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There is a saying
that old soldiers never die. Rather, they simply fade away. Old
musicians also never die. The best of them mellow like very good wine
and, their music; as they grow older, can be quite intoxicating to
genuine fans. They pack so much experience, loaded with a storehouse of
emotions that span many decades, to overwhelm listeners and solicit
their heart-felt appreciation. One such musician who perfectly
demonstrates this reality of musical longevity and acumen is trumpeter
Afro John Odigwe.

Born of a Benin
mother and an Agbor father, his musical career started in 1957, after
his primary school education; at St. Paul’s Seminary in Benin City
where he was taught music by Irishman Father P. J. Kelly (later
Bishop), the then Head of the Seminary Diocese. The young John Odigwe
became a member of the church band. His initial ambition was to become
a Catholic priest but “diverted to become a teacher.” He also
literarily abandoned church music “because it was not paying and I
wanted to earn money as a professional musician.”

Now 71, Afro John
Odigwe, a seasoned Highlife-music trumpeter, leads his band in live
performance every Thursday night at the Hexagon Entertainment Centre
along Golf Course Road in Benin City. He has been at the Hexagon for
just over two years in a long musical career that has now clocked 41
years. You name them and trumpeter Afro has played with them – the best
Nigerian Highlife bandleaders across the country – and he enjoys the
pride of having been a member of their bands when they recorded the
mega-hits usually associated with them.

Fela and Rex Lawson

He started off with
Fela Ransome Kuti in Ibadan in 1967 during the Civil War; and moved to
Lagos with Fela’s band that included Henry Koffi on three-membrane
congas, Tony Allen on drums, Igo Chico on tenor saxophone, Lekan
Animashaun on baritone saxophone, amongst others. He recalls that Fela
who then was still playing the trumpet as well as the keyboards, taught
him “some keys on trumpet.” Strangely, they were not paid salaries, but
were given accommodation and fed. He left Fela in 1968 and joined
Cardinal Rex Jim Lawson as the second trumpeter and stayed until 1971,
again learning more about the trumpet from Lawson.

Not surprisingly,
he still holds these trumpeters and bandleaders in high esteem. “Of the
many trumpeters in Nigeria then, both were top trumpeters and
outstanding,” he recalls, adding that, “Jim Lawson was a raw highlife
specialist while Fela was an Afrojazz-Highlife specialist.” His musical
legacy with these bandleaders is that he recorded mega-hits like ‘Water
No Get Enemy’ with Fela and, ‘Love Adure’, ‘Mama Dey For Kumba’,
‘Udaja’ with Lawson and his Rivers Men Band.

Celestine Ukwu and Victor Uwaifo

Another unique
Highlife musician and bandleader Afro is proud to have played with is
xylophonist Celestine Ukwu and his Philosophers Band, based in Enugu.
“Celestine Ukwu was the lead singer and I learnt how to play and sing
his numbers. Celestine, Lawson and Fela were great and gifted original
composers, that is why they had so many hits that are still evergreen
today. I recorded the hits ‘Ijenu’ and ‘No Condition is Permanent’ with
Celestine Ukwu. They were simply the best composers because they were
very original. There used to be a lot of competition amongst Highlife
musicians and Rex Lawson came out first. Lawson’s ‘Love Adure’ was a
gold disc while Ukwu’s ‘Ijenu’ was a silver disc.”

Afro John Odigwe
can also be classified as a musical journeyman. He has played with
Victor Uwaifo, played on the same bill with the great Ramblers and
Black Beat bands from Ghana; and his last gig was with Eno Louis.

Highlife survivor

That Afro John
Odigwe plays the trumpet and sings sitting is as a result of a horrific
accident when Eno Louis’ band was travelling to fulfil a booking.
Invariably we get around talking about the occupational hazards of
Nigerian musicians as they zigzag across the country. “Celestine Ukwu
died in an accident at nine-mile in Enugu, Rex Lawson died in an
accident at Uronigbe near Agbor and Erasmus Jenewari died in an
accident in his new car at Obigbo. God knows why and I thank him that I
survived,” he observes philosophically.

What is his take on
the state of music today? “Most musicians who know the quality of music
have died,” he laments. “The present bands are involved in obituary
music. They play for obituaries and not in clubs anymore. That is why
the profession has collapsed.” He is not happy about the welfare of
musicians today. “Music is getting worse because most people that are
able to form their bands are not able to take care of their musicians
like hotel and club proprietors do – Bobby Benson in those days and
Omoregbe Erediauwa of Hexagon now.”

Highlife lives

Is Highlife dead?
“Highlife is not dead. If you go to civilised places like Ghana,
Highlife is still recognised and respected because Nkrumah had a School
of Music and, he gave prominence to Highlife. People in Nigeria are not
able to cope with the standard of the old seasoned musicians. People
now play Kokoma music which is a watered-down version of Highlife. Some
have diverted. I bring back memories of music on which older people
were brought up. Young people are not interested in Highlife. Even if
they can play instruments they cannot compose; and because of their
inexperience they only go for the music that is in vogue to earn money!”

Sadness and joy

Afro John Odigwe’s
band at the Hexagon has another old timer; 68-year old drummer Joe Uba,
a fantastic energetic drummer with vast experience including a stint
with Eddie Okonta. His ace guitarist, Splendour, has grown in the mould
of great Highlife guitarists like O.K.Jazz Otaru and was formerly with
Lagbaja. He attributes the fact that his band is tight and very
knowledgeable about the Highlife genre to the fact that “they have been
coached.”

Odigwe believes
that it is no accident that most of the Highlife greats “sang and
played in their personal language and rhythms. Rex in Ijaw, Uwaifo –
Edo, Celestine – Ibo, Olaiya – Yoruba and Fela started in Yoruba.
Everybody is playing in their dialects; Ghanaians too, although a few
Nigerians and Ghanaians sing in English.” Although he has composed at
least half-a-dozen songs he is yet to record them. At the Hexagon he
takes his listeners down the memory lane of Highlife’s golden age.
“They want us to play the old Highlife exactly as it was played
especially on the hit records. Some people might cal us copycats but
they still appreciate how well we play the old Highlife because we were
part of the bands that recorded these hit Highlife songs.”

Any regrets? “I regret I have no band because I cannot afford
instruments. I regret because I should have been better known.” However
when Afro John Odigwe raises his trumpet to his lips or sings into the
microphone, he continues to produce sounds of joy!