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This year’s Calabar
Festival climaxed on Monday, December 27 with the colourful annual
carnival, perhaps now the most famous in Nigeria. Having had the
equally spectacular children carnival and cultural parade the previous
day, it was the turn of the senior bands to dazzle spectators with
their floats, costumes and dances.

And they didn’t
disappoint. The five bands; Bayside, Masta Blasta, Seagull, Freedom and
Passion4, gave people who either sat or stood along the 12-kilometre
carnival route enough entertainment to last them till the next edition.
Thousands of people stayed to watch the procession, supposedly Africa’s
largest street party, from the start point at Millennium Park till it
terminated at dawn on Tuesday at the U. J Esuene stadium.

Governor of Cross
River State, Liyel Imoke, in the company of his wife, Bauchi State
counterpart, Isa Yuguda and Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria,
Sanusi Lamido Sanusi amongst others flagged off the procession almost
two hours behind schedule. He later explained what caused the delay.

“The official start
time is 2pm and yesterday (Sunday) the carnival bands had problems
because of the rain. Their floats had been damaged so the heavy rain of
the night before delayed the start of the carnival. The reason the
carnival starts at 2pm is because people trek for 12 kilometres. When
they start in the hot sun, by the time they get to the end of the
carnival they are exhausted. The bands themselves prefer the evening
carnival because it is less stressful on the human body, that’s one. A
night event, especially at the stadium, showcases much better than a
day event. The colours, the lights and so on present a much more
beautiful picture to the audience.” There was, however, no stopping the
bands once the train set off. Apart from entertaining with their
dances, music and costumes, they also gave different interpretations to the theme, ‘Our Strength and Resilience: The Bedrock of our Future’.

The bands

Bayside, the first
band off the block chose to focus on ‘Pillars of our strength’. The
band which adopted a lion as its symbol showcased the agricultural,
forest, wildlife, mineral and tourism resources of Nigeria in its five
sections.

Masta Blasta chose
to play up ‘One nation, one destination’ and highlighted Nigeria’s pre
and post independence periods. The band led by Gershom Bassey also
incorporated unity into its presentations, depicting the Yoruba, Hausa
and Igbo, Nigeria’s majority groups. Masta Blasta also made a case for
conservation, dressing its king like the endangered drill monkeys found
in the state and its queen like the Euphaedra Ferruginea (Queen of the
forest), a rare specie of butterflies also resident in the state.

Though its float
wasn’t really impressive, Passion4 celebrated the Black person, family
and personalities including the Madiba, Nelson Mandela, Marcus Garvey,
Leopold Sedar Senghor and Okot P’Bitek amongst others. Seagull Band
reiterated the unity in Nigeria’s diversity, recalling Nigeria’s past,
present and tomorrow in music and costumes and other props.

The Nigerian Army,
Navy, Civil Defence and First Bank, sponsors of the carnival also
participated in the parade. While the Army Band made people dance with
its lively music, First Bank wowed many with its big and small
elephants. The bank also had a giant float decorated in its blue and
white colours.

Beyond banking

Kano prince,
Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, showed his other side during the carnival. Those
who think running the nation’s Central Bank and quarrelling with
members of the National Assembly is all the slim banker is about, are
mistaken. He also loves his culture. Sanusi facilitated the Durbar held
as part of the carnival. 23 beautifully costumed horses and riders from
Kano, Sanusi’s home state, featured in the street party.

“It took us two
days to bring the horses here from Kano,” disclosed the Shamakin (head
of servants) to Sanusi who didn’t give his name. “I feel very happy
participating in this carnival because it is an opportunity to show our
culture and see other cultures. It’s good to show people in the south
our culture but also good to see theirs because it facilitates
interaction. Culture will unite us because we will understand each
other’s culture,” he added.

Salihu Ahmad,
another of the horsemen, described his participation as a “lovely
experience.” The rider who was at the carnival last year disclosed that
the costume of each horse costs N25, 000 while a full grown horse costs
N110, 000. Ahmad added that Sanusi also rides horses and performs in
Durbars when he wishes.

It wasn’t only
Sanusi’s men that participated in the Durbar, first held last year,
however. Three of his sons, Adams, Imam and Sanusi Junior,
distinguished from the rest by their white turbans, also joined in the
colourful, happy procession. The youngest of the three brothers
reportedly kicked against being put in a bus to be taken home after the
parade, preferring instead to continue riding with the men when the
parade ended.

Mama Bakassi’s show

The leader of the
Seagull Band, Florence Ita-Giwa loves razzmatazz and has never failed
to add colour to the carnival. Mama Bakassi, as the former senator is
called, usually brings Nollywood stars to join her band and she did so
again this year. Musician, actor and winner of Big Brother Africa-the
All Stars edition, Uti Nwachukwu and comedian, Nkem Owoh, better known
as Osuofia, joined her train. Ita-Giwa’s party which also included
artists Kalu Ikeagu and Emeka Ezeocha was hailed continuously while the
parade lasted.

Passion4 rules

Though some people
had hoped that Passion4 Band, three times winner of the carnival would
not emerge tops again this year, the band eventually carried the day.
But why wouldn’t it? All the beautiful ladies in Calabar seem to be its
members. Attired in green, with some clad in skimpy shorts and tops,
the ladies probably won the judges over with their winsome smiles and
somewhat erotic dances. The band won N10m for its efforts while
Ita-Giwa’s Seagull, despite the Nollywood stars, came second. Masta
Blasta, which float was equally not very impressive came third. Both
got five and three million naira respectively.

Seagull however made up in the junior category, emerging the band of
the year and going home with one million naira. Masta Blasta was second
and Passion4 third. The bands were judged on their ability to interpret
the theme, best carnival spirit, best float and costumes.

What is the craze
about our celebs? They are the beautiful people and we like to
photograph them, talk about them. A lot of times we are envious of them
and we love to gloat when they commit that faux pas we are so anxious
to reveal to the whole world, to show that they are human after all and
not demi-gods.

Of course, they are
not demi-gods, but they fill the pages of our tabloids with hot juicy
stuff which will elicit a great deal of reaction from audiences that
like to feast on the scandalous. Hello Magazine and The National
Enquirer are two popular entertainment tabloids that regale audiences
in the West with gossips about their celebs whom they love and love to
hate.

A look at Nigerian
Entertainment Today, a bi-weekly entertainment paper, reveals that
local publications are not that far behind. Published by Blackhouse
Media, NET, which also has an online version, shows that it has taken
serious the business of entertaining what one would presume to be its
teeming audience, given its repertoire of news.

The months of
October and November saw the paper showing every event that mattered
from Uti’s Big Brother Africa win to Silverbird’s 30th anniversary red
carpet to the 2010 Hip Hop Awards. There were side dishes too meant for
the reader to salivate on.

Tuface et al

One of these was
the exclusive on singer Tuface Idibia’s baby mama travails, an
overflogged news story which never ceases to stir. Tuface continued to
make the NET news pages in a way that showed that the storytellers and
their listeners could never tire of reading about this amazingly
talented musician.

Then there was the
controversial Mercy Johnson who was interviewed via a phone call and we
got a little bored because there didn’t seem to be anything newsworthy
on that end except perhaps you might call asking her about the first
time she had sex newsworthy. Or maybe the very telling picture spread.

Going on to better
prospect, NET interviewed Femi Kuti and we got to read about the
newsworthy Afrobeat Legend cum social activist, Fela Kuti. There was
also talk about the Fela play on Broadway and how Femi had insisted
that the show be brought to Lagos.

Obviously without
much baiting from NET, Femi went on to disclose his misgivings about
the marriage institution, no thanks to his own highly publicised failed
marriage. Can of worms, that one, but the NET crew was wise to leave
well alone.

There were snippets
of gossips; sometimes laden with sarcasm, about comedian Basket Mouth’s
recent wedding, Lagbaja’s AWOL turn, Rapper Kel’s metabolism, and some
interesting speculation about how the latest single from new teenage
act, Wizkid, titled ‘Holla At Your Boy’ may not be an original song.

But seriously

Away from all of
the salacious gossip and almost-merciless-but-spot on artist and album
reviews, NET took on more serious issues. In some cases not
intentional, but a keen eye could spot the undertones.

For instance, there
was an interview with popular Juju musician and veteran Nigerian
artist, Shina Peters (SSP), in which the he opined that the Nigerian
music industry has not attained its potential because there are no
proper structures in place for artists to be successful. The headline
which read, ‘TUFACE IS EMPTY’, could raise eyebrows except the reader
put the statement in the context of SSP’s whole interview.

Songs for votes

NET went on to
raise issues about the now popular trend of artists recording songs in
praise of politicians preparing to contest the 2011 elections. They
reinforced the thrust of their argument with a telling anecdote on the
marriage of two strange bedfellows.

It was a long story
for an entertainment tabloid, but rightly so if the future of the arts
in the country is to be taken seriously. There was one
attention-catcher though, which one wonders could have caught the
attention of readers. It may be entertaining for some, but the column
tagged ‘Diary of a Mischievous Lagos Girl’ (MLG) only reveals explicit
details of the writer’s sexual escapades; leaving one wondering about
the rationale behind this particular column and its benefit to the
reader, if it was intended for there to be any.

Besides that, for a
perceptive reader who is ready to pounce on the littlest trace of
innuendo, this column could ruffle a number of feathers. It’s left for
NET to decide whether what seems to give off a whiff of smut has become
just too much entertainment or not.

For some reason,
some of the undated editions left one with an overwhelming feeling of
curiosity and sense of being in the dark. For a tabloid meant to
entertain and carry readers along this could be a minus. Would it
therefore be out of place to say, “If it’s newsy it should be dated?”

Nonetheless, NET reports reveal that the publication has some
standing in the entertainment industry. Witty writing, though, with
some much-needed typo checks, is a plus for NET, as it indicates that
the writers are not the run-off-the-mill types who are just as
depthless as some aspects of the world they portray.

Iskiliu Ewolese, fan and neighbour

I was hoping that
he would get well to play at my wedding because his songs are so good.
I can recite all his songs; it’s very painful that he had to go now,
but there is nothing we can do about it. I will miss his sweet songs
because they make sense and he doesn’t sing lewd songs. I love him so
much; I even know his favourite food, which is Beans and Dodo (fried
plantain). From all his songs, I love ‘Fuji Garbage’ the most.

Rasak Babatunde

I will really miss
him; I have all his records at home. I will also miss his wise words
which you can get from his songs. He has mature songs which you can
play at home for everybody, even for children. I will also miss his
shows so much. Now that he is dead, there is no way he can perform live
shows again. His song I love most is ‘Omo Nigeria’.

Yusuf Adebola (aka Omo Iya Oloja Isolo)

My stepfather was
his driver, so I knew him very well. He was a very nice man and was
free with everybody; even there was no room I did not have access to in
his house. I will miss the sensible things one can gain from his songs;
both young and old can listen to his songs because he avoided foul
language and his songs can’t corrupt children. My favourite songs are
‘Fantastic’ and ‘Fuji Garbage’.

Morenikeji Aregbesola

I will miss his
sensible songs; there is none of his songs that did not talk about
death or give reverence to God. He has talked about the power of death
in some his songs, how we have no power over it. His songs also
emphasise the need to be good while we are alive; to do family
planning; and to give our children good education. His song I love most
is the one where he said ‘Bi ku se lagbara to, ko si ologun to le ri
se’ (Death is more powerful than any sorcerer).

Asiata Gbangbala

First, I love him
because he is from Ibadan because I am also from Ibadan. I also love
him because of his kind of songs, which always make a lot of sense. For
me, his best works are ‘Barry at 40′ and ‘Fuji Extravaganza’; they are
fantastic songs that are evergreen.

Yetunde Kehinde

When I listen to
his songs, it’s always as if he is speaking to me; like the song is
targeted at a particular issue I’m going through. In fact, the impact
of his songs is unquantifiable; anytime you listen to it, you feel
relieved. I can boldly say that there is no musician like him, and
there can never be. His song I love most is ‘Bi ku se lagbara to, ko si
ologun to le ri se’.

Latifat Sufian-Adekunle

I have been his fan
since I was very young and my father was even the founder of Barrister
Fans’ Club; I remember that he praised my father in several of his
songs. Ayinde Barrister cannot be compared to any musician because of
the depth of his songs. His songs were about living and behaving well
in the society; I will miss him a lot. He was also a very nice man that
cannot be forgotten easily; even I couldn’t sleep the night I heard
about his death. I love the track ‘Suru Baba Iwa’ the most out of all
his songs.

Remi Akinpelu (secretary, Oluyole club)

I will miss him a
lot because he is a true music composer and arranger; when he sings,
you can’t get anything like it. I remember when we would dance from
night till dawn just listening to Ayinde Barrister. His songs talk
about family planning and the need to take good care of our children. I
thank God for his life and achievements; he lived a good life. May his
soul rest in peace!

Though the remains
of Fuji music legend, Sikiru Ayinde Balogun, aka Barrister, were buried
in his Isolo, Lagos sitting room, on the night of Thursday, December
30, it wasn’t exactly a unanimous decision. Barrister’s oldest child,
Dublin-based Razak, appeared not too comfortable with the idea of
burying his father that night.

“E wa ba broda mi
soro o, se o fe sun ti oku moju ni? Won ni won o ni sin won loni.”
(Come and talk to my brother, does he want to sleep next to the corpse
till day break? He is saying [Barrister] won’t be buried today), one of
the daughters of the deceased, with an Alfa (Muslim cleric) in tow,
said as she passed by.

Minutes before the
corpse eventually arrived at 24, Lamina Lawal Street, by 9.44pm,
another Alfa expressed similar sentiment, wondering why Barrister’s
firstborn, Razak, didn’t want the musician buried that night. King of
Fuji music, Wasiu Ayinde, the artistic chief mourner, reportedly, was
among those who prevailed on Razak to allow the Alfas lay Barrister to
rest.

Razak’s unhappiness
with the state of affairs, prior to the arrival of the corpse, was
evident as he seemed preoccupied with having an incidence free burial.
He politely declined to speak with reporters when accosted. “Gentlemen,
you all know what we have been waiting for since yesterday. It is when
it arrives and is laid to rest that I will be happy and you will also
be happy,” he said, promising to grant interviews as soon as the burial
was concluded.

Waiting for Barrister

The remains of
Barrister, who passed away at a London hospital on December 16, had
been delayed in the United Kingdom due to flight disruptions caused by
bad weather. Scheduled to return to Nigeria on Wednesday, December 29,
the arrival was the subject of much confusion, with spokespersons
giving conflicting information about the exact whereabouts of the
musician’s body and the Air France flight conveying it.

Thousands of fans
kept a two-day vigil at the Fuji maestro’s home as family members and
well-wishers waited, before his remains finally touched down at Murtala
Muhammed International Airport on Thursday evening.

A carnival-like
atmosphere prevailed around the deceased’s home, popularly known as
Fuji Chambers on Wednesday and Thursday. Though there was heavy police
presence on Wednesday to forestall breakdown of law and order from the
mammoth crowd, the numbers swelled on Thursday.

Men of the Lagos
State’s Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) squad joined regular and mobile
police in controlling the crowd which filled the whole of Lamina Lawal
Street on Thursday. Some fans who couldn’t find space on the street,
found alternatives on the fences of houses close to Barrister’s while
some climbed the decked roof of a two-storey building not far from Fuji
Chambers

While only
Barrister’s music was played on Wednesday while people awaited the
corpse, there were live performances and tributes on Thursday. Smart
traders also made brisk business selling souvenirs including CDs,
calendars, fez caps and polo t-shirts to the crowd including
Barrister’s extended family from Ayeye, Ibadan; Iwo in Osun State; and
the Salawe family of Lagos.

Performances

Ewi exponent,
Sulaiman Ayilara, popularly known as Ajobiewe, paid tributes to the
deceased in rich Yoruba lyrics before Ganiyu Sebutu, one of the three
anchors, gave a lowdown of Barrister’s albums and the history behind
each. The rough talking Akinola Eko, a KAI official, and Azeez
Abdulrahman, were the other anchors.

Tessy Yembra, who
danced to Barrister’s famous ‘Fuji Garbage’ video in 1988, entertained
waiting crowds with the dance again, 22 years on. She also disclosed
how she met the late musician. They met at Club Arcade after she
returned from Madrid, Spain, before Barrister requested that she dance
in the video. Yembra, who also danced for Shina Peters and some other
musicians, described Barrister as ‘father and mentor’.

The maestro’s
military past was recalled by a trumpeter blowing ‘The Last Retreat’
before Islamic musicians started a praise and worship session
(Asikiri). The Twins Alaka from Mushin opened the session with a female
singer coming next. Kutibi Anobi, head of all Muslim singers in Isolo,
involved the crowd in his own session. Another musician, Fatai Pele,
entertained the crowd with some songs from Barrister’s 146 albums.

Waka Queen, Salawa
Abeni, who was also at the house on Wednesday, was short of words when
called to address the crowd. “We must still thank God. It was his time
to leave. May Allah grant him Aljanat,” she said. Salawa ended her
address with ‘Ori Mi Ewo Ni Nse’, an old Barrister song.

Memories

Some members of the
public also testified to Barrister’s impact on their lives. Sakinat
Ajao, who started crying before she completed her speech said, “Alhaji
made my wedding day memorable in Iwo with his performance. We were
distraught when we heard Alhaji died…”

Sekinat Popoola
Williams, who made people laugh with her somewhat affected American
accent, told the gathering of her closeness to the deceased. “It’s not
only today that we will cry for Alhaji, we won’t stop crying because of
what he stood for. Alhaji is the only one who knows how to sing my
praise; no one can do it like him. When he starts praising me, I will
just kneel down and start crying.”

Grace Modupeola
Labaran and Akeem Olanipekun, both residents in the UK, also attested
to Barrister’s sterling qualities. The duo, who were among those who
received Barrister when he arrived in London after his operation in
Germany, said they were shocked at news of his demise. Head of youth in
the area, Abdulahi Yusuf, said they will miss Barrister because he
related closely with them and was their patron.

The musicians

The clearest
indication that it would not be a repeat of Wednesday’s no-show came
around 5pm when renowned musician and Barrister’s godfather, Ebenezer
Obey, arrived with Segun Adewale. The crowd, which the bouncers and
security operatives were having a hard time with, surged on sighting
them. Adewale later told reporters that his single, ‘Tribute to Ayinde
Barrister’ was released earlier in the day. Obey said Nigerians should
not be in a hurry to know what he will do for Barrister when asked.
“I’m going to surprise the world concerning Barrister, people should
just wait.”

Other Fuji
musicians including Ayinla Kollington, Saheed Osupa, Wasiu Alabi
Pasuma, Abass Akande Obesere, Sulaiman Adio Atawewe, and Askari Fuji
started arriving thereafter. Also in the train were Dele Abiodun, Shina
Akanni Scorpido, and Ayeloyun.

Some Alfas carrying
mats started sweeping the frontage of the house, which people were
still struggling to enter, around 8.54pm before the corpse was brought
in at 9.44pm. While the widows, children, and other relatives started
moving closer before the Alfas started praying over Barrister’s
remains, the pushing and shoving by the crowd struggling to get a
glimpse of the corpse intensified. Organisers were left no choice but
to shut the gates to the house.

Meanwhile,
relatives and others, who couldn’t hold themselves any longer, broke
down weeping. Husband to Barry Made, Barrister’s daughter, who sat on
top of Barrister’s Hummer jeep parked inside the house, kept repeating
‘Lai lahi…” Saheed Osupa, who had earlier betrayed emotions, also
joined those preventing the shoving crowd from disturbing the praying
clerics.

The corpse, which was still unpacked during the prayer session, was
lifted and taken into the sitting room for burial around 10.03pm,
finally closing the chapter on the life and times of Sikiru Ayinde
Balogun.