I just found out today that AFRIMA in partnership with African Union Commission and Lagos state government is planning an exciting and very emotive tribute performance in honor of three great African music legends on 4th November 2016 at Eko Hotels and suites. While 82-year-old Cameroonian saxophonist, Manu Dibango is recognized for inventing a music style of fused jazz, funk and traditional Cameroonian music thereby influencing the music of even greater musicians like MJ and Rihanna, World class Guitarist, Multi-instrumentalist and African Music Legend King Sunny Ade will be recognized for being one of the greatest musicians of his time and his exemplary creative tunes with the guitar. Papa Wemba, the late Congolese musician will be recognized for pioneering a blend of African, Cuban and Western sounds which became one of Africa’s most popular music styles.
Right from the 1960s, KSA has been a musician with a difference whose musical cohesion continues to inspire a vast generation of Nigerian Musicians who believe in the big band musical style for which Sunny Ade and late Fela Anikulapo Kuti were known for. KSA played the guitar with dexterity and his music featured even in Hollywood Movies such as “Breathless” and ‘One more Saturday Night” in the 1980s. Until International Reggae and World Music Awards at New York in 2008 and Brooklyn African Festival decided to start recognizing him internationally, nobody has been able to do what AFRIMA is doing now despite that level of contribution and international music career.
I was compelled to ask myself why it is always a challenge for us to recognize positive contributions of Nigerians to Nigeria and Humanity until the world hijacks that honor and honoree from us. That is why you see more Nigerians doing sports for other countries where they never even lived for up to 5 years.
I remember the late world renowned psychiatrist and Deputy WHO director, Professor Adeoye Lambo who while in medical school was so brilliant that University of Sheffield professors almost concluded that all Nigerian students are geniuses. That same professor was rubbished by 29 years old Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, some years later. Same was the case of the granddaughter of political activist and nationalist Hubert Macaulay, Dr. Stella Adadevoh whose efforts to stop Ebola from coming into Nigeria were gallant! She lost her life in that effort to keep Nigeria away from that pandemic. Only a church recognized her with a documentary film.
The same Afrobeat Music Legend and human rights activist, Fela Anikulapo Kuti who was consistently sent to prison in Nigeria by despotic military governments was the one we all saw on the Broadway recently being celebrated abroad, even in death. Former Cross River state governor Donald Duke once stated that nobody in Nigeria currently is greater on the saxophone than Mike Aremu but that he is grossly underrated.
I have seen many professionals who don’t just want money but want to touch lives. Come to UNILAG, OAU, UNN, UI etc. and see professors whose main focus is not only to contribute to the body of knowledge but to also impact the lives of millions of young people even when they are not well paid.
The one that touched me most was the gallant Nigerian military seaman Paul Amaseimogha, who at the start of the battle against Boko Haram insurgency, accidentally stepped on a landmine. He knew death was inevitable and with that lifeline, he alerted his colleagues to steer clear as far as they could go, away from the mine, before detonating the explosive. That to me is the peak of bravery. You don’t find such on the streets of Nigeria every day. Even abroad, you see it more in movies. That, the Nigerian state will not recognize!
Right from the 1960s, KSA has been a musician with a difference whose musical cohesion continues to inspire a vast generation of Nigerian Musicians who believe in the big band musical style for which Sunny Ade and late Fela Anikulapo Kuti were known for. KSA played the guitar with dexterity and his music featured even in Hollywood Movies such as “Breathless” and ‘One more Saturday Night” in the 1980s. Until International Reggae and World Music Awards at New York in 2008 and Brooklyn African Festival decided to start recognizing him internationally, nobody has been able to do what AFRIMA is doing now despite that level of contribution and international music career.
I was compelled to ask myself why it is always a challenge for us to recognize positive contributions of Nigerians to Nigeria and Humanity until the world hijacks that honor and honoree from us. That is why you see more Nigerians doing sports for other countries where they never even lived for up to 5 years.
I remember the late world renowned psychiatrist and Deputy WHO director, Professor Adeoye Lambo who while in medical school was so brilliant that University of Sheffield professors almost concluded that all Nigerian students are geniuses. That same professor was rubbished by 29 years old Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, some years later. Same was the case of the granddaughter of political activist and nationalist Hubert Macaulay, Dr. Stella Adadevoh whose efforts to stop Ebola from coming into Nigeria were gallant! She lost her life in that effort to keep Nigeria away from that pandemic. Only a church recognized her with a documentary film.
The same Afrobeat Music Legend and human rights activist, Fela Anikulapo Kuti who was consistently sent to prison in Nigeria by despotic military governments was the one we all saw on the Broadway recently being celebrated abroad, even in death. Former Cross River state governor Donald Duke once stated that nobody in Nigeria currently is greater on the saxophone than Mike Aremu but that he is grossly underrated.
I have seen many professionals who don’t just want money but want to touch lives. Come to UNILAG, OAU, UNN, UI etc. and see professors whose main focus is not only to contribute to the body of knowledge but to also impact the lives of millions of young people even when they are not well paid.
The one that touched me most was the gallant Nigerian military seaman Paul Amaseimogha, who at the start of the battle against Boko Haram insurgency, accidentally stepped on a landmine. He knew death was inevitable and with that lifeline, he alerted his colleagues to steer clear as far as they could go, away from the mine, before detonating the explosive. That to me is the peak of bravery. You don’t find such on the streets of Nigeria every day. Even abroad, you see it more in movies. That, the Nigerian state will not recognize!
The same Nigeria that will not immortalize Wole Soyinka, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Pastor E A Adeboye, Phillips Emegwali for their contribution to lives and humanity will go ahead to protect a UK convict who shockingly became a governor. The same Nigeria that won’t recognize KSA for his contributions knows how to use her laws to protect an international drug baron. Our own Nigeria that won’t take care of her spinal cord injured footballer or award scholarships to her first class grads know how to lead the world as the highest consumer of Champagne.
What is wrong with this country?
What is wrong with this country?
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| King Sunny Ade |
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