The labour of our heroes past
shall never be in vain — Nigerian National Anthem
What makes a song truly great? Forget hype, chart success or sales.

A great song must transcend time, convey strong emotions, shift culture and resonate with a large number of people.
These songs should also be embedded in pop culture, influence lexicon and reflect cultural attitudes.

In the gold rush and cash grab for (the oddly-named) Afrobeats, articles, think- pieces, lists and content dedicated to Nigerian music before this explosion barely exist. It seems premium attention is only placed on the music movement that sprang up around a decade ago.

The first album released by a Nigerian was in 1925. That’s almost a century away from Burna Boy’s Grammy nod in 2019. The African Giant has climbed to the top of the most reputable North-American journalistic institutions, swinging from the web pages of The New York Times to NPR.

There are however many complex back-stories that have led to not only his rise but the rise of contemporary Nigerian pop music as a whole. It has been a culmination of music genres, styles, trends and lifestyles from the 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, and even the 80s and 90s.

There seems to be a gaping hole, a curation dearth of our music legends. Where are the tantalizing tales? The musical myths? Where is the fabric, the tapestry that weaves through the decades and connects Tekno to Bright Chimezie or Davido to Shina Peters?

I decided to compile this list because of two reasons; there is no such list on the Internet with cultural context that I know of, and secondly- to educate young Nigerians on this country’s music history.

With the knowledge I have of Nigerian music (little, I must admit) I have compiled a list of 25 Nigerian classic songs that I feel are worthy enough to be classified under this list.
This list showcases a range of genres, topics, music styles and writing techniques. What binds them together are the qualities I listed above.

I hope you enjoy the greatness of these songs and appreciate Nigeria’s rich music history. Be on the lookout for Vol. 2.
Songs released after 2008 were not considered.
These songs have been ranked in no particular order and reflects the bias and music taste of the writer.

25. Konko Below by Lagbaja (2000)
On the dot of the new millennium, the masked entertainer Lagbaja (who had ran the music scene from the 90s with his blend of Yoruba highlife and contemporary genres) released perhaps his biggest album — a three-in-one collection named ‘Me’, ‘We’and ‘Abami’. Off ‘Me’ he dropped the eternal rump shaker titled ‘Konko Below’.

Forget about catching lightning in a bottle, Lagbaja caught thunder in a compact disc. The heavy drums, the sweet licks of the guitar and the smooth voice of Ego (his side-kick vocalist), helped concoct a hypnotic groove that still captivates people on numerous dance floors till today. Konko Below was a bonafide Y2K smash hit and has morphed into a Nigerian classic.

24) Gongo Aso by 9ice (2008)

The first 8 seconds of ‘Gongo Aso’ is a call to beautiful mayhem, musical bedlam, sweet madness. Laced by producer ID Cabasa, Gongo Aso was the song that catapulted 9ice from a hood singer and hook specialist to a national sensation.

The instrumental of this classic song is one of the most famous in Nigeria’s music history. No debate. With 9ice’s gravel voice, Gongo Aso became a national hit. With a mix of street lingo and Yoruba proverbs, 9ice scored a home run. It is the musical equivalent of Maradona’s great goal against England at Mexico ’86. 9ice used a mazy flow, switching into different pockets that till today still baffles fans, music lovers and critics. The thumping bassline and glittery notes on Gongo Aso are eternal.

23) Diana by Daddy Showkey (circa 1998)

One thing about great songs is that they are simple and effective. It does not get as simple as Daddy Showkey’s ‘Diana’. The narrative of the song is eerily similar to countless Nollywood plots of a barren woman scorned by her in-laws.

Daddy Showkey used simple story-telling, ghetto living and the galala sound to create an evergreen track. The song is so popular that there is hardly any Nigerian that can’t sing the chorus of this song. I personally feel that Diana was arguably the biggest song of the 90s…

22) Dem Go Dey Pose by Baba Fryo (circa 1997)

Starting from the mid 90s, the ghetto known as Ajegunle was a hotbed for musical talent especially those who sang ‘Galala’, (a Nigerian version of ragga music). Nigeria was just coming out of the Reggae fever when Galala sprang forth.
Daddy Showkey was the poster boy of this movement but along the line, other acts scored massive tunes. One of those songs was ‘Dem Go Dey Pose’ by Baba Fryo.

Armed with a star eye-patch, Baba Fryo scored a huge crossover hit. With a skeletal beat, Baba Fryo criticized hypocrites who flaunted their fake lifestyle- a common trope of popular Nigerian music. Dem Go Dey Pose was a runaway smash that no one someone coming. It helped entrench Galala music in the minds of Nigerian music lovers.

21) Fuel For Love by Wrinkars Experience (1972)

Wrinkars Experience performing at a gig in 1972. © Uchenna Ikonne
The 70s was an exciting time in Nigeria. The country struck gold with crude oil and was rolling in money. Musically, it was the golden age for alternative music with rock and psychedelic rock music leading the charge. Even a certain Fela Anikulapo-Kuti was tweaking a new captivating sound which he would christen Afrobeat.

‘Fuel For Love’ is a bonafide classic from Nigeria’s rock generation. The band Wrinkars Experience made up of mostly Cameroonians and Nigerian lead singer Dan Ian composed a love record that remains a golden tune from a golden generation of rock stars. If you are digging through the crates for Nigerian rock songs, Fuel For Love is the place to start from. The group unfortunately did not last long. By 1973 the group had split but in 2014, the living members of the band including Dan Ian reunited at the Lagos Jazz Series for a commanding performance.