Few of them could be described as one-album artistes; because they were shot to limelight through one hit song and went into a limbo. Some others actually became forces to reckon with in the Nigerian Music industry, with couple of hit albums.

However, today they seem to have come, seen and still longing to conquer the music game. While few of them have scampered abroad in search of the proverbial greener pasture; some have actually dumped their music career for other businesses and many are still battling to survive the storm in their career.

In this compendium of the music stars of years to years, SS beamed his search light on the fading music stars, who have left us with some evergreen songs, which have registered their names permanently in the consciousness of new and old school music lovers.

Akeeb Kareem

Hakeeb Kare

The Abeokuta in Ogun State born Afro-pop musician, made a very brief appearance on the Nigerian music scene, but Papas and Mama could be still heard whistling some lines from his old tunes and popular tracks like Omo, No trouble with Religion and most especially “Ameebo make you shut up your month.... remember? In the late 70s and early 80s, these songs, which remain evergreen, were very popular in the Western part of Nigeria and Lagos. The Black Man, as he was popularly called left the music scene unannounced and simply disappeared. The Songwriter, Poet and singer turned clergyman is presently resides in UK.

Evi-Edna. Ogoli

Evi-Edna

Queen of Nigerian reggae music has obviously left a big shoe that most of the Nigerian female artistes find so difficult to fit in. Most of her songs, especially Jealousy, Happy Birthday among many others, still maintaining a comfortable position in the music chat of Nigerian top 10 old classics tunes. Edna was scooped to have dumped her husband and ran away with a French lover. Edna is now a permanent resident in Paris, France.

Tunji Oyelana

This one time University of Ibadan Lecturer, is another big fish in the stream of Nigeria Music Industry. He once led a band, The Benders and he is good friend of the Noble laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka, and Gbenga Sonuga, former Director of the National Troupe.

Uncle Tunji as he is fondly called, shone like a million stars in the 70s and mid 80s with some of his popular songs like Omo Alakara, Guguru Perere and some others, which gave him an edge in the music industry.

Tunji, back then, was fighting for the common good of the masses, as his songs were satirical commentaries about the Second Republic but he went into exile during Late Gen. Abacha’s regime. The big Uncle of Nigerian Music Industry got tired of Guguru (Pop-corn), and absconded to eat burger in England.

Lorine Okotie

The pretty sister of musician turned Pastor, Chris Okotie, is a good gospel singer with an angelic voice, which she had used to win several souls for the Lord in the Gospel Music Circuit.

Although, SS learnt that Lorine is back in Nigeria, her whereabouts seem sketchy. May God bring her back to continue doing his will musically; can I hear you say Amen?

Harry Moscow

One of the greatest Nigerian superstars who lost his beautiful wife to one of the power brokers of the society, name? Nzeribe (now you know). Harry of the Country boy fame is the first Nigerian to get to the top on the U.K music chart. His absence in the Nigerian music scene is highly felt, but he is presently into music production with a studio and production company located around Adeniyi Jones Ikeja, Lagos.

Dizzy .K. Falola

An Ibadan -based artiste, whose style of dancing, singing and dressing being fetched him the moniker ‘Nigeria’s Michael Jackson’ in those days. Dizzy .K. Falola hugged the limelight with his popular song Baby Ki lode. Dizzy K, who is now a pastor cum inspiration singer has dropped that jerry curls hair style of his for Jesus Christ. He now lives in UK.

Olu Fajemirokun

He entered the Juju music scene with a big bang, his popular song Olomori (e get cover) shot him to fame in the late 80s.

The Ijesha man found it a little bit rough after his second album. The whereabouts of Olu Fajemirokun still get cover o!

Alex Zitto

Alex Zitto, who is half Ghanaian and half Nigerian, had his first professional stint when he was spotted by Nigerian Juju music legend, Ebenezer Obey, who enlisted him in the famous Miliki Band as a bassist.

Alex finally exploded when he won the Lekki Song Contest with his hit song Tickle Me in 1988. The handsome dude left many people frenzied with his other hit songs like Baby Walakolombo, Rhythm of your heart, Country Girl, Love come my way, Sugar Rumbo among others that rocked parties, clubs, and enjoyed massive airplay, in the late 80s and in the early 90s. Alex Zitto now resides in Minnesota, USA.

Junior and Pretty

They were one of the very first set of the Nigerian hip-hop music group. They ruled the hip-hop scene in the late 80s and early 90s with Bolanle their monster hit song, which became a National Anthem when it was released. After the success of their album, Junior and Pretty were hit by the winds of life that blew them apart, before the cold hands of death snatched Junior away few years back.

Alex o

Alex O

This is another Alex of Nigerian music industry, who got us grooving in those days. The R’n’B crooner born Alex Okoroigwe but popularly known as Alex O has a lovely voice and actually dictated the pace then with his classic songs, most especially Pretty women, which can still rule the air-waves, if it’s remixed.

Mandator

The Jerry Curl hairstyle wearing folk, who is now into animation and music composition, absconded with his pretty women to South Africa. Alex is the C.E.O of DigiAudioVisuals, an entertainment firm based in S.A.

Mandators

This is a reggae music sensational group made up of Victor Essiet and his wife, Rita, which seemed to have been mandated to rule the reggae music scene in the 80’s and beyond. The death of Rita, the pretty lady of the group, whose hit songs like Rat Race, Apartheid, Champion Bubbler among others still remains evergreen, was what led to the disappearance of the Mandators from the music scene.

Four years ago when Victor Essiet, the lead male vocalist of the group came to Nigeria to re- launch himself back into the Nigeria music scene. And the dread lock reggae star had since returned to his base in U.S.

Majek Fashek

Majek

The Ondo-State born reggae artiste Majekodunmi Fashakin a.k.a Majek Fashek, had the aces up his sleeves in the Nigerian music industry with his hit track Send Down the Rain, which obviously fetched ‘the rain maker’, as he is fondly called fame and fortune.

He held the reins of reggae music till the mind 90s before he left the Nigerian shore for God’s own country.

Since then, series of unpalatable news have been peddled about him, ranging from his drug habit to his state of mind.

Bros Majek returned home few years ago with another album, which has the popular track Little patience and was released by Charles Novia’s November Records. Unfortunately, till date Majek’s drug related problems and state of health still have a big question mark.

Mike Okri

He shone like million stars, in the late 80s and in the early 90s, Omoge man, as he was fondly called thrilled us with his style of music in those days. Rhumba dance, Omoge, Time na money among others are those hit tracks that shot him to stardom. The then, punk hair style wearing music star suddenly disappeared from the music scene without notice, to resurfaced a couple of years back in a musical duet with one of the rising hip-hop music stars. Interestingly, Mike, the Oko Omoge (ladies’ man), who now resides in Los Angeles, California, is about to retrace his step to his root, Nigeria.

Mandy Brown Ojugbana.

A pretty lady, who combined talent with beauty set the dancing floor on fire in the mid 80s, when she dropped a superb remix version of one of the greatest songs of late Bobby Benson‘s evergreen song ‘Taxi Driver’. Interestingly, the beautiful Mandy, who many believed has eloped with the Taxi Driver, is presently one of the queens on airwaves. She is now more of a TV/Radio presenter cum compere. Mandy works with Smooth FM.

……..To be continued next week