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Wisdom dictates
that one flees when evil approaches but people paid no heed to this on
Sunday, January 9. They embraced, ate, drank, danced and congregated
round the ‘Evil Genius’ of Highlife music, Victor Abimbola Olaiya. The
Highlife All Starts Club chose that date to honour one of their most
illustrious members. Olaiya had clocked 80 on December 31, 2010.

The Highlife All
Stars were there in force: the ageless Fatai Rolling Dollar, Alaba
Pedro, Duro Ikujenyo, Anjola Aboderin, Eji Oyewole, Orlando Julius and
his wife, Latoya Aduke. Patriarch of the Arts, Segun Olusola; Femi Esho
of Evergreen Music; newspaper columnist, Benson Idonije; flutist
Tee-Mac; and actor, Dejumo Lewis. Younger musicians affiliated to the
genre were not exempted. Yinka Davies, Nomoreloss, and Jojo Bodybeats
also came to pay homage to Olaiya, the inimitable artist.

One of the younger
generations of Highlife musicians, Roy Olokungboye and his De Afro
Classique Projectors entertained while guests awaited the arrival of
the celebrant. Olokungboye opened with some Afrobeat instrumentals
before launching out with Fela’s ‘Kolomentality’. The fast paced ‘Se e
o mo?’ from the artist’s album came next and was followed by ‘We Need
Freedom’.

“Nobody will give
us freedom, we have to set ourselves free,” Olokungboye noted after the
song lambasting Nigeria’s thieving politicians.

Profitable talent

Clutching his
ubiquitous trumpet, Olaiya walked into the venue in company of Rolling
Dollar, Olusola, Tee-Mac and others some minutes after 6pm while
Olokungboye was doing Fela’s ‘No Agreement’. The show, which had
commenced an hour behind the advertised 4pm, began in earnest
thereafter. Olaiya’s All Star Band rendered three of the maestro’s
timeless tracks including ‘Omo Pupa’ and ‘Kiriji Kenkeluke’ while
guests signed the birthday card specially made for the occasion.

“We have looked
forward to the birthdays of our members since the inception of the
club,”disclosed Bambo Ademiluyi, one of the coordinators of the
Highlife All Star Club, who welcomed guests. He recalled that the
London-based Tunji Oyelana was celebrated when he attained the age of
70 late 2009 while it was the turn of Alaba Pedro last year. He also
touched on what the club is about.

Chair of the event,
Olusola, reiterated why Olaiya deserved the honour being accorded him,
noting that “we must honour him first before the world will honour
him.” Olusola ended his address with a prayer for longevity for Olaiya.
“80 is good, but not good enough. We are praying that we are around
when he marks his 85th and 90th birthday.”

Grandfather of Afrobeat

Columnist Idonije’s
toast was preceded by ‘Cherry Koko’, another Olaiya song from the band.
The music writer adduced two reasons why the man some call ‘the
innovator’ deserves all the accolades. The fact that Olaiya clocked 80,
an age not easy to reach, especially for musicians, and his continued
relevance to music in Nigeria, Idonije noted, made him worthy of
celebration. Idonije said that despite setting up his band in 1954, the
Octogenarian continues to wax strong and continues to attract
accolades.

He further
described Olaiya as the father of Highlife music in Nigeria, adding
that but for him, “Highlife won’t be known in Nigeria. Ghana would have
continued to claim the credit; but only the name came from Ghana.”

Idonije, who also
touched on Ghanaian, E.T Mensah and Olaiya’s collaborative
relationship, noted that the latter influenced generations of musicians
including Fela. He said that Fela’s style in the early days when he
played Highlife was Olaiya’s style and that while Fela is credited with
originating Afrobeat, Olaiya is the godfather of Afrobeat because of
his influence on Fela. He prayed that the ‘Mo fe mu’yan’ crooner lives
till 90 and beyond.

Latoya vs Tee-Mac

Olaiya went down
memory lane in his response to the toast. Still clutching his trumpet,
he thanked Olusola and Idonije for their kind words. He also told the
gathering that he and Idonije clashed and fell out some 40 years ago
but thanked God that they are now best of friends.

“Today is a happy
day in my life. It is a wonderful evening, an extension of my 80th
birthday celebration,” said the celebrant who also thanked and prayed
for his professional colleagues. “You will clock 80, 90 and 100!”, he
said. A resounding ‘amen’ naturally followed.

A mini drama was
staged before, during and after the cutting of the birthday cake.
Veterans including Olusola, Rolling Dollar, Pedro, Julius and Aboderin
amongst others joined the celebrant and his wife, Victoria, in cutting
the cake. A long happy birthday song lasting almost 15 minutes then
started. Lewis, Tee-Mac, Jojo Bodybeats, Yinka Davies, Oyewole, Rolling
Dollar, Latoya Aduke and Nomoreloss all sang and danced to the song
with Olaiya joining in later with his trumpet.

Julius, a
saxophonist confirmed his mastery of the instrument with a long,
pulsating display of sound while his dancer wife and Tee-Mac provided
another spectacle. The duo did a mixture of tango, ballroom dance and
traditional ‘Owambe’ to the admiration of the crowd. But more was to
come from Latoya Aduke who wowed the gathering when her husband and
Aboderin sang his popular ‘Jagua Nana’.

Dejumo Lewis, the
king in ‘Village Headmaster’ is a known actor but it appears he also
moonlights as a singer. He and Olusola started ‘Omo Oniresi’ before
Olaiya joined them. Olaiya’s band led by Bayode, his banker son who got
married the previous day, also joined in the merriment before leaving
the stage for Rolling Dollar.

Though released
years ago, Rolling Dollar’s ‘Won Kere si Number’ has lost none of its
appeal. What made it more unique at the occasion was the way the
minstrel sang it for his ‘aburo’ (younger brother). He did it in the
best tradition of the Yoruba praise singer, eulogising Olaiya, himself
and praying for the celebrant.

“Rolling Dollar,
olohun arere, agbalagba to nse bi omode” (sonorous voiced Rolling
Dollar, old man acting like a young man), he said at a point to hoots
of approval from the crowd. The tireless Latoya Aduke also danced
during Rolling Dollar’s performance.

The Evergreen Band added to the fun with Olaiya’s popular ‘Bisi’ and
one of Fela’s early Highlife numbers. They took the audience back to
the swinging 60s with a song from Trinidad and Tobago. Couples, Julius
and Latoya and Rolling Dollars and his wife who held themselves tightly
while the song was on were a sight to behold. Alaba Pedro and some
others later rounded up the party for the ‘Evil Genius’.