LAGOS – Nigerian telecoms giant, Globacom, on Friday night at the Intercontinental Hotel, Lagos, celebrated legendary Juju musician and guitarist, King Sunny Ade (KSA), with a wonderful musical show.
It was at the second edition of the Glo Evergreen Series.
The event kicked-off 9 p.m. and ended in the early hours of Saturday.
It featured performances from KSA, D’banj, Yemi Sax and comedian, Gbenga Adeyinka as the Master of Ceremony.
KSA was dressed in light green matching attire with shiny silver embroideries to match.
With his 19-piece band including 10 female dancers, KSA performed some of his most popular tunes to the delight of the highly select audience.
He also performed a duet with D’banj while Yemi Sax thrilled the crowd with his saxophone of some of the best Nigerian tunes.
NAN reports that the event was strictly by invitation with no tickets sold.
The Managing Director of Globacom, Chief Mike Adenuga Jnr. paid tribute to Sunny Ade.
He said that the company felt “a deep sense of fulfillment and elation to celebrate one of the most colourful entertainers and guitar masters’ the African continent has ever produced.’’
Adenuga’s address was read at the occasion by Mr Kamal Shonibare the Head of Corporate and Post-Paid Unit at Glo.
“King Sunny Ade belongs to that rare gem of musical icons that over the years have not only churned out evergreen songs, but have also devoted their time to use music to teach generations about the virtues and values of life.
“He is indeed an evergreen King,’’ he said.
Adenuga disclosed that Glo intended to hold the series quarterly in different parts of the country with each edition featuring an “outstanding music legend’’.
He said that as a “true African brand, Globacom would continue to fulfill its promise of providing affordable telecom services to Nigerians and contributing its quota to the development of indigenous music.’’
In a pre-recorded speech beamed to the audience, KSA said that he went into music because it was his passion, adding that he wasn’t interested in nothing much else.
The legend said that he shortened his name to King Sunny Ade when he noticed the difficulty people, especially foreigners, had in pronouncing his full names -Sunday Ishola Adeniyi Adegeye.
He said that he followed the example of the leading stars of the time like IK Dairo to shorten his name.
KSA revealed that his second reason for shortening his name was to disguise it from his family who had sent him to school in Lagos and did not know that he had diverted to music.
“I didn’t want them to come to Lagos searching for me; I wanted to play my music,’’ he said.
KSA also spoke of his love for his “babies guitars’’ and that he owned more than 20 different ones.
Also speaking on the event, the Managing Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr Seni Adetu, said that music had contributed so much to the Nigerian economy.
“We are supporting this laudable effort from Glo because music means a lot to the Nigerians and we are a brand of the people,’’ he said.
On the sideline, a popular Fuji musician, Adewale Ayuba, described KSA a performer and “promoter of our culture’’.
He appealed to other corporate bodies to follow the example of Glo and support indigenous genres of music.
Also in attendance were some recognisable faces in the arts and entertainment industry.
They include Sammie Okposo, Desmond Elliot, Mudi, Okey Bakassi and Richard Mofe-Damijo, among others.
The ‘Glo Evergreen Series’ was launched last year to celebrate legendary Nigerian musicians with Commander Ebenezer Obey being the first to receive the honour. (NAN)
