The setting of the show was regal. Only few guests could resist the allure of watching a fusion of different generations of music. With a saxophonist, a rapper and an iconic juju musician billed to thrill guests, many were positively anxious to see what such a premium assemblage would deliver in such an alluring ambience.
Indeed, the performers did not disappoint the guests who looked every inch delectable in their gorgeous attires. The concert paraded the legend, Commander Ebenezer Obey and the duo of talented M.I Abaga and Yemi Sax. Continue...
First to mount the stage was the Grand Commander, Chief Ebenezer Obey. He started the evening with a song that paid tribute to God titled Iba lo ye kase and gave the audience the rare privilege of requesting for any of his favourite songs which he promptly rendered to their delight. Without betraying the slightest sign of old age, Obey took total control of the stage right from the first string of the guitar cord. Moved by the classic rendition, significant members of the audience could not hold the urge to dance.
As he rendered his timeless and enduring evergreen songs, it was all too evident, how he has been able to hold Nigeria and, indeed, the world spellbound with his music over the years.
The evangelist also took time out to spice up his performance with some anecdotes.
Dreadlocked Yemi Sax, garbed in a white caftan was the next to thrill the audience with his dexterity on the saxophone. He reeled out tunes of the “old school” with the backing tracks by the D.J. to the delight of the audience.
MI was at his vintage best that night as he dished out hits of contemporary flavor. The concert audience, an admixture of different generations, brought together by their love for music, danced and sang along with Mr Incredible who mesmerised all with his stagecraft.
By the time MI left the stage, guests were already in another realm of musical bliss.
The highpoint of the event was the collaboration by Chief Obey and the two younger artistes, M.I. and Yemi Sax whom Obey described as his children.
They performed together to the immense admiration of the crowd. Obey led the way with two of his evergreen tracks Ore mi e se pelepele and Olomi gbo temi with M.I. emblazoning his signature into the two songs. Yemi Sax also jazzed up the tunes with his saxophone. Their performances drew spontaneous burst of applause.
The show was aptly anchored by two foremost, resourceful comedians, Gbenga Adeyinka and Okey Bakassi. They laced the show with rib cracking jokes.
Chief Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi who got a standing ovation from the appreciative crowd, thanked Globacom for the great honour done to him by being the first Nigerian artiste to be featured on the Glo Evergreen Series platform.
He commended the Chairman of Globacom for conferring the epithet of Great Commander on him. While fielding questions from journalists at the event, he described Globacom "as the greatest supporter of Nigerian entertainment industry. He noted that the Glo Evergreen Series will take African music to the greatest height."
In the documentary screened at the event, the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola commended Chief Fabiyi for his giant strides in the music industry. He said that he is a big fan of the juju maestro, and remarked that he uses Obey's music and the philosophies espoused in his music to brush up his proficiency in Yoruba language.
Also commenting, the Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun described Obey as a musical icon and a worthy ambassador of Ogun State who had brought great honour and fame to the State in particular and Nigeria in general.
Similarly, the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo went down memory lane to recount how one of Obey's songs brought nostalgic feelings of home to him when he was on tour of duty in Zaria. The Osile of Oke Ona, Oba Dr Adedapo Tejuosho thanked Chief Obey Fabiyi for popularising Teju Foams in the seventies and described him as a quintessential Cultural ambassador whose prolific repertoire of music has dignified a lot of Nigerians.
"I can't imagine missing this show. This is one of the best concerts I have attended in ages. Kudos to Glo for bringing such a unique experience to us live," a member of the audience, Mr Kolawole Adedeji, a Lagos-based public relations consultant commented after the show. The show was attended by over 100 managing directors including the MDs of First Bank, Guinness, Nigerian Breweries, and Arik.
Speaking on his experience at the event , Mr. Ahmed Ibraheem, Marketing Manager with Oak Oils said "this night will surely remain evergreen in my memory. I dare say that it's a world-class event. I totally enjoyed myself; kudos to Globacom for coming up with this world-class entertainment."
And so the night ended, but with intense expectation for more concerts in the series. "We can't wait!" Mrs. Idowu Abdulahi, CEO of Lagos based Hinterland Consultants said.
Globacom's Head of Post Paid Sale, Mr. Kamaldeen Shonibare described the first Glo Evergreen Series as "a memorable night." He described it as "a new concept from Globacom which serves the dual purpose of celebrating the icons of Nigerian and African music on the one hand, and our highly valued post-paid subscribers on the other hand.”
Shonibare added that Globacom, through the evergreen series, will continue to create synergy between African music legends and contemporary artistes to further help develop Africa's music industry.
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