National Daily

Ikemba Oliver De Coque: The life and demise of a Highlife King

RECENTLY, news of the sudden death of one of Nigeria’s and Africa's great musicians, Chief Oliver De Coque came with rude shock, awe and an incomprehensible deep sense of loss that left many music lovers around the world devastated.

What makes the sad news totally depressing was that it came at a time when the Nigerian music circle was still mourning the deaths of not one or two but three music makers of repute yet to be committed to mother earth. The serial death of seasoned musicians who have become masters, teachers and producers of sweet and soothing melodies in Nigeria has left many wondering over the plaque tracking the nation's crop of seasoned peace and goodwill ambassadors.

Starting from last year with the death of Sir Stephen Osita Osadebe in the United States (U.S); the successive demise include that of Ozzidi King, Evangelist Sunny Okusuns also in the U.S; Raga star, Sammy Needle Pa Steve Rhodes and the most recent, the King of Highlife and Ikemba of Ezinifite, Chief Oliver the Coque who had over the years distinguished himself as a music minstrel. All these tend to suggest that an unexplainable jinx as befallen the music industry in Nigeria. No doubt Nigeria has lost an appreciable flavour with regards to experience and delivery of traditional lyrical intellect, outstanding composure, original and meaningful messages that these musicians symbolized.

But one solace that will remain with the many fans of good music left behind by the departed icons, even in the face of these dark days, will be their sonorous voices and numerous hit songs which no doubt is the legacy they have left in the memories of many.
Chief Oliver De Coque visibly left an unblemished mark in the sands of the Nigeria music time, a space that may be hard to fill and an exemplary life worthy of emulation for young musicians who seek nothing but excellence in their career.
Born in 1948 as Oliver Sunday Akanite in Ezinifite in Nnewi South Local Government of Anambra State, young Oliver started his education at St. Simon Central School and later proceeded to Niger Institute of Commerce in Aba where he studied English, Book Keeping g and Accountancy. From there he passed the Royal Society of Arts examination.

He started his music career at the age of 17 in 1965 which coincidentally was when the grooming of his symbolic beards; a feature that would later become a trademark of sort commenced. His foray into music started with a typical style of music called Ekpili which he played with a friend called Alexander Emelumonye. The duo played under the name Oliver and his Co-Singers band featured during the weekend on Channel 4 of the Nigerian Television Authority in Ogbor Hill Aba. Then, Oliver was not a full time musician as he went into shoe trading.

Two years after he went into music, the civil war of 1967 started and young Oliver then 19 and was ripe for conscription into the Biafran army. He left the commercial city of Aba back to his hometown to join the army but not as soldier. In one of his interviews, Oliver recalls that his job was to entertain Biafran soldiers.

“I came back home to join the army but I did not join as a soldier but I was playing for music for the soldiers and entertaining them. I went round the camps with my music and went to Otuocha, Omoku, Igbariam and so many other places.”
Being a lucky survivors of the war, Oliver went back to Aba to pick the pieces of his life back after the almost four years of fighting. While searching for a job, he came across a friend, Obed Okoroafor who hailed form Mbaise in Imo State who was good at playing the conga. Being a guitarist having learnt from the great Congolese guitarist, Piccolo, Eupraim Udo from Cross River Sate and one Paul Odogwu from Onitsha, Oliver's passion and calling for music made him start taking music seriously.
“I was a good guitarist and vocalist while Obed was good with the conga, I decided to stop local music entirely and look for something bigger than Ekpili music. So both of us started looking for what to do about our music,” he recalled.
The first band Oliver joined at the age of 22 having gotten married two years earlier was called Sunny Agaga and his Lucky Band that came to perform at Aba from Lagos.

His boldness and courage pushed him to approach the band leader, Sunny Agaga to request that he allows them to feature with them. After the show, he got automatic employment from the band which meant that he would relocate with the band to their base in Lagos. His friend Obed wasn't that lucky but being someone who loved to carry friend along, he pleaded on behalf of his friend to be equally employed, a request which was granted.

That saw him coming to Lagos for the first time where he saw civilization that marvelled him owing to the fact that the eastern part of the country was in bad shape after the war.
“I had never been to Lagos before and when we arrived I saw electricity everywhere even on the streets,” he remembered. He came to Aba as Oliver Sunday Akanite but left for Lagos with the Oliver De Coque identity that for long got many doubting whether he was Nigerian.

“It was while I started playing Ekpili music as Oliver and Company that fans that were crazy about my music started calling me Oliver the Coque.” That name was to metamorphose into a brand in Highlife music.
Arriving Lagos, Oliver De Coque's first abode was in Alara Street, Onike Yaba which was behind Queen's College where he soon discovered that the band was not as lucky when it came to shows.

“There was no show for about three weeks which got me worried. I had to move on as I saw the bans as not being business-like.”
His in search for a more coordinated and serious group paid off when he met Jacob Oluwole and his Friendly Unity Band based then at Oshodi.

The band got him an accommodation as well as welcomed him to join in the recording of an album entitled Agbassi which became an instant hit when it was released. But contrary to the name of the band, there were constant quarrels and fighting among the band members and being a perfect gentle man who despised trouble and sat not in the congregation of disunity, Oliver De Coque started planning leaving the group. His prayers were answered when he ran into another musician, Sule Agboola and his Moonlight Star Band who were preparing for a tour of Europe at the time then in 1973.

“They got me an international passport and visa and we left Nigeria on July 13 1973 to London where we performed only at weekends which gave me a chance to secure a part time job that earned me £80 a week.”

With his four months sojourn abroad, Oliver saved all his earnings and bought his first set of musical equipment which included two guitars, two amplifiers and a set of drums in preparation of establishing his won band. On returning to Nigeria, he informed the leader of the band of his intention to float his own group with a gentleman pledge to join in any show or recording the band might need his services.

Now independent as a musician, Oliver composed his first number entitled Messiah Messiah in 1974 along with another five tracks but then he needed a band.

“I approached Alhaji Olatunde Yusuf who was the chairman of Olumo Records Limited and requested for some money to do a talent hunt. I went round some nightclubs and picked some good musicians and rehearsed with them,” he recalled.
That started his famous band Oliver De Coque and his Expo 76, Ogene Super Sound of Africa which he started rehearsing with. On the last day of their rehearsals was the day the then Head of State, Gen. Murtala Muhammed was assassinated in a coup d'tat.

“I remember that day; people were running helter skelter and there was a curfew. In fact, that was what made that record very remarkable.”

The Messiah Messiah album sold 50 000 copies and became an instant hit. The success came with the controversy where Oliver de Coque hailed from; while some people argued he was from Cameroon or Congo, others believed he was a French man.
While the debate about his origin continued, Oliver De Coque was enjoying the success of his efforts.

“I bought three brand new vehicles and employed three drivers in one day. When I got to Benin on my way to the village, my people threw a party for me and my fans gathered; I played music for five hours. Then at Onitsha, those who had listened to the music were rejoicing when they saw me. On arrival at my village, it was jubilation everywhere.”

The second and third album where not hits but in 1979, Oliver De Coque came out with one of his greatest album, People's Club Ka Anyi Bili Be Ndu (People's Club Let us enjoy Ourselves) which sold two million copies and ended the controversy surrounding his origin due to the deep Igbo idioms and proverbs he laced the music with.
Identity came next and was a chart buster followed by Ugbana, Easter Special, Obele Nwa N'Amu Iri Enu which were all hits in the 80s.

The year 1990 saw another banger, Ana Enwe Obodo Enwe and Nnukwu Mmanwu and Bili Kam Bili in 1992.
With 86 albums to his credit, Oliver De Coque was crowned the King of Highlife in 1994 by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi who said that he had been following the musician's consistency in the Highlife genre of music. That same year saw him also been honoured by the University of New Orleans with a Doctorate degree as a Doctor of Letters in Music amongst many traditional titles that were bestowed on him by different people. His hometown deemed him qualified to be honoured with one of the highest chieftaincy titles in the land, Ikemba Ezinifite, which is a similar titled to the one bestowed on the Biafran Warlord, Col. Odumegwu Ojukwu (Rtd) whom he composed an album for when he returned from exile. What will be the last award he collected in person came recently at the Nigeria Music Awards held last month at Owerri, Imo State where he was honoured with a Life Time Achievement Awards for his contribution to the music industry.