Entertainment

Periscoping Highlife, Mainstay Of Kuta Nigerian Music

Published

8 years ago

October 6, 2017

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

Funke Akindele’s Behind The Scenes Crosses ?1.77bn

Published

15 hours ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

Funke Akindele’s Behind The Scenes becomes Nollywood’s highest-grossing film of 2025, earning ?1.77bn in under four weeks.

Multi-award-winning actress and producer Funke Akindele has done it again, and this time, the numbers speak louder than applause.

Her latest film, Behind The Scenes, has officially emerged as the highest-grossing Nollywood film of 2025, pulling in an astonishing ?1.767 billion in less than four weeks.

The Tide Entertainment reports that Funke Akindele Makes Box Office History as Behind The Scenes Crosses ?1.77bn
Earlier in its release cycle, the film’s distributor, FilmOne Entertainment, revealed that Behind The Scenes smashed five opening-weekend records, including the highest single-day gross ever recorded on Boxing Day, with ?129.5 million in one day. That announcement already hinted that something unusual was unfolding.

Reacting to the milestone, FilmOne described the moment as both surreal and communal, crediting audience loyalty for pushing the film to the top spot once again as the number-one movie of the weekend. And that sentiment feels accurate. This wasn’t just ticket sales; it was momentum.

What makes this achievement even more striking is that Behind The Scenes is Funke Akindele’s third film to cross the ?1 billion mark. Before now, there was A Tribe Called Judah, and then Everybody Loves Jenifa, a film that didn’t just open big, but went on to become the highest-grossing Nollywood film of all time. At this point, it’s no longer a fluke. It’s a pattern.

Part of Behind The Scenes’ success lies in strategy. The film enjoyed advanced screenings on December 10 and 11, quietly building curiosity and conversation before its nationwide release on December 12. By the time it officially hit cinemas, audiences already felt like they needed to see it.

Then there’s the cast. The film brings together a lineup that feels deliberately stacked: Scarlet Gomez, Iyabo Ojo, Destiny Etiko, Tobi Bakre, Uche Montana, and several others. Familiar faces, strong fan bases, and performances that kept word-of-mouth alive long after opening weekend.

Still, beyond timing and casting, there’s something else at work here. Funke Akindele understands Nigerian audiences. Their humour, their pacing, their emotional buttons. She doesn’t guess, she calculates, experiments, listens, and refines. That understanding has slowly turned into box-office dominance.

Behind The Scenes crossing ?1.77 billion isn’t just another headline; it’s confirmation. Funke Akindele has moved from being a successful actress to becoming one of the most reliable commercial forces Nollywood has ever produced. Three-billion-naira films don’t happen by luck. They happen when storytelling, business sense, and audience trust align.

And right now, that alignment seems firmly in her hands.

Entertainment

Adekunle Gold, Simi Welcome Twin Babies

Published

15 hours ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

Popular Nigerian music stars, Adekunle Kosoko, widely known as Adekunle Gold, and his wife, Simi, have become parents again this time to twins.

The award-winning singer shared the joyful update on his Snapchat story on Wednesday, confirming the expansion of their family.

“Asked God for another child and he blessed me double,” she wrote.

While the couple has not yet disclosed the gender of the newborns, the announcement has sparked an outpouring of warm wishes from admirers, fellow celebrities, and industry colleagues.

Speculation had intensified in December when Simi posted a video on Instagram accompanied by the caption, “From my baby, for my babies.”

The clip showed her with a growing baby bump, fueling anticipation that another child was on the way.

Their latest blessings arrive just weeks after Simi highlighted a scene from Adekunle Gold’s newly released music video, “My Love is the Same,” further stirring excitement among fans.

The Tide Entertainment reports that Adekunle Gold and Simi who tied the knot in 2019 after a long history of friendship and musical synergy remain one of Nigeria’s most admired entertainment power couples. Both artistes were once signed to X3M Music before soaring into mainstream acclaim.

The pair welcomed their first child, Adejare Kosoko, fondly called Deja, in May 2020.

Entertainment

Jesse Flames Opens 2026 With ‘Praise The Lord’ Featuring Magnito

Published

15 hours ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

After closing out 2025 with the release of “Praise the Lord” featuring Magnito, Jesse Flames enters the new year with renewed clarity and purpose, continuing to build a body of work rooted in intention rather than noise. In a moment where Afrobeats is moving faster and louder than ever, his approach remains measured and deliberate, prioritizing meaning, craft, and longevity over momentary attention. The official music video arrives January 10.

Following the momentum of his breakout single “FLEX,” “Praise the Lord” represents a shift from celebration to grounding. Reflective and soulful, the record centers gratitude, growth, and perspective, capturing a quieter confidence that resonates beyond a single moment.

“This song is about recognizing the full picture,” Jesse shares. “The work people see and the work they don’t. The lessons, the setbacks, the growth.”

The collaboration with Magnito, a respected voice in Nigerian hip hop known for his sharp lyricism and cultural authenticity, adds depth and weight to the record, reinforcing its themes of resilience, faith, and self reflection.

Released in December at the height of Detty December, “Praise the Lord” became a natural soundtrack for both celebration and reflection as the year came to a close. With the video arriving in January, the record takes on new meaning, opening the year as a tone setter rather than a reset.

Born in the United States, raised in Festac, Lagos, and now based in London, Jesse Flames brings a global perspective to his sound, blending Afrobeats, hip hop, and melodic soul into something sleek and intentional. His music reflects lived experience and cultural nuance rather than trend chasing.

The Tide Entertainment reports that with over 11 million streams, performances at O2 Brixton Academy and OVO Arena Wembley, and coverage from The Guardian and Business Post Nigeria, Jesse’s rise has been steady and self made. Looking ahead to 2026 and 2027, he is preparing for collaborations with Ice Prince, M.I Abaga, and Smurlee.

“Praise the Lord” ft. Magnito is available now on all streaming platforms.