… As Evergreen Music celebrates 100 years of highlife

By Henry Akubuiro

“This celebration is not just about music; it is about history, culture and identity. For 100 years, highlife has told our stories, celebrated our joys and carried our values across borders. Today, we are proud to honour the legends and inspire the next generation to keep this heritage alive,” said Bimbo Esho at the Evergreen Music Heritage Foundation’s recent celebration of 100 Years of Highlife music. 

The colourful event, held at the foundation’s premises at Oyedele Ogunnuyi Street, Anthony Village, Lagos, was also to honour Samuel Babafemi Esho, the founder of Evergreen Music.  Esho was born on October 29, 1946, in Ilesa, Osun State, Nigeria. He, from an early age, showed a deep passion for music, and, by age 12, was already playing the church organ instrument and organising class mates to perform highlife songs. In secondary school, he upped the game by forming a band named The 5 Soulers that performed pop hits popularised by European greats like the Beatles.

The event drew veteran musicians, young artists, music lovers, culture afficionados, the clergy, and a host of entertainers. It was an evening sonorous voices floated in the air without let and classical tunes enkindled nostalgic memories. Lest we forget, highlife music originated along the West African coastal cities of Ghana during colonial times but was popularised in Nigeria. As a genre, It blends melodic and main rhythmic structures of   characterised by jazzy horns and guitars, especially the two-finger plucking guitar style that is typical of African music. Modern highlife has added an up-tempo to the mix.

The captivating evening featured live performance by the famous Mountain of Fire Ministry (MFM) Highlife Band Voice, famous for its mastery and recreation of classical highlife tunes that kept the audience on the edge. They recreated classics by Roy Chicago, Inyang Henshaw, Adeolu Akisanya, among others. It was fun to behold as the audience danced and sang along to the stirring rythms.

Ajewole Seun’s band also brought back memories of yesteryears by reliving the classics of legends like E.T. Mensah, Victor Olaiya,  Sir Adeoye Akinsanya, and host of others. The infectious tunes attracted resonating plaudits from the ecstactic crowd, who also danced and sang along to the medley. The band said the music was a stack reminder of our rich African musical heritage.

In her speech, the Executive Secretary of the Evergreen Music Heritage Foundation, Bimbo Eso, noted that the centenary celebration was organised to preserve, promote and pass on highlife music to younger generations. She also, noted that the genre was the foundation for many contemporary African sounds, including Afrobeats and modern Afropop. She reminded all that that highlife music remained a symbol of unity, storytelling and cultural identity.

Impressed by the excellent turnout, she said: “I am very impressed with the quality of people here, We are doing this programme to honour and  celebrate our late father and founder of EMHF, Samuel Babafemi Esho, who laid the foundation of what we are doing today many years back, I also thank you all for honouring our father. This is the second edition of the programme.”

She thanked their patron, Dr D.K Olukoya, for supporting the foundation’s vibrant vision, She described him as “a lover of highlife music, whose “contributions to the success of this foundation and this programme cannot be over emphasised. His support paved the way for this big structure, which has been serving as the biggest place to use for promoting music in Nigeria.”

Continuing, she said, “Our mission is to serve as cultural ambassador and harbinger of Africa’s musical legacy by ensuring the continuous preservation, celebration and global promotion of African music. Today, we are celebrating those who have contributed to highlife music, using the festive season for the occasion. The concept was that We needed to have a place to have a collection of the works of the great legends, one of the things Baba Esho hoped for was that the new generation will interfere with the works of the legend in the industry, thus, sustaining the legacy.”

Mr Olumide Opeyemi, a.k.a Mr Dodo, a guest, described the programme as a good preservation of highlife music heritage. He also commended the executive Secretary of EMHF, Bimbo Esho, for trailblazing programme. The side attractions included spot-the-tune segment. Chief Mrs Bolanle Esho, wife of late Samuel Babafemi Esho, rendered a song in founding memory of her late husband. She was joined by friends, well-wishers and music enthusiasts on the dance floor.

Special Recognition awards were presented to a select group of  highlife ambassadors, including late Babafemi Esho, Mr Ray Mike Nwachukwu, among other. Legends who contributed to the growth and sustainability of the genre were also honoured.

The event was enhanced by the fashionable statements of the guests, who were draped in colourful traditional African attires. Dance troupes added glamour to the occasion  with choreographed performances. There were ample opportunities for many to socialise and make merry. Sessions and  talks on the evolution of Highlife music, its influence on modern genres and the need for proper documentation and archiving of musical history was educative.

Besides, music scholars and cultural enthusiasts echoes the imperatives of institutional support and community-driven initiatives similar to Evergreen Music Heritage Foundation’s initiatives. As the final coda of highlife music sounded at the venue, many agreed the 100 years of highlife music celebration organised by the Evergreen Music Heritage Foundation was a roaring success, a rare opportunities for legends and new music stars to hog the limelight and shuffle their feats.

Photo: Bimbo Esho ( Executive Secretary MFM Foundation

2: MFM Highlife Band

3: Presentation of Posthumous Award to representative of Ray Mike Nwachukwu, Radio Highlife Broadcaster.