Lagos — The 90's did not only inflict political crises on the nation, the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election believed to have been won by the late international businessman Alhaji MKO Abiola drove the nail into the coffin of many businesses. At the time of the election, international music labels like Polygram, EMI and Sony were thriving in the country, but the protracted political problems during which period Nigeria became a pariah state, kept at an arm's lent by many self-respecting nations, sent them scampering out of the country.

Till date, no international label has made any re-entry into the country. Consequently, the music industry is still on its knees. Other factors that have contributed to the prostrate state of the industry include lack of interest and investment from financial institutions, the debilitating incidence of piracy, and the absence of organized structures to sustain the industry. Recently, a coalition of stakeholders in the music industry met at the Protea Hotel on Isaac John Street, GRA-Ikeja, Lagos. They expressed their fears concerning the unsatisfactory state of the music industry. Many of the leading figures in the coalition are musicians who hit the limelight in the 1980s. Unfortunately, a number of prevailing circumstances led to a bad turn in what was once a rollicking era. They also froze the sweet melodies of the preceding decade. Shaka Momodu and Nseobong Okon-Ekong write

Majek Fashek sent down the rain. The Mandators criticized the system with their Rat Race. Ras Kimono came with his Under Pressure. Oritiz Wiliki lamented the loss of direction in society with his Fight This Fire. At the height of his popularity, Majek left Nigeria for America, supposedly to honour a contract with an American label. This arrangement didn't quite work out. Many years after, Charles Novia's November Records surprised Nigerians by releasing a Majek album, 'Little Patience' in 2006. This created a longing for him. The following he was the THISDAY Music Festival, but he was a big flop. The viccissitudes of life and excesses adduced to his personal lifestyle had reduced him to a shadow of his former self. Today, Majek is still around in Lagos, unable to pick back the broken pieces of his career.

Dele Abiodun, put up a monumental fight for the office of the President of the Performing Musicians Employers Association (PMAN) for about five years. His doggedness paid as the headship of the association was handed over to him in two months ago. The Adawa Super King still maintains good contacts with his fans. Sometimes when King Sunny Ade is not able to honour an engagement, Abiodun is always happy to stand in.

Salawa Abeni still retains her home in Magodo. Abeni suffered an emotional setback in a love-gone-sour relationship. She has not quite recovered. These days she operates more as a trader. She has since stopped to be active in music.

Ayinde Barrister made a lot of money while the going was good. Much of these was put into real estate. This provides a fall back for him, apart from still performing at the social engagements of his loyal fans. He is believed to own several houses all over Lagos and Ibadan.

Ayinla Kolinton since his house got burnt and he separated from his former wife, Salawa Abeni, things have not been the same again. He tried to make a come back with an album that did not do well in the market.

Stella Monye who entered a plea for a forthright husband, while warning mischief makers to keep clear from her man in her debut album, 'Mr. Wright'appears to have found favour with government functionaries. She has been privileged to perform at goernemtn functions in Lagos and Ogun states; and she is also making in-roads into Edo and Delta states. After her sojourn at Guranga Foundation, she re-emerged with a new album, 'Outburst' which was launched last December. She is trying to shoot the video of some of the tracks and to promote the album. Meanwhile, Stella who has a Degree in Theatre Arts from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) is also trying to take up acting roles on stage and television. She has surprised many of her friends by starting a new clothing line for men called 'Samba Wears'. She is also sourcing for 1000 ladies that she can take off the street to constitute a vocal power that will perform at charity shows.

Bongos Ikwe was known to be in Lagos last year to complete work on his album. Bongos who is trained as an architect appears to spend more time these, since he relocated to Benue conceptualising official and residential accommodation.

Sonny Okosuns was a one-man riot squad questioning the audacity of the perpetrators of apartheid. He wanted to know who owns Papa's Land. Before his death last year, Okosuns had effectively disengaged from music. His last performance at the NICON Luxury Hotel in Abuja was a for a South African NGO campaigning against violence in politics. He paid more attention to his Christian ministry as the General Overseer of the House of Prayer for all Nations Church, Ogba-Lagos.

Esse Agese the beginning and the end of her artistic career of this 'Familiar Stranger' is tied to her former husband, Kingsley Ogoro. He is the one who gave life to her career. He isalso the one who destroyed it. Since their separation, Esse has tried to do a gospel album that did not add up.

Dora Ifudu's exit from music is another unfortunate instance of love-gone-sour. Once her relationship crumbled, first, she travelled abroad. On her return to Nigeria, she abandoned music completely and paid more attention to her talent in sculpturing. She now lives in Anambra.

Oby Onyioha went back to England after her relationship with her Nigerian lover failed. She still lives there.

Chris Okotie who reminded us of how much we needed good company with I Need Some One is now a Pastor whose church, Household of God Church commands a large congreagation of young upwardly mobile people. Okotie has ventured in and out of politics and continues to touch many lives through his charity works.

FELIX LEBARTY presented a confused personality for a season. He became a Moslem and renounced the faith. Today, he is a pastor. After growing his church in Benin City to a sizeablecongregation he has opened a branch in Lagos at the former premises of Tabansi Records along Kudirat Abiola Road, Oregun in Lagos. Edward Inyang (aka Blackky) came with Rosey. Although, he has released two albums this decade, they did not quite carry the bang of past works. Today, Blackky musical career is alive mainly through patronage from the Cross River state government.

Mike Okri stormed the stage with Omoge. Since he relocated to the US, he has only done one collabo with some upcoming artistes. Whatever he is doing in the US is a pole apart from music.

EVI-Edna Ogoli who sang about the evils of Jealousy left her husband and producer, Emma Ogosi and went to Ghana with the hope to relaunch her career there and then come back home. She used Ghana as a base to tour West Africa.She is believed to be in France with her Lebanese friend.

Shina Peters caused a national frenzy with Ace. It is a little over 20 years now since Shina, one-half of what used to be known as Shina-Adewale ventured broke loose to pursue a solo career. He was a huge success. Shina still performs at social engagements of his die-hard fans, one of such was at the funeral of Prince Ekperi Obaigbena, father of the Chairman/Publisher of the THISDAY group. Shina was a delight to watch at the burial at Agbor.

Bright Chimezie, better known as, Okoro Junior veered away from music to pursue a career in acting for a season. He was given very prominent roles. Upon his return to music, the former staff of the Nigerian Customs Service re-located to Umuahia, where he still lives and performs at hotels.

The list is endless. But it all points to one thing: A pack of musicians whose shadows have either grown less or disappeared completely. These were the musicians who took the nation by storm in the 80s.

The principal genres of the age were Raggae, Afro and Pop. The reggae sector threw up the Fasheks, the Mandators, the Wilikis, and Kimonos, the Blackkys and the Peterside Ottongs. The Okris, the Okoties, Okri welded Afro with Pop to produce his master hit. "Omoge". Shina Peters, in turn, fused Afro with juju to lure the nation to the dance floor.

With these talented men and women of the 80s, the entertainment industry was set aglow and social life agog in the beauty and bloom of creative artistry.

But suddenly, and without notice, there was drift or halt to creative singing, precipitated by what some have called "a lost inspirational connecting chord to nature". Lost in an environment of submerged creativity and economic difficulties, the talented men and women that kept the social stage alive, suddenly discovered they had lost the art or so it seems and decided it was time to quit the stage and off they went. And since their exit, a seeming decline has set in, in terms of quality of songs churned out to a seemingly disinterested public who appear too burdened with shrinking economic fortune that has become their lot.

But that depends on what side of the argument you belong. Emma Ogosi, producer, solo artiste, guitarist and First Vice President of the Performing Musicians Employers Association (PMAN) believes that lyrics coming from Nigerian musicians who are currently in the limelight are marvelous. Ogosi is often remembered for producing a string of hit reggae songs for his former wife, Evi Edna. He minced no words about his choices. According to him, his obvious favourite is Tuface Idibia, "but I like Faze a lot. He is a consummate musician. He comports himself, as far as I can see. He knows how to write good lyrics. He sings well and he is a good performer on stage."

Ogosi was very elaborate in his assessment of the situation. "Every generation deserves what it gets. This generation is no exception. When I was younger my father who loved music a lot used to listen to highlife and the Blues of his time, which was very laughable to me. It is a natural thing. It is like fashion, it keeps changing. Time changes everything. It is wrong for us to compare this generation of musicians to those of our time. There is no basis for comparison. Our period is different from theirs, but I must add that they are doing well. It breaks my heart to see that the industry is not well structured for everyone to reap the benefit. From his recording studio in Asaba, Ogosi has been working hard to push another record into the market. "There is time for everything. The situation in the country is not conducive and I think it also depends on how you get your vibes. I think the younger ones are doing what we had done. We are here to be sure that the end is better for them than it was for us."

Nigerians only now have a feeling of nostalgia about their performances, and the memory of their time to talk about. And they are wondering, what happened? Where did things go wrong? What happened to the melody-makers that kept social life alive? Or did the social problems of the intervening years prove too much for them to handle? Or was theirs just a momentary spark fired by mere pecuniary expectations?

Ras Kimono who only returned to the country last year after spending close to seven years in the US does not think so. "I have stuck to my guns over the years. I don't care what the situation is, my genre is reggae and I am not about to change. There are some of my colleagues who started out as reggae musicians today they are into hip-hop, pop and gospel. I had to leave the country because the music industry collapsed between 1998 and 2000. There were no record companies, no concerts and that is why we had to step aside and 'run fi cover'. We knew we were going to come back and we are back again. Any where I go, people come all around me. I am surprised. I thought that after all these years, the people would have forgotten me. I don't go out in the day time. I go out at night. The people love reggae and I see there is nobody to give them the kind of reggae they are used to." Kimono's last album was titled 'Still I Arise' released in 2003.

The late Bode Osanyin, who was a senior lecturer with the Department of Creative Arts, University of Lagos had once remarked that the so called musical triumph of the 80s was not destined to last. "Popular music is a vogue that is transient and has to do with contemporary times. Since they are not classical music, they can not be permanent. They are light music that appeal only to the times - so they fizzle out afterwards" he went further; "some tracks can however remain evergreen but only a very few can achieve this feat".

Tracing the origin of the creativity of the 80s, Mr. Osanyin said that: "well Festac 77 fired the black consciousness which was probably still fresh in minds of the people, coupled with the fact that the 80s had a measure stability. But in the 90s, Nigerian were traumatized, the social disruptions were enormous. The social/political problems arising from June 12 annulment and the general economic decline of the Nigerian state under military rule did not encourage creativity- inspiration as you know doesn't thrive in a turbulent environment. And according to Williams Wordsworths "poetry is a powerful emotion recollected in tranquility".

He argued further, "And again, some went into the use of drugs. I tell you, some actually got inspired by using drugs, only for a while, but it does not last, soon they are shattered and destroyed. They lost strength, lost stamina, lost focus and became withdrawn. Some may be lucky to last long, only a very few, but that depends largely on their individual inner strength". But despite this, Osanyin will not agree that music has declined "I will not actually see it as decline, it is more off change. Creative artistes of today are few and far between unlike in the 80s when they were quite many. Things are far away are looked at with the feeling of nostalgia, there is the tendency to hold things of the past dear. Having said that, we can still say that the 80s were far ahead in terms of quality of creativity".

Music, he argued, is supposed to "outlive the musician - but sometimes the music and the musician grow together in the consciousness of the people. For instance, Fela and Bob Marley. You can't talk about their songs without talking about them. And then of course some musicians suddenly vied into gospel songs probably because they felt it was the new attraction that fetches more money."

Mr. Richard Ikediashi, a theatre Artiste, largely shares Osanyin's sentiments; "The general social and economic conditions prevailing in the country are responsible for what seem to be dearth of talents. It is a common saying that necessity is the mother creativity. There is a general decline in all aspect of life, so it is not restricted to the art word". Art basically, he went on "is a reflection of the existing features of a people at a particular point in time. There is no way you can compare those of the 80s and now not with all the computer around to do almost everything for you. We were much closer to nature I.K Dairo produced a song in the 60s which has been re-done today and remained evergreen in the minds of the people who were not even born when it was first done".

Dr. Adelaja Jones, a music expert, adopts a theoretical approach in the analysis of the situation. "As far as music is concerned, there is a scientific theoretical angle to it. It is what I have called tradition and innovation in the process that shapes the conceptual direction. (1) You have continuity and stability. (2) You have change and development. Continuity and stability depend on the effectiveness of the processes of cultural transmission of opportunities and changes.

"It also depends on successive generation's eagerness to use and improve what was passed on to them. The second one is growth and development. It implies extension of resources structure and form in music. This is what leads to innovation.

"Musicians of the 80s did not quite understand the model that was passed on to them and so they developed it up to a level but did not bring innovativeness into it and then faded out. The ones of today really don't have any model to follow.

Other factors played a role, as money became stabilizing factor, piracy of music and the general social political tension in the system all affected the quality of songs produced".

A music critic, late Steve Rhodes, once remarked that the bane of the music industry is the indolence of the musicians. In Glimpse of our Stars written by Oji Onoko, Rhodes sees "the Nigerian musician as lazy. He wants to copy something else. That way, he does not have to think. He wants to be anything but what he is" vibrancy, he says can only return to Nigerian music when the performer understands that he himself has an obligation to his art and to his identity. "Until such a time, it's not going to come", he summed up.

For Suleman Momoh, Art Director, 141 Worldwide, Lagos, there is no more market for musicians of the 80s: "people are no longer interested in reggae; especially the youths of today who as you know are the ultimate target. They are more inclined to western music- R & B, Hip pop, Rap. To be frank, the reggae that was in vogue in the 80s is truly past. People are just tired of all that."

Whether we still have good musicians with what we had in the 80s, he said: "it is not that we don't have good musicians, we have, but the percentage is small compared to the 80s. Computer has affected everything not just the art. Now you have re-mix and all that. It may not be pleasant to those who are used to music of the 80s. But whether it is pleasant to them or not, it is the age we are in. I fully agree with the view that our musicians have lost originality. All they really do these days is to fall back to creative work of the 70s & 80s and re-do them in the hope that they will naturally stimulate a nostalgia feeling in the people strong enough to make them want to buy. It is a sort of marketing strategy. That again is to tell you how good those of the 80s were".

But another respondent who prefers anonymity: "our musicians get fulfilled all too soon with just one or two albums. They feel they have achieved all that there is to achieve and nothing more, but they always forget that fulfillment in career like music requires more than releasing one or two albums. So, they just fade out of the stage. Musicians apart from being entertainers are supposed to be philosophers with a clear and distinct message. We don't have such people around anymore; the stage is so empty now. Most of the people on the stage now sing rubbish just to make money. That's all".

Musician, broadcaster and actress, Onyeka Onwenu thinks the seeming lack of depth in the lyrics of some of reigning musicians today has to do with "youthful exuberance. Give them a few more years and maturity will begin to catch up with them. Many of them are enjoying the pioneering sacrifice that some of us did. I did not earn one kobo from my album, 'One Love'. The reason it appears that some of the artistes of my time are living on oblivion is because many of them do not have the wherewhital to re-invent themselves and they did not invest in anything that could sustain them. If there is no money coming in from album sales and no live shows, the artiste has no business remaining in music."

Many are agreed that in the 80s people still had extra to buy music but the 90s radicalized Nigerians and paupers them so much, that their major pre-occupation is survival. Economic fortunes shrank as SAP took its toll.

The 90s have been described by some as a "tumultuous decade" for Nigerians. Certainly not a good time for music.