ADIEU SONNY OKOSUNS

With the possible exception of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti and King Sunny Ade,I doubt if there is any musician that has made more contributions to the spread of Nigerian music across the world than the late Sonny Okosuns.He was a creative artiste per excellence.Like Majek Fashek who came many years later,Okosuns started with a passion for reggae music,and made an immediate impact with a song called 'rain' in the 1970s.He however did not rest on the success of that effort,but tasked his creative endowments to the limit;the result being oziddizm - an infectious blend of African riffs on Jamaican roots reggae.

Interestingly,oziddizm was created at the same time that Fela was cooking afrobeat,which meant an inevitable (but healthy) rivalry of sorts .I recall in the latter years when we used to do Lekki Sunsplash (actually I used to assist Olumide Esho's boys led by the indefatigable Dapo Adelegan),Okosuns once challenged Fela to an open contest to determine who was more popular (don't ask me if abame eda accepted the challenge)!

It is a pity that many youths under 25 may not even faintly understand the extent of Okosuns accomplishments as a musician.But let it suffice to say that in his heydays,which ran between the early 70s and 80s,the guy was not only a massive seller in Nigeria,but in the entire African continent.He was singularly outstanding in writing potent songs against the apartheid scourge that ravaged virtually the entire southern part of the continent .If Billboard magazine had a presence in Nigeria,they would have had ample figures to prove that 'fire in soweto' was the biggest hit out of the Afican continent for many years.

On stage,Sunny Okosuns was blazing hot, while his concerts were usually of international quality.In fact his unigue charisma attracted some of the world's greatest reggae icons to Nigeria,with his home then in the ghetto area of Lagos a favorite abode:I'm talking here of the likes of Jimmy Cliff and Peter Tosh!

The volcanic emergence of Kris Okotie and later Majek Fashek somehow took the focus off oziddizm for a period of time,eventhough many aficionados would more readily point to the elimination of apartheid as the turning point in Sonny Okosuns' career.They may have a point.

Those distractions merely served to bring out the versatility in the artiste.In the 80s,he scored big with a yoruba dancefloor thriller "t'ire ni Oluwa',while during the tempestous Nigerian political impasse he lent his voice with 'which way Nigeria' and other strong political statements.

But by far Sonny Okosuns greatest accomplishment was his acceptance of Jesus Christ into his life.He discarded the 'gospel' of oziddizm for the true Gospel of Christ,and he did not have to wait until Heaven for his reward: His 'Songs Of Praise' became one of the highest selling Gospel records ever recorded in the history of that genre in Nigeria.He followed up by establishing a Church to propagate the Gospel.

Little wonder then that when,for many years, the gossip mill went agog with speculation on his frail-looking physique,the guy simply waived all the insinuations aside,continuing with his life ever- filled with life,zest and fulfilment.

The music industry will miss Sonny Okosuns big time.But we should take solace in the undeniable fact that he lived a fulfilled life and left his mark on the sands of time.As he journeys to the ultimate Papa's Land,I wish his gentle soul a peaceful rest in the bossom of The Lord.

A LESSON FOR ABRAMOVICH

Don't ask me why I'm blogging about England's Chelsea Football Club.You ought to know. Chelsea has perhaps the largest number of Aftrican first team players among the elite clubs in Europe,and this includes Nigeria's brightest star - John Mikel Obi,and as happened with Arsenal in the heydays of 'king' Kanu,Chelsea is embraced as an african team by most Africans.

You can then imagine how proud we Africans were in the last three years when Chelsea upturned the formbooks to wrest the dominance of English football from Manchester United and Arsenal.You can now further imagine how deeply dissappointed most of us were when in the first few weeks of the outgoing season,the club decided to sack Jose Mourinho,the 'special one',the manager who led the new revolution in English football.

Well, rich people think differently from ordinary folks,but Abramovich's decision to offload Mourinho beggars explanation.I mean here was a coach that came with a pedigree of success,and achieved instant success.What then was the reason?Failure to win the Champions Leaque?The fact that Liverpool,with only modest domestic success in recent years could be so successful in Europe should confirm that European success is not necessarily a yardstick to measure the strength of any team:Otherwise Man U would not have waited for 9 years to lift the trophy.In any case if Chelsea could get to the semi-finals twice , victory surely could not have been too far away.

Or was it the lure of the so-called attractive football?Did we forget so soon that the original masters, Brazil , have long ago jettisoned the samba game for a more direct,result oriented style?In any case a neutral review of English football in the last 3 seasons would reveal that some of the most exciting games involved Chelsea.Rewind to the gruelling duels with Man U in 2006,and the epic UEFA battle with Barcelona at Stamford Bridge, for instance.

Was it then the string of drawn matches at the beginning of the season?I'm sure Abramovich is not so ignorant about football.Look at where all the teams that were top 4 at that same period ended the season;for example Arsenal's run in the last three months of the season was by
comparison a disaster.In fact if all team proprietors acted like Abramovich,Sir Alex Ferguson would have been sacked at least 3 times in the last 9 years.I would not even want to talk about the effect that Drogba and Lampard's injuries had on the team.

Abramovich had the rare luck of employing a winner as Manager,then took the resultant success for granted.He failed to realise that what differentiates Sir Alex and Arsene Wenger from other good coaches is the winning mentality.Mourinho was not necessarily better at coaching than Ruud Gullit,but he brought a winning mentality to Chelsea.

And most unfortunately,that was the missing attribute in his successor,Avram Grant ( although I wouldn't want to join other Chelsea supporters in renaming him 'Average Grant' because I actually think he is a good coach ).Under Mourinho Chelsea soared when the big occassion beckoned; under Grant they crumbled like water mellon.Take a closer look at the final premiership game against Bolton, and the closing stages of the Champions Leaque in Moscow.

I started to have serious doubts about Avram Grant's mental strength and Chelsea's likely run in the season, in January when the English press started to brandish statistics showing how Grant had won so many matches since taking over from Mourinho.Grant appeared to revel in those glowing,but absolutely meaningless publicity.In the next two months Chelsea were bundled out of both the Leaque Cup and the FA Cup - the two easiest competitions of the season.

Yet the deceptive ovation continued;from how Grant had taken Chelsea to touching distance of the Premiership title,to how he 'surpassed' Mourinho in reaching the Champions Leaque final.Now Grant could not hold back:He demanded to be recognised as the real 'special one'.Yet both battles were still in progress.He had won nothing.

In the end he won nothing.More succintly, Chelsea Football Club,for the first time in 3 years ended a season without a single trophy.Her proprietor,Roman Abramovich would reflect on that calamity,and realise that it was all down to one irrational,perhaps reckless decision he took at the beginning of the season.

EIDRIS,ETCETERA

LET THE (SWEET) MUSIC FLOW

It is incredible the quality of music coming out of Naija these days;if you thought it was just a copycatish hip-hop thing,better take a closer look.These guys and babes are really firing on all cylinders.

Asa and TY Bello crept quietly into our consciousness last year,and are now more addictive than breakfast.9ice's cross fuji-hiphop sound is defining the new street culture,and suddenly the american sound seems extinct.

I've played Etcetera's 'land of the rising sun' over three times already this evening,and I'm scared because the melody is still reverbrating in my head and I know I will have to play the song again.And again!.Forget that the title and words connote an Ibo anthem - that's not my concern at all.Etcetera's album is a powerful soft rock compilation;probably the best since Gbubemi Amas' 'grill' back in the 80s.In fact 'land of the rising sun' brings back refreshing memories of the mint fresh 'ereyon';great accoustic guitar,so cool.This is good music.

YES,THE KING IS BACK !

Please let's just give it to this veteran of the hiphop game,Eidris Abdulkareem.With his buddies Tetuila and Eddy they brought hiphop to the forefront.Then as if to make a statement he went solo and placed himself at the very top with that song we loved to hate,'mr lecturer'.Eidris made his mistakes with his clash with 50 Cent,but has displayed tremendous maturity in reconciling with both 50 and hitherto pain in da ass,Ruggeddy baba.Now,after a long long hibernation,the kano boy returns with a precise album that is exactly what you want to hear.Eidris shows he has been a good student of Fela.He makes a bold attempt at infusing afrobeat and Majek's pangolo
vibes into his hiphop music.I don't know how many copies this will sell,but Eidris Abdulkareem has earned my respect.

A PLEA

I appreciate and respect everyone's opinion on any issue,irrespective of whatever I think;but it's important to stress that this blog is focussed on entertainment and sports.Let's stick to that.Words cannot adequately express my love for you my readers.