The Birth of Igbo Highlife
Igbo Highlife is a lively music genre characterized by its guitar-driven sound and rich cultural influences from traditional Igbo musical styles and instruments.
Igbo Highlife is a lively music genre characterized by its guitar-driven sound and rich cultural influences from traditional Igbo musical styles and instruments.
Highlife, a musical genre originating from Ghana in the early 20th century, draws inspiration from Akan music. However, this music genre is not limited to the Akan ethnic group because it incorporates elements from various traditions in Ghana and beyond, like the Western Jazz melodies which help create a catchy melodic feel of the genre. Highlife has also been influenced greatly by the palm wine music from Sierra Leone, resulting in a diverse and ever-evolving genre. In its early years, highlife music was primarily performed by large bands led by prominent figures such as E.T. Mensah and Bobby Benson.
The highlife music like wildfire spread to other Western African states, including Nigeria. In the 1950s, it was the rave of the moment and became bigger after Ghana's independence in 1957. Being one the first African countries to gain independence, everything Ghanaian became celebrated as a symbol of the new Africa, flooding the markets with their fashion; and leaving the most lasting impact of this latest change was the introduction of the Ghanaian new urban music called Highlife, which served as a modern take on African music and resonated with the Nigerian audience.
Highlife's popularity grew and peaked in the 60s. During its decline, Nigerian highlife musicians like Cardinal Rex Lawson, Osita Osadebe, Victor Olaiya, Sir Victor Uwaifo, and many others started creating their own interpretations of this genre. These musicians fused different elements which led to the development of distinct Nigerian highlife styles like the Igbo highlife music. They adopted highlife music to fit their cultural context; and incorporated local languages, melodies, and traditional instruments into the genre.
Igbo Highlife is a captivating musical genre that started in the southeastern region of Nigeria. It blends highlife music with a streamlined brass section and Igbo traditional music. The lyrics are sung mostly in the Igbo language with some Pidgin English. This code-switching between languages adds a unique flavor to the music. This makes it an "acculturative product of Igbo folk music,” as noted by Nigerian Igbo music scholar Ikenna Onwuegbunna.
One of the pioneers of Igbo Highlife music is Erekosima Rex Lawson, popularly known by his stage name Cardinal Rex Lawson. Rex began the style of highlife that reduced the amount of Western big band influences and fused the popular Congolese guitar plucking rhythm into his highlife, which became an important aspect of the Igbo traditional highlife still seen today. His lyrics at some point became a standard in the genre and have been sampled in different contemporary genres like Afrobeats and Afrobeat. Some of his popular tracks that became nationwide hits are Yellow Sisi and Sawale (Ashawo).
Another influential performer of this type of highlife music is Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe. Osita Osadebe released his debut album in 1958 and had a career spanning over four decades. He composed and recorded over 500 songs, comprising several hit tracks such as the 1984 global hit “Osondi Owendi” which launched him to the international scene as the pioneer of Igbo Highlife. Osondi Owendi has been a top highlife hit for several decades. Interestingly, the evolution of new genres in the ever-growing industry has seen this hit single remastered and fused with contemporary beats and rap. An example is the Late MC Loph and Flavour N’abania with the 2009 song "Osondi Owendi," dedicated to the King of Igbo Highlife music.
Oliver De Coque is also a noteworthy musical icon and uusally, regarded as the chief innovator in contemporary Igbo popular music. He contributed to the rise of Igbo highlife's popularity by interpreting Igbo sounds with greater precision on the guitar. Among his best-known hits are "Biri Ka Mbiri," "Ana Enwe Obodo Enwe," "Nnukwu Mmanwu," and "Identity," all of which were largely successful throughout the 1980s.
Recently, artists like Ikem Mazeli, another artist making an impact in the highlife music scene with his most popular track, “Onwelu Ife Libe Ifei,” Chief Michael Udegbi with his single “Ibalu mmonwu,” Ayaka Ozubulu's "Chukuw Ebuka," and Chief Onyeze nwa Amobi with the hit “One One B” to mention a few.
Igbo Highlife stands as a flag that showcases the cultural richness of the Igbo community. The impact of this genre goes beyond its musical appeal. The lyrics and melodies of Igbo highlife provide solace, encouragement, and a little dash of pride as new-generation artists draw inspiration from the rich traditions of the past while adding their own contemporary touch.
