Who is Nico Mbarga? - by Ugochukwu Asiogu

It would be very unsurprising that not everyone reading this piece knows anything about the above-mentioned name. In fact, if we were to take a vote count to ascertain the number of Nigerians, especially young people,that know or have heard about the name lately, one may be shocked with the outcome at the end of the exercise. As sad as it is that many Nigerians are bereft of their history, it becomes even more worrisome that most of us have lost sense of our people, important personalities who have contributed significantly to national development especially through entertainment Anyways, I am sure that even if many of us do not know Nico Mbarga, at least, we must have at some point in time gotten acquainted with his legacy - Africa's biggest Anthem - SWEET MOTHER recorded in 1976. Yes, I understand that many of us including myself was not born at the time this hit song was recorded, but at least, for the sake of knowledge and zeal to understanding Nigerian peoples and society, there is need for us to know. Born in January 1, 1950 to a Cameroonian father and Nigerian mother, Prince Nico Mbarga as he was fondly called was yet another 'baddest" blade and promising artiste of the age. His knowledge and experience of his national identities aided his dexterity and uniqueness at producing and delivering good music. Prince Nico played musical instruments such as xylophone, bass guitar, electric guitar, conga, and drums. His first shot at music started in his school days when he played in the school band and he made his professional debut as a member of a hotel band known as - Melody Orchestra, in the 1970s. It is quite interesting to say that Prince Nico Mbarga played a very crucial role in the emergence of African popular music. This is evident with his creation of a special hybrid of Nigerian and Congolese guitar - a development that aided the uplifting of highlife rhythms. The Sweet Mother Crooner formed his own group which he called Rocafill Jazz and they performed regularly at the plaza hotel in Onitsha long even before their hit song in 1976. It is on record that after releasing a disappointing single in 1973, Prince Nico Mbarga and his group had their first success with the single " I no go marry my papa," which was on the top chart of top songs in Nigeria as at that time. Be it as it may, the music band's inability to break through its local reach and audience caused EMI, a British International Conglomerate, to drop its contract with the group. But with Rocafill Jazz's merger with Rogers All Stars, a Nigerian recording company based in Onitsha, things turned around for good once more. This collaboration also facilitated the recording of "Sweet Mother," in 1976 which sold more than thirteen million copies. In the six years (1975 - 1981) that both band groups worked together, they recorded nine albums filled with good, interesting and entertaining songs. However, just as expected in every other band group, Prince Nico Mbarga separated with his original crew members at Rocafill Jazz possibly because of ego, greed, negligence of group effort and the likes. Unfortunately, despite the fact that he later formed a new team in his band, they did not match up with what the band used to represent. Prince Nico Mbarga later quit music and rather focused his attention to managing his four star hotel "Sweet Mother Hotel" at Ikom, Cross Rivers State, Nigeria. Prince Nico died in a motorcycle accident on June 23, 1997 in Calabar as he tried to purchase spare parts for his car along Mayne Avenue Road. He is survived by nine children and reality is, as he never forgot Mama Africa , his Sweet Mother, we will never forget him. Though he is dead, his legacy will continue to live.

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