A Searchlight On Nigeria's Faded Music Stars Of Yesteryears.

This is a feature article by Drdaps from Nairaland

 

Where are the stars of yesteryears?
 

Felix Liberty-This slim musician hit the music scene in the early 80's.He is responsible for hits like "Lover Boy" "Ifeoma" "Ngozi" and "Take Me Home".The Delta boy has become extinct is the music scene.
FADED
 

Loriane Okotie-The sister of the pop singer turned pastor, Rev. Chris Okotie. She hit the Nigerian scene with beautiful christain lyrics in the late 80's with a hit track titled "Love is the Medince" then suddenly she disappeared and has since not returned.
Maybe she is the choirmistress in her brother's church. Lol

Nigeria Music stars of the past era.

 

Alex Okoroigwe-This handsome musician from Imo State who thrilled music fans with his cute dressing, dancing step and singing skills has also become extinct from the scene. [Rumor; He is said to be washing dishes in restaurants in Singapore but if it's true hmmm nawoooo]
 

Jide Obi-Ogidi Anambra State born lawyer turned musician.The man behind tunes like "Tonite" and "Kill Me With Love" in early 80's. A close ally of Rev. Chris Okotie.Where is he now? Relocated to US after going through hard times.
 

Junior and Pretty-This duo from edo State once electrified the entertainment industry with thier song "Bolanle". Where are they?
 

Isaac Black-This ragge musician has also become extinct. His popular tracks "Papa Bless Me" and "Show Me The Way" are still some of his best. Today he walk the street of Lagos looking haggard and dejected.
 

Evi Edna Ogoli-The Edo State born lady with her pretty demeanour hit the scene with her beautiful ablum which quickly endeared her to the people around. One of her popular tracks was "Happy Birthday". Nothing is presently heard from her in the music scene.

There are more opinions here after the break:

Junior & Pretty

Sadly at the peak of their career, Junior passed away on February 2, 2005 following injuries he sustained from a motorcycle accident. Pretty is presently an events consultant.

Isaac Black


For all his achievements and fame, award winning reggae musician Prince Isaac Black Egbeobauwaya died unsung and left a heart broken wife at the mercy of in-laws who accused the twenty-five- year-old lady of killing the husband.

Evi Edna Ogoli


Unable to cope with the sad reality of dwindling fortunes, in 1999, Edna-Ogholi decided to move to Cote D’Voire in search of bootleggers who were busy pirating her works. She later moved to Paris, France, where she is currently based.

 

Ras Kimono, Lijadu Sisters, Sir Shina Peters, Uwaifo, Onyeka Onwenu and Christy Essien- Igbokwe Apart from Mandy Ojugbana, who has obviously taken to the air-waves for a promising career in the Nigerian electronic media, the likes of Uncle Tunji Oyelana, Hakeeb Kareem, Dizzy K Falola, Lorine Okotie, Alex O, Alex Zitto, among others could be described as most wanted music stars of yesteryears. However, in this concluding part of our series that started last week, few of these stars of yesteryears have actually fizzled out while some have actually made a return to the game in which they set the pace many years ago.
 

Victor OlaiyaBaby Jowo, Omo Pupa, Odale Ore, Iye Jemila, among other classic hits of his rocked the music scenein the 60s and 70s and they conveniently placed Sir Victor Olaiya in the league of Nigerian living music legends. Although, the octogenarian highlife music geniusno longer hits vocal booths for new album, he’s learnt to be performing once in a while at his Surulere, Lagos’ Stadium Hotel.
 

Christy Essien- IgbokweOne time PMAN President and Calabar born lady of soul shook the music world back in those days with such songs as Omo mi seun rere, which is still a classic. Christy remains an icon and a living music legend. Her disappearance from the music scene few years ago has however left no one in doubt that probably the velvet- toned voice songstress has dumped her music career for good. Christy’s plans to record another album and the recent remix of her old song Omo mi seun rere by one new female singer which had her dropping few lines, is an indication that she is making a comeback tothe music scene.
 

Bongos IkweAside been the sweet voice behind the sound track of rooster Crow at Dawn, the old popular television drama series, Still Searching, Teardrops, and Mariama are some of Ikwe’s classic songs that earned him an enviable position among the top 10 music stars of yesteryears. While he’s still a making a frantic effort to return to music, Bongos Ikwe is currently making ends meet as an hotelier in Oturkpo, Benue State.
 

Dan Maraya JosHe is the favourite of the Northerners in the 70s and 80s. Dan Maraya Jos became the toast of Hausa music lovers with the songs like Gulma Wuya, Auren Dole, Jawabin Aure, and host f classic hits. Ever since he came to Lagos to perform and was honoured during one of PMAN’s events, few years ago, little or nothing has been heard of the Jos, Plateau State based Dan Maraya.
 

Felix LibertyHe is one of Nigerian great artistes who were carried away by their fame. The reckless life-style of Felix Aigbe Liberty of Ifeoma and 419 fame was the genesis of his fall scene and this really affected his music career. But thank God, he had since been arrested by the Holy Spirit and the lover boy as he was fondly called in those days is now a pastor, singing for the Lord.
 

Lijadu SistersThey were the first Nigerian female identical twins to dictate the pace in the Nigerian music industry in the late 60’s, 70s and early 80s. The sisters with voices released their debut album titled Iya Mi Jowo in 1969 on the Decca Records Label and dropped Danger, a sophomore album in 1976. Their final two albums before they went abroad were Sunshine and Horizon Unlimited in 1978 and 79 respectively. While inthe US, they released Double Trouble; a compilation of previously recorded materials from their albums Horizon Unlimited and Danger, in1984. After settling in the US, they disappeared from the public eye, making details of their music career sketchy, as they rarely grant interviews. The Lijadu Sisters, will be forever remembered for their hit classic Orere Elejigbo
 

Victor UwaifoThat the famous guitar boy is a man of many parts, is like statingthe obvious. Apart from being a living music legend, Sir Victor Uwafor is a writer, sculptor, university teacher and inventor of repute. His all time mega hit song, Joromi, is reputed to be the first African song to win a gold disc, and certainly one of thehottest selling classics to have ever come out of Nigeria. Some ofother unforgettable songs of Uwaifo include Siwo-Siwo, Sweet Banana, Guitar Boy, Do Amen Do, Akwete, Ebiss Ebiss, Dododo among others that have ruled the airwaves for many years.
 

Onyeka OnwenuThe Elegant stallion as she is fondly called is a name that has found its way in the history bookof Nigerian music industry. Dancingin the sun, Ekwe, Iyogogo and OneLove are just few of Onyeka’s many classics that launched the sweetvoiced singer cum actress inthe league of Nigerian music legends. Briefly, after the controversial One million march for the late General Sanni Abacha, Onyeka’s few appearances in home videos sparked up speculations that probably she had dumped singing for acting. Although, she has also joined the political train, Onyeka sealed the lips of those who thought she had kissed music goodbye with a new album, which is currently under media review.
 

Ras KimonoIt is no longer news that the famous rub-a-dub master is back in Nigeria, Ras Kimono’s much talked about new album seems tobe long overdue for release. Delay that has sent tongues wagging that probably there is something that Kimono is afraid of. Anyway, while Rhumba style, Whats gwan, Under pressure, Natty get jail, among other old classics of Kimono had accorded him the power and respect which the US returnee still commands inthe music industry, many music lovers have not stopped to wonder ‘what’s gwan’ with Ras Kimono.
 

Bright ChiemezieThe fair-complexioned Akpu and Ogbono soup exponent is one of the leaders of old school (Highlife music) in the Nigerian music industry. After the release of his popular album ‘Oyinbo Mortality’, which comprised of hit tracks like Achoron Zigima sound, Remember your roots, Oyinbo mentality among others, the Okoro Junior as he is fondly called, has been battling to revive his music career. The leader of the Zigima sound, who relocated to his village in Umuahia, Anambra Statefew years back, breezed to Lagoslate last year to promote his newalbum
 

Sir Shina Peters (SSP)The highly- gifted guitarist experienced a phenomenal rise tostardom with the success of Ace, his debut album as a solo artiste that sold several millions of copies. This was after he parted ways with his age-long rival and former mate, Segun Adewale. They both formed a band known as Sir Shina Adewale in the 80’s The success of SSP, as he is fondly called, follow-up albums likeExperience, Shinamania among others permanently put Shina Peters on the lips of both the young and old in the Nigerian music industry. Interestingly, whilecritics believe that Shin Peters has lost the grip on his groove despite his romance with Kennis Music a couple of years ago, which brought about the re-mix of one of his old songs, SSP seems to be getting it back with recent stage performances.
 

Esse AgesseThis soul queen, whose style of dancing and singing reminds one of the present day Janet Jackson. The beautiful dark lady laid a siege on the Nigerian music industry in the mid 80s and early 90s, with some of her classical songs like Back to the basics, Finepepper soup and kissing game, a duet with Blacky. Although, she is currently romancing politics, Esse had since announced her return to the music scene with new gospel album, which audio and musical videos hit the airwaves sometimes ago.
 

BLACKYThe acclaimed dancehall king, Edward Iyang, also known as Blacky got two new albums after many years of hiatus in the musicscene. While Blacky is battling hard to regain his balance musically with his new efforts, he is still much relevant with few recent performances at high profile events. Blacky’s old tunes like ‘Rosie’, ‘slam belly’, ‘Blacky’s kank’, among others are the reason why the name Blacky, is inthe consciousness of old generation music lovers.
 

Daniel WilsonThis is a reggae artiste with a style, his numerous songs had fetched him one alias or the other, like ‘Mr. Ragamuffin’, ‘Original Bad boy’ and ‘Don Dada’. He made a breakthrough in the Nigerian Music Industry in the late80s, when he hit the scene with his popular songs, "Mr. Ragamuffin" and Original Bad Boy".Since then, he has been making waves among the raves of Nigerian entertainment industry but along the line he took a leaveto re – lunch his career with an album in the new millennium. Almost through with a new album to relaunch him back to the game, O.B.B, who dropped the microphone for confectionery business sometimes ago lamented that he regrets quitting the music scene.