Funky Lagos!!
Ginger Baker- as previously mentioned in an earlier post spent about 4-5years in Nigeria, precisely from 1970 till 1974. His impact on the local music scene is still felt till date, with his full-on, Sarf London earthiness and musical mastery, he made a lot of friends and built some sterling musical relationships, not least with Fela Kuti, who regarded him genuinely as some sort of musical soul-mate and brother.
This piece is however about Lagos. Nigeria's erstwhile capital with a population of 22Million people- equivalent to the population of most countries in Europe and the 3rd largest city in the world.
Lagos or Eko as the indigenes know it was originally a little strip of Land by the Kuramo Lagoon (Eko Akete or Lagos Island), ruled by an Oba or King and which was errr..discovered by the Portuguese in the 15th century and acquired its name (Lagos) from the Portuguese Lago De Curamo (Lake Kuramo). Its instructive that there is a Portuguese city by the same name- Lagos (i.e Lake).
Lagos is one of the more ethnically diverse conurbations in the world based on its strategic placement as a seaport and a centre of commercial activity, simply put Lagos is and has been the home of every manner of card-sharper, brigand, barrack-room Lawyer, Fraudster, Murderer, Psychopath, Desperado, Hoodlum, Saint, Genius, Sage, Poet, Prostitute, Philosopher and Philistine that has walked under God's Sun. From the Native Yoruba Fishermen and Traders to the intinerant Fishermen Settlers from Ghana and Togo, to the freed Slaves from Brazil, who settled in the Island- highly skilled and savvy in the early 20th century, who introduced their architecture and style as well as the Syrian, Lebanese, Italian, Greek, Pakistani and Indian Merchants, who arrived at the same time and many of whom acquired Nigerian citizenship. It was in many respects like New York and London. A place where you came to make a fast buck and most did, forming a new stratum of social elite with spending power that engendered a fast vibrant cultural carnival of a city.
Lagos had an amazing nightlife and cultural flair over the years and indeed had its heyday between the 60's and 70's, with Swanky Clubs like Caban Bamboo in the Mainland- owned by the popular Musician Bobby Benson, Bacchus, Bagatelle- owned by Immigrant Syrian and Lebanese entrepreneurs, Kakadu in Yaba which was the choice of the slightly more low budget but hip and cool crowd- in the 60's on to the 70's when Fela's Shrine took off as the coolest hang-out, you were never allowed to admit to your parents that you visited. As illustrated by a story told by the eccentric Lagos Judge- the late Justice Kessington, who in the courseof a hearing in his Court, recounted an incident in the early 70's when he visited a seedy hang-out called La Lido, with his mates Sani Abacha (the former Nigerian dictator General, who was a young Major at the time)and another officer and later a Nigerian Minister, who shall remain nameless, upon which they were refused entry on account of their inebriated state and when they naturally protested, were manhandled by the bouncers. As Kessington put it, the other officer was about to retaliate, when Sani Abacha stepped in and cautioned saying "we better not get into a fight, otherwise how are we going to explain to our wives what we were doing here, when we're supposed to be at the Officers Mess". I digress of course but presume you get the picture. The famous Bar Beach was a weekend Mecca for families, youth and Religious groups of all types who sought to benefit from the magic - in all senses- of the word.
Lagos nightlife and culture today is a totally different spectacle what with effect of a serious increase in crime and severe economic depression stemming from years of macro-economic mismanagement.
Anyway back to Ginger Baker- this guy had a Super 8 Cine camera on his travels in Nigeria and took some awesome shots -all in 1971- of some musical concerts in Lagos and beyond, they are some of the rarest visual records of the musical heritage of Lagos and I am pleased to say, some smart fella managed to post them on Youtube and I invite you to join me in my reminiscence of the Lagos I knew as a child.
You will find videos of Ginger Baker- (Videos No.1 and 2) in an impromptu jam with some of Nigeria's finest Musicians, some of whom went on to great things- Joni Haastrup- On Keyboards, later played with Chris Isaaks, Berkeley Jones on Guitar-later Osibisa, Tunde Kuboye- later became a Civil Engineer and owner of the famous Jazz 38 Club, Laolu Akins on Batas, Steve Black on Congas- awesome.
Video 3 is a video of a Fela Kuti concert in Calabar in 1971,which is truly mind-blowing, played under torrential rain, amazing they weren't electrocuted. Witness the energy of Fela Kuti on stage, as well as the Saxophonic heroics of the late great Igo Chico.
Video 4 is a short clip of the great Afro-Soul singer/keyboardist- Segun Bucknor in concert in 1971, the Trombonist by the way is my good friend and band-member Raheem , who doesn't seem to have changed at all after 36 years- amazing!
This has been a nostalgic trip for me and I hope this enlightens and entertains. Lagos today is sadly a dire replica of the original city of Soul of the 60's and 70's and thank God for the memories at least, you can't turn back time but you can look back and sigh.
posted by Seal67 at 12:59 am
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