LAGOS, NIGERIA — It is a known fact that no two years can ever be the same, just as every day can never be the same. Today could be for you, and tomorrow for another. Every year comes with its own intrigues and characteristics.
Two thousand and five is not different. It treated everybody differently. But thank God, we saw the beginning and end. The rest is history.
To some, 2005 was a very good year. But to others, the year was very bad, pure and simple. It was to them a year of trials and tribulations they never wished to come across. We have, to a very large extent, reviewed and made projections concerning the entertainment industry and the artistes that made good impressions like TuFace Idibia, African China, Sunny Neji, Flying Babe, Styl-Plus, Marvellous Benji, P-Square, Adewale Ayuba, Kefee and lots more. These artistes actually shook the entertainment scene last year.
Other personalities that lifted the industry include Festus Odimegwu, Ken Caleb Olumese, Governor Donald Duke, Austin Eruotor, of the White House, Femi Kuti and the new Afrika Shrine, among others.
There are, however, some that would curse at the mere mention of 2005 and fervently pray that such year never comes their way in their lifetime. They belong to the inglorious class of artistes or showbiz personalities that either lost their voice or bearing during the year, or simply made the wrong moves in the industry as the year runs out. These categories of people remain the weeping artistes of 2005 and have nothing whatsoever to show for their efforts.
Top on the list is the Denge pose act, Baba Fryo. He didn’t make any meaningful impact on the entertainment scene in 2005. He was reported to have hit a mouth-watering record deal with O’Jez Records. The deal, we can authoritatively say, fetched Baba Fryo a Mercedes Benz car. He spent the early part of the year in the studio working on a phantom album to justify his new deal with O’Jez. A press conference was even arranged to herald the release of the new job into the market. But as you are reading this piece, we are yet to hear from Baba Fryo, talk less of dancing to his new job. No official explanation whatsoever. Only God knows if ever he mounted the stage for any concert throughout the year. Baba Fryo was mostly seen hanging out at O’Jez dancing restaurant at the National Stadium, Surulere, where his musical activities were seemingly restricted for the better part of the year. Who knows if Fryo is not gradually being blown into oblivion like Ozzigizaga man, Chris Hanen? Since Chris released New Dawn, he has not been heard again. He now performs at “go-go” bars (apology to Ken Celeb Olumese) and fast foods joints. The fire in his act seems to have gone with age. No more ambitious moves for big concerts.
Samba Lady, Stella Monye, is one promising female artiste of all season. But her creative endowment and melodious voice now sounds like a distant cry in the wilderness. When last did we see or heard the Oko Mi Ye queen on stage or public concert? Stella may not be complaining, neither would she be counted among the weeping artistes. Thanks to Gauranga Foundation, where she’s a top management staff and finding succour for her creativity. We hear though, that the Samba lady is plotting a big comeback to active music. We also hear she is already heavily pregnant with a chart-buster new album, which she would deliver any moment from now to re-launch herself into the music scene. We also hear the new album is entitled Stella After The Storm.
It is, however, difficult to know which of the many storms that visited the seasoned female artiste she is referring to. Is it the one about her son, or the one with Goddy Tabansi, or the most recent, which was an auto accident? Anyway, let’s thank God that the Samba Lady cheated death last year. In fact, her car somersaulted several times on the busy Awolowo Road in Ikoyi, Lagos, but Stella survived three broken ribs. She spent weeks in hospital courtesy of the Gauranga Foundation man, Bolaji Rosiji. But Stella in an SMS to us early this week insisted all was well and that she’s now as fit as fiddle. Let’s keep our fingers crossed for Stella Monye as she makes a big comeback.
Ghetto Soldier, Daddy Showkey, is another prominent Nigerian artiste whose fortunes in music seem to be dwindling. His showing last year is, to say the least, below expectation. His stagecraft and performance was also less inspiring. One wonders how many years Showkey would have to sleep over an album. He seems to have gone to sleep after Daina. However, the Nigerian Breweries Plc has been spoon-feeding him with shows, new album or not. He was a regular feature on all the company’s sponsored shows across the country last year. But the Showkey of 2005 was below the Showkey fans used to know. He seriously needs a shot in the arm and, of course, a repackaging.
Lexy Doo lost his voice in the industry after the break up with Jazzman Olofin, while Lt. Shotgun of Baby Jowo fame was missing in action throughout the year. Zakky Adzzey was never a happening act in 2005. He tactically withdrew from playing music and went into business as recording studio owner.
What was Daddy Fresh up to throughout last year? He didn’t make any impressive showing on the music scene. Mr. Gooddy Gooddy, Felix Duke, gate-crashed into the country from his London base. He came with the assurance of dropping a bombshell of dance hall album on the local music scene. But before one could say Gooddy, Felix disappeared like a jinny. Tony Tetuila was also not that impressive last year. Of course, he did an album with Tic Tac in Ghana or so, then the Star Mega Jam concert in one of the states, and what next? No, it was unlike Tetuila in 2005.
Oh! Lest I forget, Dede Mabiaku and Seun Kuti were not just loud enough last year. Who knows what happened to their voices? Moving out from O’Jez Club at Iwaya, Yaba, may have affected the upwardly mobile nature of these two artistes. Anyway, Dede only registered an impression when he featured at the re-opening of The Coliseum last year.
Sound Sultan was also not there in 2005, as well as Azardus. Other artistes that completely lost their voices in 2005 include Mr. & Mrs. Eddy Saint Brown. The musical couple was not heard of very much. The movement of Okoro Junior, Bright Chimezie, to the East seems to have seriously dwarfed his voice in the national music scene last year.
That also reminds us of the Afro-Juju creator, Sir Shina Peters and Dayo Kujore, of the Soko Fuji fame. Both artistes’ silence on the music scene in 2005 was too loud, and they failed to make any meaningful impression, apart from playing at their usual engagements at parties. For Kujore, he partially enrolled in the politics of PMAN, and was a regular face at the union’s secretariat, while SSP was only heard of during Dele Abiodun’s presidential race for PMAN. Dr. Oliver De Coque was unusually quiet in 2005, while not much could be said of Fuji General, Kolington Ayinla, and even Alhaji Agba, Sikiru Ayinde Barrister.
The weeping artistes of the year includes Eedris Abdulkareem, who was slammed by both the Nigerian Breweries Plc (over the 50 Cent saga) and PMAN over alleged unruly behaviour during the three-city Easter concert of 2005 organised by PMAN. Another weeping artiste of the year is the factional leader of PMAN, Charles Oputa, who seems to have stepped on big toes. The last was his detention by the police in Abuja over alleged threat to public peace.
Source: Richard Eghaghe, Daily Independent