MY NIGERIA 50- GREAT SONGS----Since I was Born

Once again, I could n't help but think about Nigeria, our creativity over the years has been overwhelming especially in the last 5 years. The music industry has become a really money making sector and the competition keeps getting hotter. But we have a lot of the older folks to thank for that; who made music fun, educative and really entertaining. So I have put together my own little list of 50 songs I believe shook the Nigerian entertainment scene, since I was born. I know u may say how about this one and that one, I didn't forget them, I just had to stop at 50....You may agree or disagree, but one thing I am sure is that you will hum some tunes and smile and somewhere at the corner of ur mind; will be a little ounce of pride that you are a Nigerian.....

Catch ya......on the other side.

MY NIGERIA 50- GREAT SONGS----Since I was Born

1. Mr Ragamuffin (Daniel Wilson):- This song began the revolution of musicians introducing themselves on their tracks, long before the Dbanj, Timaya’s and M.I’s started introducing themselves, Daniel Wilson had led the pack.

2. Chop I Chop (Esien T Boy):- He didn’t last long in the music industry but this song hit the waves back in the early 90’s. School children and adults had a song they could sing to ask for favours.

3. Kissing Game (Esse Aghase and Blaccky):- The music industry always jumps when two artists do a collabo. So when Mr sexy then Blackky, and the Angelina Jolie lipped Esse, did a collaboration called Kissing game, it was an instant hit.

4. Under Pressure (Ras Kimono):- When Gen. Pype was still sitting for his G2 exams to enter secondary school, Raskimono was killing the waves with songs of justice and Liberty. Under pressure was played anywhere there was a need for a voice of freedom to be heard.

5. Love mi Jeje (Seyi Sodimu):- I recently downloaded the video of this song and believe me in its own time, it was one of the best videos; the sound was sweet’ it was a love song with its own style.

6. Denge Potz (Baba Fryo):- The one eyed pirate of Ajegunle, hit the music scene with this song and everyone had to learn the galala, but the beauty of the song was that we could use it to talk about someone who was a show off.

7. Mama Tetey (Majek Fashek):- The Rastafarian prophet dropped this joint and it was an instant hit, everyone loved to respond “ oyoyo”.

8. Pepper Soup (Ese Agesse):- One of naija’s only song dedicated to a meal, Esse a diva in her own right made pepper soup sellers extra bucks with this hit song.

9. Aro ba style (Ras Kimono):- Another hit by Raskimono, but this one made you nod your head in reggae style.

10. Send Down The Rain (Majek Fashek):- Nigeria’s official version of the nursery song “Rain rain go away...”while the white kids sang that; we sang for the rain to pour and danced excitedly in the rain.

11. One Love (Onyeka Onwenu):- We can’t talk about Nigeria songs and not mention Onyeka. This song was classic and at a point was nearly as popular as our National anthem. It was a song of patriotism and unity...a classic.

12. Afro Juju (Sir Shina Peters):- Clarence Peters may be a fantastic video director, but his father was an entertainment icon in his days. He could hit a song for up to 12 minutes and keep everyone going. “7,7,7 is a number, Oluwashina “, an owambe party hit.

13. If You love me (King Sunny Ade and Onyeka Onwenu):- Two of the biggest names in the music industry came together and sang a love song so good that people rumoured that they were really in a relationship. No air may have been a hit but this one was a smasher.

14. Monica (Junior and Pretty):- You can’t mention Naija’s best and forget Junoir and Pretty, two guys who not only revolutionized rap but did it in pidgin language, people Literally crammed the lines of this song (well I did) and used it to show off back then in secondary school.

15. Stop the Fight (Evi Edna Ogoli):- The Niger delta black diva used this song to separate fights and it became a favourite when you saw people quarrelling, it was hot and loved by all.

16. I am Showkey (Daddy Showkey):- “Showkey, Showkey!! Sho..oooo..key! Somebody call my name ____________” I guess you answered, that’s how great this song was.

17. Omo de Meta (Tony and the Remedies):- This was an instant hit as soon as it hit the waves, a nice story and a loving beat, combined with Tony Tetulla, you had a perfect song.

18. Shake Bodi (Trybes Men):- Big ups to Eldee, KB, Freestyle, the original tribesmen who gave us a hit track that could move a deaf man of his feet. Shake Bodi will make you shake your body.

19. You and I (Plantashun Boys):- As for me, this was the song that showed the genius of 2face, from the intro to the hook, the song showed Nigerian class, unfortunately for plantashun boyz, these three were not meant to be together.

20. Busy Body (P-Square):- Peter and Paul Killed it with this song; it had beat, dance and made everyone shake their head, a song so good they had to do a killer remix.

21. Nfana Ibaga (Tuface):- This to me is one of 2face’s best song ever, as he showed his ability to spit rhymes, my favourite line “Just because, I no finish school, some people take me for a fool”. He sure proved them wrong now.

22. Oruka (Sunny Nneji):- This was one song we all insisted to hear in a wedding ceremony, it was a sweet track.

23. Kolo Mental (Faze):- The plantashun boyz second born Faze, released a song that sounds totally stupid, but the song always brought the wild side of anyone...a party crasher.

24. Happy People (Adewale Ayuba):- I’m not a real big fan of Yoruba songs, but I loved this song; it was played everywhere you could find a boom box in Lagos parks, bus, cars...we are H A P P Y –P E O P L E.

25. Suffering and Smiling (Fela Anikulapo Kuti):- He is music personified, uncle Fela rocked the boat all through his musical career, a crusader whose mic was his placard.

26. Bumper 2 Bumper (Wande Coal):- The young chubby Mushin boy had warmed us with his collaborations with Broda Dbanj and we were waiting for a bang. Bumper to Bumper was a banger, he was our own Sean Kingston with a Nigerian hip hop twist.

27. My car (Tony Tetulla):- The yellow haired musician was a gig specialist and My Car was the song that we all loved to hear and groove to ” Gbese Repete”

28. Taxi Driver (Bobby Benson):- “If you marry taxi driver, I don’t care”, Honestly I wouldn’t have added this, but then all my uncles loved this song and it brought back some of their stories, I bet only a few youngies remembers this song.

29. Walakolombo (Alex Zitto):- This song was another classic the story of a girl who abandons boy and then returns back with the, I love you and I have seen the error of my ways speech.

30. Children Song (Tosin Jegede):- She was 7 years old when she told the parents to listen to their children; at last children had a way of talking to their parents.

31. Omo Pupa (Dr. Victor Olaiya):- In the days when Hi-Life was our only form of music, Dr Olaiya gave us this wonderful song that made all the fair ladies feel special.No disrespect to our dark and lovely sisters.

32. Ijoya (Wierd Mc):- Our Music industry tomboy gave us a dance hall song with a video that was unique in it’s style.

33. Back to my roots (Dr Alban):-The Scandinavian based producer and singer gave us a coming back song.

34. Big Boy (Eldee, Banky W and Olu Maintain):- This song will make anybody feel big , it was class, it was banging; it was cool and you could literary find yourself driving an imaginary Bentley.

35. Bang Bang Bang(Femi Kuti):- The son of the Icon attained his own Iconic status, and Bang- Bang-Bang was one song that made this happen. Even South Africans were rocking to something they didn’t understand.

36. Basket Mouth (Fela Anikulapokuti):- Uncle Fela dropped this joint and in his charismatic style spun another tale of Nigeria.

37. Seun Rere (Christy Essien Igbokwe):- Though Onyeka was the Queen of her time, Christy was her Rihanna, she had a powerful song and Seun rere was one of her best.

38. Yahooze (Olu Maintain):- When you had a song that could make Collin Powell dance, then you knew that song deserves mentioning. Olu maintain introduced his own dance style and gave us a song that made Vanity look rewarding.

39. Konko Below (Lagabaja):- The masked one may not release an album in 2 years but when he does release one; it’s always music at its very best. Konko Below had the young and the old dancing.

40. Happy Birthday (Evi Edna Ogoli):- Those days, you had any birthday party, this was the song that informed your neighbours of the event.

41. Street Credibility (9ice and Tuface):- This collabo was inevitable, they were at their prime and they came together to do a song that was simply incredible; truly “No be lie, hear am”.

42. Olomi (Tosin Martins):- Like Oruka, this love song was a hit, so good that you didn’t need to speak Yoruba to enjoy the song. A favourite caller tune for love birds.

43. Lagimo (Roof Top Mc’s and Cobhams):- They revolutionised the gospel music industry, and made us appreciate rock infused with rap to produce “Shock Therapy”, But everyone loves Lagimo, the hook made sense and what’s more the song had Cobhams..our own August Rush.

44. Safe (M.I):- I’m an M.I fan to the core, so he had to be on this list, the song showed his genius to the core and when you had the voice of Djinee as your back up, you knew this song would make listeners unsafe.

45. No One Like You (P-Square):- For me, this is Psquare’s best song, it had depth, it had melody, it was groovy yet classy and the video off the chain...a house hold favourite anywhere and anytime.

46. Pon Pon Pon (Dagrin,...the CEO):- As M.I Said, we lost a Hip hop icon, Yoruba language made sweet, this was the song you heard and danced to it, only to ask later what the song meant.

47. Fire on the Mountain (Asa):- No doubt, she’s in a class of her own, so any of her songs would have fit this list, but then this song was on point in passing her message and showing her class as a music genius.

48. Gongo So (9ice):- No one is in doubt about about Gongo So; has this song stopped winning awards...An alapomeji classic.

49. African Queen (Tuface):- For me this is Nigeria’s best song for an international audiemce, the lyrics beautiful and tuface was just in a class of his own

50 Fall in Love (Dbanj):- For me, this is Dbanj and Don Jazzy’s best song; this song is loved by everyone who hears it, it can rock a club, wedding reception, video sound track; only African Queen can stand in its class.

Signing Out

Ocharlyie