Listening to music from people like Osita Osadebe, Dan Orji, Sunny Bobo, Sir Warrior, Pastor Apiriwa and etc has made me notice a trend in Igbo music. I've noticed that musicians love to praise and give thanks to their benefactors and friends. It usually goes like this: "Ekene kenere'm Maazi so so and so, onye oma ri nma".

I've come to wonder who some of these peope are. Here are some of the people I've heard:

Engineer Bruno
Chuks Okoli
Ekwy Anyanwu
Philip Odionyenma
Ejeske Nwosuji
Okechukwu Eke
Emeka Kanu
Emeka of Ukwuani
R. Amanze Njoku

I'd greatly appreciate it if anyone could tell me more about them so as to explain why they are frequently mentioned in music.

Odumchi,no female?Did u not hear Chief Mrs Ify Pres-elect,the udara ocha 1 of Mbano?lolz

I think most of them are biz men that have helped the musician at one point or the other in his musical career.

I've also wondered who these people are. there's hardly no Igbo highlife music that names of people, organizations or places are not mentioned.

Well,acknowlegdement has always been part of Igbo music; some musician like Osili nwa mama,Ali chukwuma,Oliver and warrior have at one point acknowledged ppl for their philantropy,good name or even academic achievement but they will usually say where they are from,so,Odum i suggest you listen to the songs again and you might get a hint. Moreso,who is Pastor Apiriwa and Dan Orji ? Just wandering cause me never heard of them.
Osili has mentioned ppl like Eugene ojukwu(Anaedo),Eze Obinwa(Ozubulu),Bishop Okonkwo(Awka etiti) and more. And these are very wealthy dons who has helped many Igbo guys to become rich,hence the praises sometimes.

ifyalways: Odumchi,no female?Did u not hear Chief Mrs Ify Pres-elect,the udara ocha 1 of Mbano?lolz

I think most of them are biz men that have helped the musician at one point or the other in his musical career.

Lol. But yeah, I think that's it. However, they're people like Engineer Bruno who are mentioned in many songs by manydifferent artists. He's mentioned in Sunny Bobo's Old Skool, Chimuanya's Ayakata Bongo, and Stanley Nnorom's Arabanko. Do you think he could've helped all those people?

afam4eva: I've also wondered who these people are. there's hardly no Igbo highlife music that names of people, organizations or places are not mentioned.

Exactly. It makes one wonder.

NRI PRIEST: Well,acknowlegdement has always been part of Igbo music; some musician like Osili nwa mama,Ali chukwuma,Oliver and warrior have at one point acknowledged ppl for their philantropy,good name or even academic achievement but they will usually say where they are from,so,Odum i suggest you listen to the songs again and you might get a hint. Moreso,who is Pastor Apiriwa and Dan Orji ? Just wandering cause me never heard of them.
Osili has mentioned ppl like Eugene ojukwu(Anaedo),Eze Obinwa(Ozubulu),Bishop Okonkwo(Awka etiti) and more. And these are very wealthy dons who has helped many Igbo guys to become rich,hence the praises sometimes.

Hm. I think that's what it is then. Pastor Apiriwa is the author of Igbo Farback, while Dan Orji is a highlife legend who founded the Peacocks Interbational Band. Some of his songs are:
Dan Njemanze http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eq2er_T15rA&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Okpa aku erier http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh4XBFFJqqg&feature=youtube_gdata_player,
and my favorite Eddie Kwansa http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2QpwZiqR8&feature=youtube_gdata_player.

The funny thing is, I used to think musicians were very high in the pyramid of wealth until I discovered that there were people who made them who they are today. Anyway, I hope I can learn more about these people.

Eddie Quansa is classic. I enjoy it a lot. It's a pity the originator is blind now.
Most of the names in that song were big boys of old Imo state in the 70s and 80's.
Lemmy Akakem- a household name in Imo state. He along Chief Emma Iwuanyanwu acquired Spartans f.c of Owerri and transformed the club. They saved the club from extinction. While Chief Iwuanyanwu became the proprietor, Akakem became the Chairman (1985).
I watched Dan Orji's show live in Aba in 2002 at a bar in Ama Ogbonna, Overrail Aba. A great entertainer.

Andre Uweh: Eddie Quansa is classic. I enjoy it a lot. It's a pity the originator is blind now.
Most of the names in that song were big boys of old Imo state in the 70s and 80's.
Lemmy Akakem- a household name in Imo state. He along Chief Emma Iwuanyanwu acquired Spartans f.c of Owerri and transformed the club. They saved the club from extinction. While Chief Iwuanyanwu became the proprietor, Akakem became the Chairman (1985).
I watched Dan Orji's show live in Aba in 2002 at a bar in Ama Ogbonna, Overrail Aba. A great entertainer.

Ah okay, I see now. And I agree that it's a pity that most of these guys are old/disabled now. Thanks.

odumchi:

Ah okay, I see now. And I agree that it's a pity that most of these guys are old/disabled now. Thanks.

Dan Orji's biggest problem is his sight. Even with his blindness, he is still a crowd puller.
The issue of praising some people in songs is a souther or Nigerian affair. The likes of Sunny Ade and E. Obey do the same. I can remember Sunny Ade's song dedicated to Morris Ibekwe (Okwelle Holdings) in the 90's.

Andre Uweh:
Dan Orji's biggest problem is his sight. Even with his blindness, he is still a crowd puller.
The issue of praising some people in songs is a souther or Nigerian affair. The likes of Sunny Ade and E. Obey do the same. I can remember Sunny Ade's song dedicated to Morris Ibekwe (Okwelle Holdings) in the 90's.

May God keep him strong for us music-lovers. Ill have to listen to some of those songs. And you sure do know your music.