Entertainment
Periscoping Highlife, Mainstay Of Kuta Nigerian Music
Highlife was the most popular music in 1960 when Nigeria gained independence. Before then and down through the 1960s, highlife has always been a mainstay of the Nigerian music industry. It was West African pop music seeping into the country from Ghana.
Following World War ll, Nigerian music started to take on new instruments and techniques including electric instruments imported from the United States and Europe. Rock n. Roll, Soul and later Funk became very popular in Nigeria and elements of these genres were added to Juju by artistes such as I.K. Dairo.
Meanwhile, highlife had been slowly gaining grounds among the Igbo people and their unique style soon found a national audience, at the same time ‘Apalas’ Haruna Ishola was becoming one of the country’s biggest stars. When the Union Jack was lowered for the last time by the British colonial masters in Lagos and Nigeria’s Green while Green flag was hoisted, highlife was the ruler of the streets.
Ghana had a lot of influence on our music, right from the 1950s and 60s, Ghana had always been Nigerian’s big brother when it comes to music.
Ghanaian highlife stars dominated Nigerian social scene and night clubs due to the authenticity of their sound and immersive melodies. Ghanaian stars were the toast of Lagos and played in night clubs raking exclusive money for many Nigerian bands.
Nigerian artistes had to travel to Ghana to gain knowledge in music before returning to Nigeria to replicate that new direction.
Even Fela Kuti was influenced in Ghana. In 1963, Fela moved back to Nigeria, reformed Koola Lobitos and trained as radio producer for Nigerian Boardcasting corporation (NBC).
He played for sometime with Victor Olaiya and his All Stars. In 1967, he went to Ghana to soak up their songs and think up a new musical direction. That was when Fela first called his music Afrobeat. Fela was later banned form Ghana by the Ghanaian government in 1978 after riots broke-out in Accra during his concert when he was performing the song “Zombie”.
While in Ghana high life music held more significance, in Nigeria it was feel good music carrying mundane themes and made specifically for dance; the same way we currently have pop songs about nothing, highlife filled that void in the 60s.
Music was recorded and played live and the best spots to consume live music was at the Lagos clubs which had a mixture of Ghanaian and Nigerian highlife stars, the music was played by bands. The Ghanaian E.T. Mensah easily the most popular highlife performer of the 1950s toured Nigeria frequently, drawing huge crowds of devoted fans.
Bob Benson and his Combo was the first Nigerian highlife band to find audience across the country. Benson was followed by Rex Lawson & The Mayors Dance Band who achieved national fame in the mid 70s ending with Lawson’s death in 1971. During the same period, other highlife performers were reaching their peak. “They include Prince Nico Mbaga whose Sweet Mother, was a Pan African hit that sold more than 13 million copies, more than any other African single of any kind.
Entertainment
Why Fans No Longer Faint For Musicians – Paul Okoye
Nigerian singer and half of the defunct P-Square duo, Paul Okoye, aka Rudeboy, has claimed that social media has reduced the prestige and value fans attached to musicians due to the mystique that artistes had before the era of social media.
Speaking in a recent interview with Lun Lifestyle TV, Rudeboy argued that social media, despite all its benefits, has shattered the illusion of artistes being mysterious and godlike.
This he said has reduced the buzz artistes previously enjoyed whenever their fans got the opportunity to see them whether physically or visually.
The ‘Reason With Me’ crooner explained that because artistes are no longer mysterious, fans are no longer eager to watch them in music videos.
He claimed that shooting music videos is now a waste of money.
Rudeboy said, “Music videos somehow now, because of this generation, is a waste of money. I am sorry to say this. But do you remember us [P-Square] before? You don’t see us anywhere. You just watch music videos, you see us and that’s it, or we come to your country, you see us.
“The reason you don’t see people faint for artistes anymore is because they see them on TikTok every day dancing and promoting your music. If Michael Jackson was alive now and doing promotional content on social media, nobody would see him and faint.
“Unfortunately, it’s too late for us to bring back the era of artistes being mystiques. How can you advise an artiste to post every day? How? Post what? You don’t need to.
“Social media brought positive change to the industry but it also led to ‘see-finish.’ Artistes are now too exposed. Fans see how they eat, cry. Before when artistes go to club, they stay in restricted VIP areas, but now when they are clubbing, everyone is filming.”
Entertainment
Davido’s Aide Offers Cash Reward For Missing Phone At Zlatan’s Wedding
Afrobeats superstar, Davido’s aide, Damilare Aladegbola, popularly known as Dre, has offered a cash reward to whoever returns his phone, which he claims went missing during rapper Zlatan Ibile’s wedding ceremony.
Dre made the appeal in a post on his Instagram page on Monday, pleading with the person who allegedly took the device to return it in exchange for money.
“If na u carry my phone for Zlatan wedding, abeg return am, I go give you money please,” he wrote.
The aide also expressed frustration over what he suggested was a method being used to take phones at social gatherings.
He said he would no longer tolerate waiters asking whether guests had finished eating so they could clear their plates, alleging that the practice could provide an opportunity for phones left on tables to be taken.
“From now on, if I go any party or dey any party and any stupid waitress tell me say are you done eating so I can pack your plate, na swear I go swear for you cause na pattern wey una dey use pack phone for table be that now,” he added.
However, Dre did not identify anyone suspected of taking his phone or provide further details about how the device went missing.
Zlatan Ibile tied the knot with his longtime partner, Davita Lamai, during a traditional wedding ceremony on Saturday, October 24, 2026.
The ceremony, held in Lagos, attracted several celebrities, fans and well-wishers, with Davido among the prominent guests and leading the groomsmen.
Entertainment
I Ran Away From Nigeria, Never Wanted To Come Back-Chidinma
Popular singer, Chidinma Ekile has revealed that before transitioning from secular music to the gospel genre, she “ran away” from Nigeria.
Speaking at a recent Eezee Conceptz event, Chidinma explained that she travelled abroad and wanted to secure permanent residency because she didn’t want to return to Nigeria, but failed.
She revealed that while she was abroad, the CEO of Eezee Conceptz was the only person calling her from Nigeria, so she decided to work with him upon her return.
“I travelled. I ran away from Nigeria. I was processing my papers not to come back to Nigeria, but for some reason, it didn’t work.
“While I was abroad, the CEO of Eezee Conceptz was the only one who was calling me from Nigeria. He kept encouraging me, and I found the strength to come back to Nigeria. When I came back, I asked him to give me a gospel music contract because I want to spend time with God. And he gave me a contract that even my lawyer said seemed like a charity,” Chidinma stated.
The music star added that she did not transition into gospel music because she wanted to make gospel, but because she wanted a serious relationship with God.
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