Music in my ears: The Nigerian music history stories

One World band was an offshoot of Bob Miga-led Strangers of Owerri. It is not entirely clear what led to about five members of the Strangers leaving the band to form One World, but the split proved to be the end of the Owerri-based Strangers. The Ani Hofner-led One World band grew to become a fan-favourite band churning out a somewhat mellow funk compared to other bands of that era. One World's discography includes five albums released between 1975 and 1978. Two of the albums were released in 1978 including the reggae album Mama and Papa, a clear departure from their mellow rock sounds. One World was also regarded as an elitist band which appealed to the upper class of society.

Just a quick one again on the Headies 2022 and the upcoming album titled Timeless by Breeze to be released on 25th September 2022

Years Active: Late 60’s – Early 70’s Members: Bob Miga, Felix Umeoffia, Gab Ozani, Ani Hofnar Umebuani, Geoffrey Imadhebo, Joe Arukwe, Joni Haastrup, Samuel Ifeanyi, Samuel Mathews, Tammy Evans and Timmy Nebuwa The Strangers were one of the early funk rock bands of post-civil war Nigeria and had a significant impact in the Eastern part of the country in the late 60s and 70s. The Owerri-based band was founded by late organist Valentine Soroibe Bob Agim, more popularly known as Bob Miga. Miga was with the Hykkers, a Lagos-based military-affiliated band that toured the South East States. It was time to return to base in Lagos, but Miga preferred the band to remain in Owerri where the band had already established a strong fan base and convinced the Military top brass to that effect. While other Hykkers members returned to Lagos, Miga remained in Owerri and regrouped with new band members to form the Strangers of Owerri. The band also had Joni Haastrup in its lineup who later formed the Lagos band Mono Mono . On the band's disbandment in the late ’70s, Bob Miga relocated to London until his death in 2014, Some band members had moved on to form One World Band. The Strangers scored a few hits including ‘Nobody Called Me’ 1972 HMV Records ‘Love Rock’(Single) 1972 HMV Records ‘Survival’  HMV single.

It took a whopping 15 years of recording songs for an album to get to the point of releasing the album. Quite unusual, but sometimes things don't always turn out the way you plan. So today we are promoting a Single 'Caro' by  Gabriel Ashibi a.k.a Breeze a.k.a Paparazi. The two version Single was recorded way back in 2007 or at most 2009 under my record Label EthnikHouse Entertainment. The full album was equally ready. Due to certain circumstances the album contract, missing tapes and other technical reasons, I became the only audience of the songs for many years. At some point ,I couldn't find the file of the songs on my computer. Breeze also has no copy. Running a Label has always been a fantasy business for me when I read about Berry Gordy of Mowtown, Dick Giffrey of Solar and coming down to Nigeria I don't know how many people realise how much late chief Haruna Isola contributed to the Nigerian music Industry with his Ijebu Igbo based Phonodisck Records, just one example will suffice in Kris Okotie. or Cheif GAD Tabansi of Tabansi Records. I look forward to being like them, But, running a label is not cooking beans.  Well, we have released the Sigle on Audiomack but will follow up with the album which should be on almost every digital store soon. Yes, the music has changed because Breeze came in the Afro Hip Hop era, but then that was the beginning of the renaissance until we landed at Afrobeats.  This episode of the podcast is just to introduce the artiste Breeze, who has been doing his thing since then and the Single which is in the public space for the first time and also to flaunt my little credentials in Nigerian Music History. 

The Doves were a top-rated band in the South Eastern State of Nigeria which was later renamed Cross River State before it was split into Cross River and Akwa Ibom States. Despite their fame and popularity in the easternmost border state of Nigeria and in Umuahia which was their musical home, national acclaim was a bit elusive to the band. The Doves by all means were a great band with thirteen active years spanning 1974 to 1987 delivering eight albums and six singles, they were quite ahead of their contemporaries in terms of longevity and output. With lineup changes over the years, the band's primary members include a multinational and multiethnic grouping from Nigeria, Cameroun and Senegal. It is not hard to understand the influx of talented Camerounians who only need to cross the sea border at Oron or Calabar to hop into Nigeria or Cross into Ikom from Mfum border. Billy Baynak Eugene and Tony Ngon and the Band's late lead singer Lawrence Ebanga represent a typical case of the Cameroon contingent. Saint Myron Kalla comes through from Senegal while the Nigerian contingent featured, Maxwell Udoh who took up lead vocal duties after the tragic death of Lawrence Ebanga in a car crash in April 1976. Al- Jackson Nakwe worked with Etubom Rex William the Highlife Supremo before jumping on the wings of The Doves while Levis Esso, Dominic Ikpe, Chikodiri Eze, Etienne Keston, Emmanson Ekeagwu, Sam Joseph were all part of the groupings. There is a certain Patrick Udoh famously acclaimed as the leader and main songwriter of the band, but the band credits are often limited in this regard, but a few occasions, Patrick Udoh actually runs the show either with a different lineup or as a label executive.  Most members moved on to pastoral work and other music-related endeavours, Maxwell Udoh became a solo artiste delving into calypso-flavoured afro music and later got caught in the Reggae frenzy of the mid-1980s sadly, Maxwell Udoh passed on in December 2014 after a protracted illness.

Joni Haastrup founded Mono Mono in Lagos after touring Europe with Ginger Baker"s Airfoce II band. Haastrup skipped another leg of European and American tour with Ginger Bakers second tour ensemble the SALT band to fulfil his ambition of running his own show and performing his songs with his band around clubs and venues in Lagos. Other notable members of the band include Baba Kenneth Okulolu and Candido Obajimi. Most members relocated to the United State of America to ply their trade. This episode features this very eclectic band.

The Funkees was one of the most prominent and star studded band in the Afrofunk era of Nigerian music. The Funkees also called Funkees of Aha had Harry Mosco, Chyke Madu, Jake Sollo, Sony Akpan, Mo Ahidjo, Beckley Jones, Felix Odey amongst others in its line-up making it a very formidable and star studded band.

The Wings of Aba was one of the most Afrofunk band's in Nigeria. The death of Johnathan 'Spud Nathan' Udensi in a tragic accident was a very tragic event in the life of the band. The band released a tribute album in memory of the late front in 1976 to a wide acceptance across Nigeria.

This is a feature on Ofege the Boy Band from St. Gregory , Obalende, Lagos. Like most boy band's across the world Ofege enjoyed a large followership in their time as one of the biggest band's of the Afrofunk era.

On this episode of music in my ears , we review the times and music of Wrinkars Experience , another band of the Afrofunk era in Nigeria. Wrinkars Experience gave us 'fuel for love' which remains an anthem of the Afrofunk music genre.

Digging in to the story of one Nigeria"s all time favourite Afrofunk Band Sweet Breeze .

In this episode we delve into Afrofunk music. The contemporary music genre that dominated the Nigerian music scene in the 70s. We look at the creative origins, the major players and other historical perspectives to the Afrofunk era.

Here we introduce the different dominant and contemporary music genres of different era in Nigeria. It is also a tribute to Nigerian music legends like Fela Kuti, Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey, King Sunny Ade, Sir Victor Uwaifo, Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, IK Dario, Bobby Benson, Cardinal Rex Lawson, Chief Inyang Nta Henshaw and others not mentioned in the podcast like Oliver De Coque, Prince Nico Mbarga, and several great legends both living and dead who laid the foundation for the growth and success of Nigerian music.

Here is how foreign music artistes dominated the Nigerian music airwaves in the 70's and 80's

The role of Television, visual recordings and live shows.

Just telling little stories about how my interest and curiosity around music all started.