Memory Lane (1)

One day, I was passing through the end of Park Road, music was blaring out of a building. That building happened to be Unicoco Hotel. The block had openings such that someone could peep in to see what was going on, so I did peep in. I saw a musical group performing and people were dancing. I also saw so many people at the gate struggling to pay and get in. I wondered, "these people are struggling to pay and go in only to dance, and those guys playing will go home and share the money". I decided to enjoy such cool money, sitting or standing to play my instrument, watching people dancing, and sometimes fighting, and finally going home to share money with the other cool people on stage with me. I did it. The band that I saw when I peeped into Unicoco Hotel was Bob Miga and the Strangers. The song that they were playing has not left my head till today (must have been about 1973). The players finally left Bob Miga, formed One World and became everybody's darling. Cyril Abdullah never missed any of One World's shows at Unicoco Hotel. When I mustered the courage, I applied to the Apostles to be one of their vocalists. They invited me to an audition. I showed up on the agreed date. They were all on stage looking at me and I almost got intimited. I remembered that I started to play the keyboard from age four, and that there was nothing to fear. I knew that I belonged to the industry, but only needed to explore where to start the career. The Apostles' band leader Walton Arungwa, asked me which of their songs that I would feel comfortable singing. I told them "She's A Dropout". They played the song, and I vocalized it perfectly well. They complimented me and said that they would get in touch with me. They never hired me to join their band. What they did much later was to come to my house to pick me up whenever Benji (their organist) was away. I did some tours with them to places like Warri, Port Harcourt, etc.

Do you remember "Everyday when I question, and feel I can't find the answer, I don't know what to do, Oh yeah, one-more-time, everyday when I question, and feel I can't find the answer I don't know what to do, Oh yeah." That is a popular chorus in Tex Soul's hit song. Tex Soul also sang, "You'll make it someday (someday), someday in your life" (Sure, you will remember this.

Down, down the valley by the Apostles was one of the most powerful songs of our time. Remember "She's A Dropout". I cannot stop loving Apostles' songs. What about the Wings during the days of Spud Nathan? Manford Best was my favorite song writer. Spud was my favorite singer. Both of them wrote and sang songs that would make you cry. I memorized many of their songs. If I have anything good to do for somebody, I'll do it for Manford Best for very special reasons.