish they are here today to pay their tributes.
You have also touched the lives of the highlife remainants such as Pa Chris Ajilo, Dr. Victor Olaiya, Orlando Julius, Sir Victor Uwaifo, Ebenezer Obey, King Sunny Ade, Dele Ojo, and several others.
You don’t only criticize; you say it as it is. You analyze, encourage them and make them improve on their musical shortcomings.
In summary, I like to describe Pa Ben as the Rock of Nigerian music.
The Topic of the Day- Highlife Must Not Die.
Today, I will not want to delve into the origin of Highlife. I rather borrow the language used by my late music mentor- Fela Anikulapo Kuti the Abami Eda himself who said in one of his shows in Berlin when someone asked him a question – he said, that topic is for a Symposium for another day.
Those days, (mid-fifties to early sixties, next to football, highlife was the unifying bond between Nigeria and Ghana with great bands such as a man I will describe as the greatest highlifer the world over – Emmanuel Tette Mensah (E.T Mensah) a pharmacist turned musician. Like Jerry Hansen of Ramblers Dance Band, King Bruce of Black Beats, Broadway Dance Band, Star Gazers, and others coming to Nigeria to do their things with their Nigerian counterparts. Some of them jammed at the then famous jamboree – The Havana at the University Of Ibadan and other numerous clubs, particularly in Lagos.
There are many clubs in Lagos those days such as; Kakadu Night club at Alagomeji, Ambassador Hotel Yaba, Central Hotel Yaba, Cool Cats Inn, Apapa road, Miliki Spot Olonode, Club Archade Obalande, West End Coliseum Alagomeji, Bata Koto in Broad Street, Ritz Hotel, Surulere Night Club, Club Chicago, Empire Hotel, Lido Night Club, Western Hotel, Club 21, Club 22 in Apapa, Talk of the Town, Phoenicia Restaurant, The Class, Beach Comber, Face 2, Paradiso, Peak Night Club, Lords, etc. you now ended up at Caban Bamboo owned by Bobby Benson, some of us call it, The Last Bus Stop.
Those days, there was great spread of Highlife with various veterans playing in the clubs or hotels such as Iduje hotels and premier Lodge both in Benin City, Travelers Lodge, Eastern Stars Hotel in Aba, Dolphin Bar, and Central Hotel in Onitsha, Central Hotel in Umuahia, Lido Night Club, Hotel Presidential, Ritz Hotel, Major Bar Hotel, Manglad Hotel, Ambassador Hotel, and Cedar Hotel all in Port Harcourt. Costain Night Club, Hamdala Hotel, and Dubai Hotel all in Kaduna beamed with activities. Federal Hotel, Campari Hotel, and King Garden Hotel all in Kano were all Highlife zones. In Enugu, The Coal City had spots such as Niger Hotel, Nido Hotel, and Presidential Hotel. Finally at Ibadan where Highlife thrived seriously, was Paradise Hotel where Eddy Okonta mesmerized the boys with hit sounds such as ORIWO 1960, 61, 62, 63, and 64 with the baritone voice of Nat Buckle (of the Berret Fame), Independence Hotel where brother Orlando Julius was doing his thing. The men here who were boys that time will remember Easy Life Hotel (where Bola Johnson – I go die o fame) was playing, Central Hotel – Roy Chicago’s base before relocating to Lagos, of course, Chrisbo Hotel. Pardon me to say, there is no single one of all these spots I didn’t visit one time or the other.
The Nigerian war which started in 1967 dealt a great blow to Highlife Music with most of the key players leaving Lagos for the East. It’s on record that it’s only Fela Ransome Kuti and Victor Uwaifo who Stayed – based at Kakadu Night Club keeping the beat on. Musicians like Dr. Victor Olaiya and Roy Chicago were conscripted to war fronts.
By 1970 at the end of the war, other music genres which were not too dominant had taken over the music scene.
Many Nigerians, great personalities, and groups such as CORA (committee for Relevant Arts) have done a lot to promote highlife particularly through their relationship with the French embassy to promote this genre. Kudos must be given to them for their effort which gave birth to the emergence of the Great Highlife Party which started at Ojez’s restaurant at Iwaya years ago. They have tried their best to reposition highlife music. I remember an occasion at the defunct Great Highlife Party at Iwaya when late Pa Steve Rhodes, one of the Nigerian great aficionados lamented his ordeal. The octogenarian has sent proposals on highlife resuscitation to over 50 great organizations seeking support, not only did they not support, not a single had the courtesy of acknowledging the proposal.
Mr. Josehp Odobiatu, the proprietor of the Ojez group of companies, the owner of the place where this event is taking place, has for almost 15 years sacrificed serious time, energy, millions of naira to immortalize highlife music. Up till some 8 years ago, through the effort of Ben Jay, this same venue was a beehive of monthly highlife jam with heavy personalities like late Ambassador Segun Olushola, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi, Chief Femi Williams, Chief Ashekun (better known as Skipper), Francesca Emmanuel, his Royal Highness Oba Sonuga and many other dignitaries. Ben Jay brought great bands to perform at the monthly Ojez event. Dr. Victor Olaiya, Orlando Julius, King Kenny Tone, Late Maliki Showman (alias show dem- show their mama), late Kinsley Bassey, Lagbaja, Dede Mabiaku, Sunny Ade, Late Alaba Pedro, Late Tunde Osofisan, Late Orlando Owoh, Pa Chris Ajilo, Lady Julie Ekwerube, Lady Titi Oguntoyinbo, and several others. Of course, the late energetic Y.S Akinnibosun and his classic band were always on the bandstand to back these various artists.
As a teenager, I remember the late Nkrumah of Ghana, he would always go with a highlife band on his various trips-particularly with the Black beats band headed by King Bruce. It is dismaying to see the former head of state of our dear country invite a foreign band to perform at his daughter’s wedding.
Nigeria is also totally bankrupt when it comes to archival materials. Before the demise of my good friend, Late Yinka Craig, a highlife enthuse, I approached him on the possibility of getting some of the video recordings of some highlife veterans such as Bobby Benson who had 39 episodes with NTA, Eddy Okonta, Roy Chicago, etc who have had several recording sessions with NTA. But Alas NOTHING was found when we both visited the so-called “archival office” near Alagbon close. I went to WNTV in Ibadan- nothing. Similarly, nothing of note was found at the various radio stations.
Presently 90% of the highlife music in Nigeria airwaves are collected or donated to the stations by our company Evergreen Musical Company Limited.
When Nigeria was 50, the still-living Doyen of Highlife music, Dr. Victor Olaiya, who performed at the independence of the nation in 1960 was not invited, recognized, or asked to perform in any of the numerous musical shows at Abuja. They rather highlighted some Pikins. It is beyond sad that the only time you see these great men on the television is at their demise.
Ghana Connection
Unfortunately, this genre of music is almost going extinct in Ghana. During my trip to Ghana, you will hardly see where this music is being performed. It is an almost forgotten genre there. Evergreen Musical Company delved into our archives and gave them the complete works of their highlife musicians. These include the E.T Mensah, Ramblers, Black Beats, Broadway, Uhuru, Star Gazers, etc.
It must be mentioned that Premier Music, one of the few surviving Nigerian companies is doing a lot for highlife revival through the effort of the Managing Director Mr. Toju Ejueyitchie and the hands of the extremely brilliant and energetic Mr. Michael Odiong. They have worked and are continuously working at bridging the gap between the old and young in the music industry through various collaborations.
The management of Stadium Hotel Surulere must also be praised as this place remains the only guaranteed spot where highlife is offered on weekly basis. Many highlife greats had their tutorage under Victor Olaiya, Fela Ransome Kuti, Rex Jim Lawson, Sir Victor Owafio, Dele Ojo, and many others. It will be noted that great men some head of state, Royal Highnesses such as late Oba Okunade Sijuade frequented this spot in those days. Presently with a little touch, this place can become a Mecca for Higlifers.
Today, I am happy that the intelligent and innovative ones among the hip hop musicians are fast realizing that highlife music is the real thing. It is the pavement, which is why they are Collaborating with their music fathers. 2Face Idibia set the pace with Dr. Victor Olaiya’s Mofe Muyan (Babi Mi Da), Banky W with Pa Chris Ajilo, and several others in the pipeline.
Today, we have a major group on social media platforms spearheaded by MMIS with different personalities all from various walks of life ie Music enthusiasts, media personalities, business moguls, poets, dramatists, musicians, and other big highlifers in the diaspora. To be an effective member of this group you must be prepared to murder sleep, hence it is a 24hour brainstorming exercise. This group was initiated by my second LOVE, my energetic and brilliant daughter Bimbo Esho (BYE).
Another group worthy of note is Highlife All-Stars headed by Anjorin Aboderin a prolific saxophonist, Engr. Bambo Ademiluyi, great trumpeter Abiodun Batic a university music lecturer, Roy Afrobeat a great saxophonist, and others. Both groups are doing commendable things to immortalize highlife music.
My sojourn in this music started actively in 1958 when as a primary six student, I gathered six of my classmate, stole my grandmother’s money ( don’t worry I was the cashier to this pretty and wealthy lady), I bought five flutes, taught them how to play. We were playing Ghanaian tunes such as Abasido by Black Beats, Anchor (Eyimisia same group) Gyseu by E.T M Mensah) Apeteshi by the Comets and several Ghanaian tunes. I heard the tunes from the then bush radio.
Efforts are being made by Evergreen Musical Company (a company which belongs to all of us highlifers) to put up a music foundation where at the touch of the button you can hear the music of any Nigeria/Ghanaian musician dead or alive particularly highlife.
With almost 60 years of followership of highlife music, I am proud and privileged to proclaim I will use my last blood while I am still alive to ensure highlife music does not die. It is my breath, I eat it, I drink it, guide it jealously and religiously.