Èkó Home Of Enjoyment: A Trip Down Memory Lane
By Bimbo Esho
“Popular one stop entertainment places were Bobby Bensons Caban Bamboo, Roy Chicago Abalabi, Ambassador Hotel of Chief Billy Friday fame, Western Hotel with Adeolu Akisanya, Kakadu Nightclub Fela Kuti”
Èkó is a place of display and vibrancy”. The city’s energetic, creative, and often extravagant culture suggests that it is a place where things are done with flair and a certain level of showmanship, whether in fashion, entertainment, or general lifestyle.
Èkó is being inhabited by a vast majority of indigenes a socio- cultural melting point attracting Nigerians from different ethnic backgrounds and foreigners alike living in unison.
ARIYA started way back before Èkó’s establishment. The musical history of Èkó has shown how musical culture is being passed down from one generation to the other .
Èkó of the 40’s and 50’s witnessed early musical forms like Juju Root, Sakara, Waka, Agidigbo, Were, etc with popular musicians like Abibu Oluwa, Tunde King, Irewolede Daniel, Togo Lawson, Domigos Justus, Ayinde Bakare, Fatai Rolling Dollar, J. O Araba, Jolly Boys Orchestra, Dele Ojo, Tunde Nightingale, Saka Olayigbade, Yusuf Olatunji, etc at the center of activities. These men played for top Lagos socialite of the days of yore. They also played at different social clubs in Eko like Yoruba Tennis Club, Waka Club, Etc .
As we moved towards Nigeria’s Independence in the 60’s Eko witnessed the Golden Age of Highlife music.* This period saw highlife music become the dominant popular music and a symbol of national identity following Nigeria’s Independence.
It also witnessed the uprise of hotels and band culture with musicians taking residence in different hotels performing monthly gigs. These was a period when we had sophisticated and charismatic band leaders all playing late into the night. Popular one stop entertainment places were Bobby Bensons Caban Bamboo, Roy Chicago Abalabi, Ambassador Hotel of Chief Billy Friday fame, Western Hotel with Adeolu Akisanya, Kakadu Nightclub Fela Kuti , etc
Out of the fratricidal Civil War in 1970, Nigeria witnessed the reconstruction and reunification era fuelled by an oil boom explosion. Industries and edifices sprang up here and there. Socio cultural movements ran strong with a new set of intelligentsia waiting to become the leading lights. This period witnessed a new dynamic and vibrant musical form . It witnessed the era of the young billionaires and political juggernauts.
The period witnessed reformation of juju music. At the forefront were artistes like Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey, King Sunny Ade, etc* Big boys and ladies dominated the nightlife of Lagos in this era. From Miliki Spot at Olonode to Ariya spot at Jibowu.
To be continued…
