Although Nigerian music has undergone some serious evolution over the years, but there are still songs that will always hold a special place in our heart.These are songs that bring back that longing sense of nostalgia that makes you crave for a Nigeria before the civil war. Thanks to this Kings of highlife music even the young generation can listen to it and are on the music playlists of a lot of Nigerian weddings home and abroad




10) Celestine Ukwu


Born Celestine Obiakor in 1940, Efik, Nigeria, Onitsha, Nigeria. Celestine was a hit back then and was on the verge of a national breakthrough when the Nigerian civilwar brought touring and recording to a grinding halt. He re-emerged in 1970 with Philospher’s Stone.He released his biggest hit Money Palaver in 1976. He died later the same year.


9)..Sonny Okosun



born Sonny Okosun in January 1, 1947 in Enugu, Sonny who was from Edo State was one of the leading Nigerian musicians from the late 1970s to mid 1980s.He formed his first band, The Postmen, in Enugu in 1965 and joined Melody Maestros, a band led by Victor Uwaifo in 1965. From 1972 to 1974 he led a group known as Paperback Limited and then formed a new band, Ozziddi.

Some of his popular songs are Fire in Soweto, High Life and Which Way Nigeria. Okosun continued his career in music as a gospel musician in the early 90s.

He died aged 61 of colon cancer on 24 May 2008.


..Tunji Oyelana


A former lecturer, Tunji Oyelana, was born in October 4, 1939 and is credited with having sold the most albums by a Nigerian High Life musician.He composed the song, I Love My Country with Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka. Both were charged with treason in 1996, and forced into exile by Sani Abacha, while touring internationally with Soyinka’s play The Beatification of Area Boy.

7)Prince Nico Mbarga

Prince Nico Mbarga was born to a Nigerian mother and a Cameroonian father in Abakaliki on 1 January, 1950. He is renowned for his hit song Sweet Mother, recorded with his band Rocafil Jazz; as well as Aki Special.Prince Nico Mbarga’s style of Highlife is a mixture of Soukous of the two Congos, Makossa of Cameroon, and of course the Guitar Highlife of Nigeria.