Entertainment
Remembering King Sonny Brown
At 7.24am on Saturday, January 16, 2016, I received a text message from the ever ebullient Dagogo “Dag” Josiah informing me that King Sonny Brown was billed for burial at Finima that day. I was taken aback not because he was dead but because of the facts that: (1) it virtually coincided with the memorial of Rex Lawson’s death, which is uncanny (2) I hadn’t heard of his demise and (3) the burial was billed for the same day 1 had the phone call at Finima in Bonny Local Government Area. For those of us from what is referred to as “upland” in Rivers State, travelling to Bonny requires psychologizing oneself for a sea journey and the brevity of notice did not help matters either, especially in view of my being a teacher, you know what I mean. So, I lounged around at home all day reminiscing on the King Sonny Brown I knew.
King Sonny Brown and I first met in January 1970 at the erstwhile Afro Bamboo, No 35 Aggrey Road, Port Harcourt at the end of the civil war; news had filtered out that he needed a bass guitarist because he was planning to quit Rex Lawson’s band and go solo. Ace drummer, Idua “Tammy Evans” Papamie (obm), arranged what I considered a wary auditioning due to the then extant silentfissure between highlife musicians and rock artistes. Following this artistic get-together, I rehearsed with Sony Brown’s band at its embryonic stages before Tammy and I co-founded the Blackstones Band. Irrespective of our parting, Brown and I remained very close and I attribute that to some similarities in our personalities such as behavioral and attitudinal dispositions. When I wrote “Song for Unsung Sons of Songs” (The Tide Newspaper) in which I discussed Brown’s musical career and that of Erasmus Jenewari and George Iboroma, King Sonny Brown profusely expressed appreciation, his characteristic taciturnity, which is a reflection of shyness, notwithstanding. Yes, Sony was very shy; perhaps that explains his gentility and simplicity.
A major occurrence that has remained indelible on my mind in my relationship with Brown was the fact that he and I had a conversation with Rex Lawson before Rex embarked on Journey to Warti on that fateful day in January 1971, which ended Rex’s life.
The next time Brown and I saw Rex was at the Port Harcourt City Council Hall where Rex was laid in state; Rex was discolored and bereft of his characteristic cheeriness for he was dead. The legendary Governor of old Rivers State, Alfred Diete-Spiff, had directed a State burial for Rex and the creme de fa creme of the State and every musician of repute from the State were there; many also came from outside the State. While the mourners paused and paid their last respect as they slowly marched past the casket and walked away in a pensive mood, a visibly devastated Sonny Brown sat at a corner of the hall that day in palpable distress and disbelief. I understood his mood: Rex had sheltered him, George Iboroma, David Bull, Boma Bonny, Chike Charles and other highlife musicians from the State during the civil war; and though they had individually set off on their own, they had always remained very close. Like members of one big family, they continued to join one another at their shows, thereby painting a perceptible portrait of partnership in camatader, Now, the body of the patriarch and pivot of that family of voices was lying lifeless, gone forever. I could not offer Brown a penny for his thoughts for I knew how he felt; we all shared the pains of the loss but Brown’s was obviously deeper: Rex bequeathed him a giant shoe, which he wondered if his feeble feet could fill.
King Sonny Brown will be remembered for many melodious tunes, .major amongst which is “Pinoyibo.” Delivered in Ijaw, the bluesy rhythmic pattern of the song made it a smash hit of the highlife genre in the sixties, irrespective of the fact that majority of his audience did not understand the Ijaw language; the song heralded Sonny Brown as a major player in the field of highlife music. As a crowd puller, “Pinoyibo” was placed at par with Osita Osadebe’s “One Pound No Balance,” Rex Lawson’s “So Ala Temem,” Erasmus Jenewari’s “Opa Iwariso” and other slow tunes that enable couples hold each other closely and nibble on ears as they whisper amorous endearments on the dance floor. While Brown may not have been as prolific as Lawson, Osadebe, Victor Uwaifo, Celestine Ukwu and rnany other highlife musicians of that epoch, he was a dexterous trumpeter and consummate band leader who maintained an indisputable presence and resilience on the scene. Brown was timeless both in his music and as a person; he was also very gentle and humble.
I join millions of people across the world who were privileged to witness the evolution of the highlife genre of music, from its pristine stages to the heavily influenced present stage, in celebrating the living legends of Victor Olaiya, Victor Uwaifo etc and commemorating the departed creative souls of Bobby Benson, Rex Lawson, Celestine Ukwu, Bill Friday, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Joe Nez, Osita Osadebe, Inyang Henshaw, Kingsley Bassey, Roy Chicago, David Bull, Sonny Brown and others who must be spawning melodious musical waves in another dimension wherever that may be.
Jason Osai
Entertainment
Ijaw Nation Day Festival Begins, Today
All is now set for the three-day cultural event tagged, Ijaw ‘Nation Day Festival’ expected to commence today, in Lagos State.
The fiesta is organised by Miebaka Aggo, a professional cyclist and an Ijaw son who is currently based in Lagos State.
Aggo, who disclosed this to The Tide Entertainment yesterday, said that the cultural event which is organised annually, serves as a reminder of the Ijaw culture to the ijaws residing in Lagos State
’For the cultural festival is to show the Ijaws in Lagos our tradition, so they don’t forget,’ he said.
According to him, the fiesta will feature cultural displays such as masquerades, Ijaw dance performances, boat regatta and traditional wrestling, arts and crafts displays and musical performance.
Meanwhile, preparations are ongoing to host a traditional sports festival this year end in Bayelsa Sate or Rivers State of the Niger Delta region.
‘“The traditional sports festival will be held in Niger Delta this year end or early next year. It is a big budget,” he explained.
He mentioned that the organisers are hopeful of sponsorship from companies and well-meaning individuals in the region.
Sports to be contested for include
1. Wrestling
2. Swimming
3. Canoeing
4. Draft
5. Aquathlon(run, swim, run respectively)
6. Triathlon (bike, swim, run)
“However, 5 and 6 are borrowed Olympic sports that favour our region because we can swim, but the major sports to expect are wrestling, swimming and canoeing,” he said.
Nancy Briggs
Entertainment
Life And Times Of Goddy Oku
“In his book, ‘The Wings’, drummer-turned-guitarist, Manford Best, wrote extensively and glowingly of the pivotal role Goddy played in his music career, in the face of his (Manford’s) natural challenge”
On Friday, January 19, 2024, Chief Tony Okoroji, the Chairman of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Chief Uche Emeka Paul, Sir Angus Power Nwangwu and other members of COSON were in Ukpo, Dunukofia Local Government Area, Anambra State to pay the last respects of COSON to Engr Goddy Ogomegbunam Oku. Describing Oku as an “iconic musician…long-term motivator of the music industry…leader of the Hygrades, proprietor of Godiac Studios…a great man and a true genius”, Chief Okoroji draped the casket with the flag of COSON. To perform this rite of passage, Okoroji flew in from Lagos, Paul flew in from Abuja, Nwangwu drove in from Enugu and other members arrived from various states reflecting the esteemed regards Goddy Oku commanded in the COSON family. My experience with Goddy Oku and those of others as contained in the following dirge epitomise the essence of Okoroji’s graveside oration. Goddy was really a “long-term motivator of the music industry”.
During the Nigerian civil war, my family took refuge in Umuchima, down the valley at the outskirts of Orlu, Imo State. One evening, my father returned from Orlu with a message from my friend, Emeka Ifejika, that Biafra Army Officers Training School (BAOTS) was setting up a pop band and they were searching for a bass guitarist. Goodness gracious!!! I was the bassist of The Hardnuts, my defunct teenage band in Port Harcourt; so, I saw it as the opportunity to avoid conscription, which had intensified at the time. Very early the next morning, I sneaked through the back into the sprawling scenic compound of Bishop Shanaham College, Orlu, which housed BAOTS and, as God would have it, I met Goddy Oku. For three hours, he drilled me on bass guitar playing, basic chord progressions and eventually accepted me as bassist/vocalist of the proposed band. An identity card and a “Pass” were quickly prepared to enable me return to Umuchima the next day, pick up my personal effects and report for duty.
With Dona Dyke (Donatus Nwadike) on drums and Goddy on lead guitar/vocals, we became The Silhouettes, a power trio that played side-by-side Sunny Nwamama of “Umunwanyi ji ukwu achodi” fame. That was at a time Jimi Hendrix Experience, James Gang, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Cream, Grand Funk Railroad and other Power Trios were hip in Europe and America but hadn’t emerged in the West African music scene; so, our ensemble was peculiar or odd, if you prefer.
One day, Warrant Officer Murphy introduced a young man by name Justus Nnakwe (JU-Xperience) to Goddy and appealed that he (Justus) should be taught an instrument. Within two weeks, Goddy drilled Justus and transformed him from a complete neophyte to a rhythm guitarist. Eventually, JU had his first outing and The Silhouettes morphed into a four-some at an event for the Commandant of BAOTS, Colonel Tim Onwuatuegwu. Thereafter, Goddy groomed a singer whose entry gave the band a greater body and earthy sound. At the end of the civil war, I returned home to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, cofounded The Blackstones Band in January 1970 and chased the stars until 1972 when societal and family pressure leashed me back to school in the United States where I consistently earned pocket change thru playing guitar; the trade in which Goddy Oku groomed and gowned me.
Goddy mentored numerous artists in his days; the list is virtually endless. Sonny Okosuns, John Kerry, Nelly Uchendu, Panam Percy Paul, Chris Okotie, Felix Liberty, Felarday, Clement Amaechi and a host of others. Kenny Koburn (KK) once reminisced on how he broke bounds in high school to watch The Blackstones perform at Golf Course Hotel, Owerri in the early 1970s. Enamored by the performance of the bassist of the band, KK said he dropped out of school and headed to Enugu where he was tutored to play bass guitar by Goddy Oku. Subsequently, KK co-founded Founders Fifteen of Port Harcourt. In his book, ‘The Wings’, drummer-turned-guitarist, Manford Best, wrote extensively and glowingly of the pivotal role Goddy played in his music career, in the face of his (Manford’s) natural challenge. Before his demise, Prof Frank Onyezili (Frank Zilly of The Fractions) narrated to me the crucial role Goddy played in his music career before he returned to school. Goddy it was who played the classical guitar interlude in “Igede” by Celestine Ukwu. Arguably, “Igede” stands out as the first instrumental music in the Highlife genre and one of the most memorable songs of Celestine Ukwu.
Over the years, Goddy and I maintained contact and I visited him periodically. We even planned that he’d do one week with me in Port Harcourt and we’d embark on a musical pilgrimage to Abak, Akwa Ibom State to visit Emmanuel Ntia of Solo Hit fame, but that didn’t come to fruition. However, when JU came home in April 2021, I hopped into Enugu on the 13th and the three of us spent one night of reminiscences. We put two mattresses on the floor in Goddy’s parlor and played guitar and talked all night. We relived our collective experiences and walked through the engagements we played during the civil war. It was a memorable night.
JU Xperience, Goddy and
The next morning, April 14, 2021, we took a group photograph without realising that that would be the last time we’d see each other. First, JU sailed to the great beyond in far away China and now Goddy is gone; a rather grim reminder of my sitting at the “Departure Lounge of Life”.
May the creative soul of Godfrey Ogomegbunam Oku rest in the Bosom of God, Amen.
Jason Osai
Entertainment
TB Joshua:This Is Why Victims Do Not Speak Up -Seun Kuti
Seun Kuti has weighed in on the ongoing controversy regarding late Nigerian Prophet, TB Joshua, and states that the vilification of victims is why they do not speak up.
Seun Kuti does not believe that all people who do good things are completely good people.
“I don’t care if he took your family to space, you aren’t everybody,” he said.
The Tide Entertainment reports that the singer aired his views on the issue on Wednesday, charging “religious people” to “do better.”
“Eyin Elebi. Once person someone shares money and rice for people, he is a good person automatically,” he said.
”When this man was alive, he was sooo powerful that his criminal negligence, according to state coroner in Lagos led to the death of 84 people and he didn’t spend one second in police station and you want some young women to come and do what?! When Timis wife came out, you all turned a married woman to a prostitute like magic! That’ is why victims do not speak up!! E du Betta, religious people!!”
Going further, he slammed people who defend the late prophet on the grounds that he helped them one way or another, stressing that the experience of some is not the experience of all people.
In his words, “I don’t care if he took your family to space, and he was good to you, you are not everybody! Because a politician helped one person he would prove to the world that the man is a ‘good person!’ News flash- YOU ARE NOT EVERYBODY!!!”
The late prophet and his church have become the subject of controversy after a three part documentary produced by the BBC, highlighted the negative experiences of ex-Synagogue Church of all Nations members, who called the church “a cult”. Some women also accused TB Joshua of rape, forced abortions, child abuse and overall abuse. These claims have become a topic of discourse ever since with some siding with the church and others choosing to believe the victims.
However, the church has denied all the allegations.
-
Oil & Energy4 days ago
Nigeria Hosts Global Confab On Oilfield Sustainability, Hydrocarbon Accounting
-
Sports4 days ago
Iheanacho, Dessers Applaud Finidi’s Tactics
-
Rivers4 days ago
Group Begins Massive Support Drive For Fubara
-
News2 days ago
Reps Member Pledges Support, Loyalty To Fubara, Joins SIMplified Movement
-
Maritime4 days ago
Illegal Migration: NIS, NIWA Move To Strengthen Partnership
-
News4 days ago
Insecurity: Arrest Gumi Within Seven Days, Group Tells FG
-
Rivers2 days ago
Bonny Ward 12 Endorses Council Boss For Second Term
-
News2 days ago
New Kalabari Monarch To Emerge Soon -Regent