CELESTINE UKWU & HIS PHILOSOPHERS NATIONAL
Most Nigerian pop stars adopt or acquire titles like King, Sir, Lord, Cardinal, etc, but the great Celestine Ukwu was happy to be a humble Professor and his band had the poetic name of the Philosophers. Ukwu began his career in the 1960s in Enugu, capital of the Eastern Region of Nigeria under Mike Ejeagha. He moved back to Onitsha where he formed the Music Royals, but the Biafran war put an end to their career in 1967. After the war he resurrected the band in the early 70s as the Philosophers National. Tragically Celestine Ukwu died in a car crash in 1979, not yet forty.He was soft-spoken and gentle and this is reflected in his music, which is softer and more laid-back than most Igbo highlife. He featured piano and pedal steel guitar. His eleven-piece band truly was philosophical as their songs dealt with social evils and the need for peace.
"Igede," his smash hit from 1971, based on Igbo folklore, has all the earmarks of post-colonial Nigerian Highlife (music for those who could afford a good time): guitar, killer percussion, and an out-of-tune piano, but it has a relentless groove that sticks. While "Part One" of this classic of Nigerian danceband highlife can be found on the Flame Tree compilation, the original album (HIS PHILOSOPHIES, released posthumously in 1982 on Polydor from Lagos) features a second version of the song ("Part Two") that further deconstructs the melody. A muted trumpet with a wah-wah sound mocks the vocals as the hand-drums rattle in complex concordance. It's a sparkling, poetic track that will always conjur up the good times.
His album ILO ABU CHI from 1974 contained "Elege," "Ejina Uwa nya isi (Don't be arrogant)", "Uwem ereri mbot emi (No rest 'til Death)", "Nwa anyi egbuna anyi (We should not kill ourselves)", and "Okwukwe na nchekwube (Faith and trust)", all of which are included on the Flametree GREATEST HITS CD. "Ije enu (Life)", which leads off that compilation, is drawn from the album HIS PHILOSOPHIES, posthumously issued on Polydor, along with "Osondu (Escape from Death)." But, despite the title, this is not his greatest hits, just a slice of his great music. Missing here most notably is "Money Palaver," one of his big hits. But now the Flametree album (which needed work to remaster the sound) is out of print, as are the later Premier Music of Lagos CD reissues, it's time for some enterprising label to do the definitive boxed set.
[TRUE PHILOSOPHY] (Philips Nigeria 6361 009) 1971
[titled on disc but not on sleeve]
A1. Igede pt I
2. Uso Ndu
3. Onwunwa
4. Ife si na chi
5. Ije Enu
B1. Ilo Oyi
2. Uwa bu Olili
3. Onye akwana uwa
4. Onwu bu ugwo
5. Akwa ana ebe l'ego
TOMORROW IS SO UNCERTAIN (Philips Nigeria 6361 048) 1973
A1. Tomorrow is So Uncertain2. Ndu Bulu Ililo
B1. Uche Chukwuma
2. Man Proposes and God Disposes
ILO ABU CHI (Philips Nigeria 6361 058) 1974
A1. Elege2. Ejina uwa nya isi
3. Obialu be onye abiagbunia
4. Okwukwe na nchekwube
B1. Mma anyi egbuna anyi
2. Mmefie adiro mgbayalu ama di
3. Uwem ereri mbot emi
4. Ilo abu chi
NDU KA AKA (Philips Nigeria 6361 075) 1975
A1. Ndu ka Aka
2. Ego Eju Aka
3. Onwu Ama Eze
B1. Ebemi
2. Ife Uwa Adi Agwuagwu
3. Chi Ji Oke
EJIM NKE ONYE (Philips Nigeria 6361 111) 1975
A1. Ejim nke onye
2. Ima echi
B1. Ome ife Jide Ofo Pt 1
2. Asili
On CD from Premier Music
IGEDE FANTASIA (Philips [Nigeria] PolyGram Records [PL] 6361 159) 1976
A1. Jisie Ike
2. Omeife Jide Ofor (Pt 2)
B1. Grade by Grade
2. Money Palava
HIS PHILOSOPHIES (PolyGram POLP093) ca. 1983
A1. Obialu be onye Abiagbunia
2. Uwem Ereri Mbot Emi (Traditional Efik song)
3. Ije Enu (His first big hit)
4. Igede pt II
B1. Uso Ndu
2. Money Palava
3. Elege
-- A posthumous greatest hits compilation, n.d., with a cover signed by Ghariokwu Lemi 28-8-83
CDs:
GREATEST HITS (Flame Tree African Classics FLTRCD532)
tracks from True philosophy and Ilo abu chi(Timbuktu Records London, 1997, reissue of Premier Records 1973 LP)
1. Ije Enu
2. Osondu
3. Ejina uwa nya isi
4. Igbo Abuchi
5. Uwem eberi mbot emi
6. Nma anyi egbuna anyi
7. Okwukwe na nchekwube
8. Elege
9. Igede
10. Onmwunwa
11. Ife Sina Chi
Celestine Ukwu & his Philosophers National: The Best Collection Vol. 1 (CD; Premier Music [Lagos] PMCD 011) 2001
reissue of True philosophyIgede Pt. 1
Uso Ndu
Onwunwa
Ife Sina Chi
Ije Enu
Ilo Oyi
Uwa Bu Olili
Onye Akwana Uwa
Onwu Bu Ugwo
Akwa Ana Ebe L'ego
Celestine Ukwu: Best Collection Vol. 2 (CD; Premier Music [Lagos] PMCD) 2001?
1. Grade By Grade 11:09
2. Money Palava 07:56
3. Jisie Ike 10:10
4. Ome Ife Jide Ofor (Part II) 07:11
5. Ejim Nke Onye 12:45
6. Ima Chi 07:24
Celestine Ukwu: Best Collection Vol. 3 (CD; Premier Music [Lagos] PMCD 017) 2002
[A reissue of NDU KA AKU with added track]Ndu Ka Aku
Ego Eju Aka
Onwu Ama Eze
Ebemi
Ife Uwa Adi Agwu Agwu
Chi Ji Oke
Omo Ife Jide Ofor Asili
Celestine Ukwu & his Philosophers National: Best Collection Vol. 4 (CD; Premier Music [Lagos] KMCD 018) 2004
ElegeEjina Uwa Nya Isi
Obialu be Onye Abiagbunia Okwu
Na Nchekwube
Mma Anyi Egbuna Anyi
Mmefie Adiro Mgbayalu
Ama Di
COMPILATIONS
Celestine Ukwu leads off the Rough Guide to Highlife, compiled by Graeme Ewens, with "Igede Pt 1". This was released in 2003. In 2006 Martin Sinnock included him on the Rough Guide to West African Gold, where he is represented with "Ife si na chi," also taken from the IGEDE album.
AFRICAN MUSIC (Vertigo [i.e. Phonogram Holland] 814 480-1) 1983
Ekassa 24: Sir Victor Uwaifo & His Melody Maestros
Obiako Nnwani: Gentleman Mike Ejeagha & His Premier Dance Band
Onu Kwulunjo: Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe
Five days a week love: Victor Uwaifo & the Titibitis
Ewa: Dr Victor Olaiya
Tamuno bo ibro ma: Cardinal Rex Lawson & His Majors Band of Nigeria
[B]:
Odindu Nyuliba: Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe & His Nigeria Soundmakers International
Let them say: Prince Nico Mbarga
Igede: Celestine Ukwu & His Philosophers National
Mo fe mu'yan: Dr Victor Olaiya & his International Stars Band
Ndito Isong Emana Nyin: Martha Ulaeto
-- One of the strongest compilations of Nigerian music ever issued.
Various Artists: High Life Kings Vol. 1 (CD; Premier Music [Lagos] KMCD 01) 2002?
Osondi Owendi (Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe)
Onye Uri Ubata (Mike Ejeagha)
Igede (Celestine Ukwu)
Usondu (Celestine Ukwu)
Bere Bote (Rex Lawson)
Omo Pupa (Dr. Victor Olaiya)
Joromi (Sir Victor Uwaifo)
Kwue Nkenyi (Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe)
Anate (Rex Lawson)
Okwudili (Paulson Kalu)
Ugwu Onyirika Watu (Paulson Kalu)
Sanmari Adugbo (Wuru Fadaka)
Various Artists: The Kings of Highlife (CD; Wrasse Records, UK WRASS 097) 2003?
Guitar Boy (Sir Victor Uwaifo)
Makojo (Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe)
Joromi (Sir Victor Uwaifo)
Omo Pupa (Dr. Victor Olaiya)
Osondi Owendi (Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe)
Anate (Sir Rex Jim Lawson)
Okwudili (Paulson Kalu)
Sanmari Adugbo (Wura Fadaka)
Esonta (Chief Inyang Henshaw)
Ikpechakwa A-Akem Kpee (Gentle Man Ejeagha)
Igede (Celestine Ukwu)
Bere Bote (Sir Rex Jim Lawson)
Usondu (Celestine Ukwu)
So Fun Mi (Dr. Victor Olaiya)
--An abbreviated version of the 2-volume Premier Records set High Life Kings (above).
Send additions/corrections to "contact [at] muzikifan [dot] com"
Special thanks to my New York posse, Gilbert & Dr Chris!!