52 | The Lion King
The “evergreen”
or the music with
an “expiry date”
By Kayode Olowoyeye
I
t was Shakespeare who said “If music
be the food of love, let it play on.”
That is exactly what has been hap-
pening in Nigeria. Once upon time,
music was only loved when it was
played by the legends like Sir Victor
Uwaifo, King Sunny Ade, Chief Eben-
ezer Obey, Oliver De Coque, Raski-
mono, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Evi Edna
Ogoli, Bright Chimezie, Alex O, Onyeka
Onwenu, Dan Maraya Jos, I.K. Dairo,
Ayinla Omowura, Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde
Barrister, Sir Warrior, Chief Stephen Osita
Osadebe and their contemporaries.
Their kind of music was popular due to
the very rich lyrical content as well as
the irresistible melody they also offered.
Now their songs are called “evergreen”.
The “evergreen” music became less
popular in the late 80s and the early 90s
as the Nigeria music scene became
dominated by western music. Like some
other ways of life in Nigeria, the choice
of music became westernized, no
thanks to globalization.
Traditional Juju, highlife, Afrobeat; Apa-
la, Fuji, Odumodu and Waka became
a thing of the past. Such genres were
classified as old fashioned and left for
the “old school” (as the people who
lived when these songs were popular
are generally referred to).
But the emergence of Plantashun Boiz,
Remedies, Artquake, Azadus and other
Afro pop artistes on the music scene
in the late 90s changed the game.
From then onwards, Nigeria music got
its groove back. Today, a DJ can play
for seven hours without having to play
foreign songs.
The decade long transition from the
“old school” to “new school” did come
at a price on people’s choice of music.
That period saw the full domination of
social gatherings by music from foreign
artistes. Names like Shaggy, Chaka
Demus and Pliers, Shabba Ranks,
Fugees were some of the rave of those
moments.
Many Nigeria artistes have however
evolved over the years and have really
proven their talent and artistic prowess
beyond the shores of Nigeria. Names
like D’Banj, 2Face Idibia, P-Square, Asa,
Tiwa Savage, Wiz Kid, Patoranking, Dav-
ido, Yemi Alade, M.I and Ice Prince are
household names not only in Nigeria
and other African countries but have
also registered their prominence on the
international scene.
Some of them have gone as far as
having collaborations with international
renowned superstars and even land-
ed mouth-watering record deals with
foreign record labels.
Nigerian music is now globally accept-
ed and is seen as trendsetter in Africa.
The past few years have seen quite a
number of artistes from other African
Nations collaborating with Nigeria
artistes. Prevalent in Nigeria now are
R&B, Hip Hop, Rap Music, Afro Pop and
the likes.
While the songs from these new gen-
eration musicians are gaining more
grounds among the young and trendy,
the “old schools” are as well going
with the tide. Ask some members of this
class; not only do they know who 2face
Idibia is, they can as well render some
lines from his songs.
In comparison, one might conclude
that songs from these old generation
musicians are richer in lyrical content,
hence their relevance after so many
years unlike some of the present day
songs that fade off just after about six
months of release or at most, a year.
This is not only peculiar to Nigeria as
foreign songs also come with their quick
expiry date.
People have different tastes in music.
Some like the “evergreen,” some prefer
the music with “expiry date” but every-
one loves music.
Music
P-Square
Asa
Tiwa Savage
2Face Idibia
Wiz Kid
