OGE NKWA
A musical play list that highlights the rich cultural aesthetics of the Igbo people. It is also filled with entertainment and information through music.
The MNET organization certainly know their onions when it comes to exploiting Nigeria’s cultural resources to the limit. Whether through DSTV, Africa Magic and international news channels such as CNN, BBC, Arise News, Sky News and the Big Brother money machine, the South African owned group is also contributing immensely to development in the entertainment industry. Talk less of their shopping malls at SHOPRITE where Nigerian music is played throughout the shopping times.
I stumbled into the Africa Magic IGBO Channel on DSTV this past weekend and got into OGE NKWA and for the next two hours, I witnessed a pouring stream of great musical exhibition of Nigerian pop, afrobeat and afrobeats etc, etc as the new generation call it. What struck me most is the fact that 80% of what I heard were by virtually unknown and upcoming acts. Which means that our musical resource is huge and untapped. And all we needed do was to provide the necessary infrastructure to move to the next level, as the politicians of the APC say. Thank God that this resource will not be given to political god fathers who like in the oil industry, are given undeserving licenses to exploit.
The first act was a chap called Chizzy Boy who did enough to register his name in the Afropop genre of Africa Music. But it was 2Baba who set the tone of the Oge Nkwa which means “Time for Music” in Igbo language. 2Baba at once set out with his usually punchy rap, the video setting presumably in the hills of his village in the South of Benue state. He then involved every home based person in the village, boys and girls, the chiefs, dancers and traditional musicians. The track was called ‘Important’. It was catchy and danceable and Mr Innocent Idibia, also known as 2Baba delivered his vocal gifts in the process.
Ruffcoin, a group I had never heard of took over and were quite competent in the vocal delivery and sound in all the other departments. The group have had limited success with their Made in Aba album with a single Nwa Aba quite significant among their many songs. They came up with Ruffcoin featuring Rude Boy in Yati-Yati, the former PSquare supremo. Next was TEKNO, the spindle legged dancer, singer and show boy from Ebonyi state, Augustine Miles Kelechi doing his Skeletun special. Ogochukwu Jennifer Onuora came up with “Blessing” and it was well delivered with dancing girls dominating the video.
Zoro came up next and displayed some good songs before the great Yemi Alade came in with ‘Shake’, a semblance of Shekere, her outstanding super hit with Angelique Kidjo, the Paris based Benin Republic super star. Phyno brought the set to an end with Chibueze track from one of his albums. I was thrilled as I watched the power packed program, it was like I went to watch a concert in the ThisDay Dome when it was a rock venue.
The MNET production of OGE NKWA is a must listen music program on their station. For me it is a program that deserves regular watch because it breaks new acts and ensures that the great acts of the Nigerian music scene are replicated on the station regularly. And under this lockdown blues of Covid 19, you can enjoy a free concert in your living room. After all that, I hopped to Etihad Stadium to watch my Champions end a drab draw with Manchester City.
