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Commentary
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Igbo Musicians:
Their Plight and Frustrations
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by
Emmanuel Agu
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In the month of March, 2000, I wrote an article of intention entilted
'Wither the Igbo Musicians,' which was widely published in the pages of most newspapers in Nigeria. I was moved
by the frustration of fellow musicians who hail from across the Niger in the East. I was touched by the treatment
musicians from across the Niger were getting both in Lagos and abroad. When I was the de-facto Chairman of the
Lagos State chapter of the performing Musicians Association of Nigeria, Christy Essien Igbokwe was the National
President.
During one of our usual monthly general meetings, somebody
brought a sad news to
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our attention. We were all at the Village Inn when one of us announced that Prince Nico Mbarga had died. We were
told earlier that same day that the chief Priest, Fela Anikulapo Kuti had also kicked the bucket.
While we were still debating how to send a strong delegation to Calabar in honor of Prince Nico Mbarga whom every
member knew was a strong member of PMAN, our brothers from the Western part of Nigeria shouted us down, saying
"Baba Fela must come first before any
other person." The Late Fela who was
a legend we all knew never regarded or recognized PMAN.
Traveling to Calabar to honor Prince Nico Mbarga was swept under the carpet. Fela's burial became the main issue.
The next day, front pages of the Nigerian newspapers were covered with stories about how PMAN will play a front
role in Late Fela's burial. Before one could shout "Jack Robinson," Christy Esien Igbokwe came with a
banner to the headquarters and urged every member to take to the streets and start singing the praises of Fela.
As a president who loved publicity, PMAN playing a prominent role in Fela's burial was an opportunity for her and
members of her disgraced regime to shine.
It was not too long, another fine artist from across the Niger, Obi Okonta died. His demise came almost at the
same time baba Aladura I.K. Dairo passed away. Every attention shifted to Surulere where I.K Dairo died, nobody
ever mentioned about Eddy Okonta.
Within a space of time Dr. Sir Warrior died. The national body of PMAN remained silent about it. They looked the
other way as if nothing happened.
I could no more stomach the one-sidedness of PMAN. Hence, I started an association called 'The Musicians of the
Niger.' Charles Oputa, the Present President of PMAN, Onyeka Onyenu, the present President of PWOMAN, Bright Chimezie,
Chris Mba, Stella Monye, Sunny Neji, Chris Hanem, to mention but a few all joined the association. Every great
artist from the east attended our meetings which went so well for months in Onyeka Onwenu's African hall, until
another sad news about the demise of one of Africa's greatest horns-man, Zeal Onyia was brought to our attention.
Mr. Acholonu who happened to be the former drummer of the defunct group known as Sweet Breeze band brought the
sad news to us. We were however planning to do a memorial concert for Dr. Sir Warrior and all the other great music
heroes across the Niger who died unsung.
The music history of Nigeria started in the East. Yes, from Aba, in the now Imo state
of Nigeria. The present generation of musicians in Nigeria were inspired by the then "Black Children, One
World, Semi Colon, Sweet breeze, The Wings formed by Spud Nathan, Celestine Ukwu, Inyang Henshaw, Rex Lawson, Pick
ups- International, Rickers Experience, (the guys who played fuel for love) the Apostles, the Doves among other
great musicians who made songs that later became the corner stone of the music industry in Nigeria today. These
great heroes I mentioned were musicians from the Niger. Some of them died unsung, while some of them are living
wishing death could come.
Dan Ian who made the' famous fuel for love' is somewhere in the East tapping palm wine. The former leader of Pick-ups
international is blind and living like a beggar. Within my own generation, I have seen so many young talented Ibo
artists who died as a result of frustration, neglect, and hunger. In Nigeria, while the musicians from other tribes
are
given all the supports by their people, a fellow Ibo man treats his talented brother with disdain. 'Onye iberibe
(good for nothing)' that is the name a man gifted by God is called.
I once asked in the pages of the Nigerian Newspapers, how many Sunny Ade's, Ebenezar Obeys' Ayinde Marshal, Kolinta
Ayinlas', Sir Shina Peterses, Ayinde Waisus', Lagaja omo baba moko-moko' to mention but a few do we have across
the Niger, in the East? I have visited the homes of these musicians I mentioned above, 95% of the musicians across
the Niger can not boast of eating the high quality three square meals , the dogs in Ayinde Marshals house are fed
with daily. Ninety-eight (98%) percent of artists across the Niger cannot boast of a guitar string, while artists
from other tribes are showered with musical instruments worth millions by their people. Lagaja, a Yoruba artiste
once told me how a man bought a sax worth half a million for him.
Now before you think I deviated, Zeal Onyia would have been the only Ibo artist who would have made it globally
during his time, but when the man died, the Performing Musicians association of Nigeria was never represented in
Asaba. They never cared. Sunny Ade and his General Secretary gave me their word that they will be in Asaba, but
they never made it.
In view of what was going on, we came together as a body to fight what has been a generational problem in Ibo land.
We wanted to be a voice to lament on the neglect we suffer from our fellow Ibo brothers and sisters and lack of
respect and recognition from our national bodies, which is a result of lack of empowerment by our own people.
Do you know that Ibo musicians cannot sustain an organization because members cannot afford transport fares to
meetings? Do you know that most Ibo artists drop their surnames so as not be identified as Ibos.
See the case of Chima Ajioma, the first West African that won an Olympic gold medal. It was a Yoruba man Segun
Odegbami that sponsored her. What happened to Damian Anyanwu, that great native scientist who with nothing invented
a radio station? The guy is rotting somewhere till date because nobody helped him.
While some of us who were touched by what is going around us were running here and there to see that we have a
forum where we can discuss our problems, the press owned by our western brothers went to work, painting us as a
tribal group that sets out to destroy PMAN. We have the 'JUBAL', which is the Juju band owners association, the
FUMAN which represents the Fuji Musicians Association of Nigeria. All these groups are tribal groups that operate
within PMAN. When I was an executive of PMAN I attended their meetings, no single person across the Niger is a
member. We also have the Edo Brothers Association. The Ibo man has no group to identify with. The Ibo musician
has nowhere to lean to because of poverty. You need to visit PMAN'S headquarters to hear the plight of fellow Ibo
musicians.
As a well traveled artist, I realized that the same way Ibo musicians are treated at
home is the same way their fellow brothers treat them abroad. When I arrived America some two and half years ago,
I made about $2500 featuring for twenty minutes in a show organized by a non-Ibo organization. But, when the Imo
association had their summer dance, not only did they invite a non-Ibo man to play for them, the opportunity they
gave a seasoned artist like me was for me to come and mime (lip sync) my sound tracks. Without paying me a dime,
after the show, they took half of the spray I made. Till date, I have not recovered from the shock I got from my
own town association based right here in New York. I had arrived here full of hope that my own people will promote
and support me. I got the shock of my entire musical career when I was told that the only way they can promote
me is for me to come and mime at their summer dance. While they were debating to pay a dancer $800, I was relegated
to the background. I was offered $200 and was told "if
he does not want it, let him go to hell."
I made about four hundred dollars from this show where ' yours truly' became an "Ajasco dancer." The
money was split into two. It means for sure that I was never paid any money by them, since they took half of my
sweat from the dancing floor. Till date, that performance has been one regret I have, living and playing music
in the USA.
Even when I became a member of this association, a non-Ibo, not even a Nigerian still plays for them. I have survived
as a full-time artist in New York by the Grace of God and through the Yorubas who have been giving me shows.
It is a shame that in this 21st century, an average Ibo man still treats an artist as a no-body because of the
in-born hatred, shy-jealousy, selfishness and envy that is ever present in the soul of the majority of the Igbos.
It has been our bane, it has been the same reason that Ibo land still remains under-developed. It is for this simple
reason of 'Ibo-Ewe-Nwane' that the Igbo artist must strive, struggle to make a success out of your God-given talent.
You must rise like a dust. You must endeavor to forget for a moment that you have a brother or a sister because,
'Ibo-ewegi-nwanne.'
They will rather see you starve, walk the street naked so as to buttress their argument that you are "Onye-ibe-ri-be"
(a good for nothing person).
Emma Agu 'aguike'alias ala'aba, ma is the
President of Aguikentertainment, M.R. Studios NY visit http://www.aguike.com/
Igbo Musicians: Their Plight and Frustrations
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