Nigerian Greatest Guitarist Ever!!!

 
Rock n’ Roll undoubtedly is one of the many brain-child of the African man but like every other invention we’ve come up with, which was westernized, rebranded and now called “a white man’s thing”. Nigerian Rock music also got its roots from the old highlife we are just going to acknowledge our founding fathers today.

Nigeria has been called “the heart of African music” and in our post today, we will be looking at the greatest guitarist in Nigeria. This is to celebrate the old highlife rockers and new Nigerian rockers which we listed in on here early April.(http://naijarocknews.blogspot.com/2013/03/v-behaviorurldefaultvmlo.html). The staffs of  NAIJA ROCK NEWS have decided to take the pleasure of finding some wheedle in a haystack, by taking on the impossible task of ranking our best Nigeria guitarist, wit the idea to motivate and promote all the new generation rockers in Nigeria.

1. Sunny Ade



















A popular performer of Yoruba Nigerian jùjú music and a pioneer of modern world music. Sunny Adé was the first to introduce the pedal steel guitar to Nigerian pop music. He was the first to introduce the use of synthesizers, clavinet, vibraphone, tenor guitar into the jùjú music repertoire such as dub and wah-wah guitar licks. He was also nominated for the second Grammy Award and thus making him the first African to be nominated twice for a Grammy.  His stage act was characterised by dexterous dancing steps and mastery of the guitar. Trey Anastasio, American guitarist, composer and one of his devout followers, once said, "If you come to see Sunny Adé live, you must be prepared to groove all night" and i couldnt agree less.  When Adé headlined concerts in the United States, The New York Times's Robert Palmer described one of Adé's several concerts in New York in the 1980s one of the most significant pop music events of the decade and Adé as "one of the world's great band leaders". His second album under the cusp of international stardom was Synchro System which attracted many converts of world music and earned him a Grammy nomination in the folk/ethnic music category. 

2.  Dr. Sir Warrior

 

Christogonus Ezebuiro Obinna, the Ultimate Dr. Sir Warrior, was the leader of the Oriental Brothers International Band which was famous in the Nigerian highlife music scene for several decades. He performed primarily in Nigeria, as well as performing internationally in places such as London and the United States of America. Combining Igbo vocals with deft guitar work and a solid rhythm section, Warrior created a unique style of music that for many people is the definitive sound of highlife music. He also introduced the Oyorima concept, which is an Igbo word that means a refined feeling of rhythmic movement and balance. His legacy was summarized by Oliver De Coque, who in paying tribute to Dr. Sir Warrior, said, "He was a very good and amiable person. We have lost such a genius in highlife."

3. Sir Victor Uwaifo

 

He was born in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria in 1941 and is one crazy gguitarist i've ever seen play my entire life at the calabar christmas festival, where he played with his tongue. He is famous for his joromi music. His best-known song, "Guitar Boy and Mamiwater" was a huge hit in 1966. It was inspired by an encounter (which he has long maintained actually occurred) with a mami wata (mermaid) while lounging on Bar Beach in Lagos. Uwaifo made history in Nigeria when he won the first Golden record in Nigeria, West Africa and Africa (presented by Philips, West Africa) for his song "Joromi" in 1996. Victor Uwaifo, who has a total of 12 golden records to date, has traveled to many countries, including the United States, Russia, Japan, United Kingdom, Bulgaria, Romania, Germany, France, Hungary, Rome, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Togo, Benin Republic and others. His song Joromi has legendary status among his fans and his performances are characterized by his ability to play the guitar with both his feet and also his tongue amd that alone should keep him at number one but i hope it still doesn't make this list controversial.

4. Oliver De Coque  





I was at a cultural music festival five years back in south-south Nigeria and for the first time i saw fingers run up and down a fret board with the guitarist still standing and grooving a multitude of fans for 7 straight hours. He is Oliver De Coque of Ogene Sound of Africa. A well known name in Nigeria as well as the Nigerian music circle. Though some believe he was not a Nigerian, owing to his popular name which has a French meaning, he had started music with Ekpili at the age of 17. Oliver DeCoque is from Ezinifite, Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State. Oliver's real and full name is Oliver Sunday Akanite.


Oliver de Coque was a prolific guitarist who popularised the "Ogene" dance style of Nigerian highlife, and recorded no fewer than 73 albums in his lifetime.  One of Africa's greatest guitarists, has been much inspired by Congolese soukous, and this is shown to good form in such releases as 1985's "Nne Bu Oyoyo / Ezigbo Nna." "Omumu Onye Nzoputa (Jesu Kristi) / Olu Ebube Nke Onye Nweayi" from 1983 shares a guitar line with the tune "Nanu Lubutu" by Congolese group Minzoto Wella-Wella. Some of his major hits include "Biri Ka Mbiri", and "Identity" remixed in a hiphop style by his son Safin DeCoque. Oliver also played on the Prince Nico Mbarga's evergreen album "Sweet Mother".

 

 Am pretty sure that they be other great-great guitarist out there that mutates beatifically on the fretboard with a free-spirited rhythm and shooting nto space like a free laden firework but didnt make this cut and for any reason you think they should be in the bunch? Place your comments and lets know who's missing yeah? and RIP to Margaret Thatcher...May the people of GB find peace and be strong in times like this...