Akanbi Wright

Akanbi Wright who was also known as Akanbi Ege was a Nigerian musician from Lagos and an important figure in the early history of juju music, he was instrumental in the popular use of talking drums within that music genre.[1] His music gained popularity in the 1930s, playing with a band that once included another early juju exponent, Julius Araba. Wright's lyrics included political commentary about domestic and national issues, he was a supporter of Herbert Macaulay's NNDP and his last major hit was Demo lo L'eko, a boast about NNDP's widespread support in Lagos.[2] During the war, he composed songs in support of the British war effort and Nigerian soldiers in Burma, one such song was a popular hit, The Five Nigerian R.A.F[2] about five Nigerian trainees enrolled with the Royal Air Force.

Wright grew up in Olowogbowo, then a neighborhood dominated by Saro residents. He changed his last name from Wright to Ege, to support Nigeria's nationalism struggle.[2]

Recordings
  • Everybody likes saturday night
  • The five Nigeran RAF
  • Emi mi lowo re
  • Ore mi Ore mi
  • Ore ala ida
  • Hitler to nda yeru
  • Iyawo to mo koko fe

[3]

References
  1. Waterman, Christopher Alan (1990). Jùjú : a social history and ethnography of an African popular music. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. pp. 66, 82. ISBN 0226874648. OCLC 20594122.
  2. Ajayi., Thomas, T. (1992). History of juju music : a history of an African popular music from Nigeria ([1st ed.] ed.). [Jamaica, NY]: The Organization. pp. 126-128. ISBN 0963326104. OCLC 27409755.
  3. West Africa, His Master’s Voice JL 1-39 – afrodisc.com.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.