A Nigerian Easter 2006

• Intro Easter Jam, N-Tyce, South London

  

  Following the Nigerian Independence weekend in October, the Easter weekend is the second most important season in the Nigerian entertainment calendar in London. The crème de la crème of Nigerian celebrities visited London for various events during Easter 2006.

• Laffs and Jamz, N-Tyce, South London

  

  For 'Laffs and Jamz', UK promoters Blacknights took the concept of combining stand-up comedy and music PAs, already popular in Nigeria, to the UK and they invited many well-known Nigerian comedians such as Basketmouth, I Go Die, Omo Baba and Klint D Drunk.

• Laffs and Jamz, N-Tyce, South London

  

  Comedian Basketmouth (right, pictured here with Femi Amusan of BEN TV) was the main compere of the night.

• Laffs and Jamz, N-Tyce, South London

  

  Stand-up comedy in Nigeria is a relatively new phenomenon currently taking the country by storm.  A lot of it is performed in Pidgin English, and the audience in London clearly loved it.

• Laffs and Jamz, N-Tyce, South London

  

  This was the first UK visit by Faze, member of the defunct Plantashun Boyz (which also included Blackface and 2-Face). His hit 'Faze Alone' is a heartfelt tune about the group's break-up. Faze believes a reunion can happen at some point, though right now his solo career comes first.

• Laffs and Jamz, N-Tyce, South London

  

  Tunde Babalola is part of Blacknights Entertainment, a team of Nigerian promoters and DJs that have been in the business for many years now putting on events aimed at the Nigerian community in London and abroad.

• Laffs and Jamz, N-Tyce, South London

  

  Dutch, one of the key members of Blacknights, is a DJ, MC/compere and a TV presenter.

• Laffs and Jamz, N-Tyce, South London

  

  Dutch presents the weekly entertainment show 'Knightflow' on BEN TV (Sky TV 148) together with Amour, pictured here, another member of Blacknights.

• Laffs and Jamz, N-Tyce, South London

  

  African China (left, pictured here pictured with Faze) is one of the most famous exponents of the Ajegunle sound, a type of Dancehall Reggae music that originated from Lagos’ ghettoes. This was his first time to the UK, and his performance was for many the highlights of the event.

• Laffs and Jamz, N-Tyce, South London

  

  From African China’s hit song 'Mr President': “We are the giant of Africa but it's hard to get a visa to Ghana ...Mr President, lead us well. If you're a governor, govern us well. If you're a senator, senate us well. If you're a policeman, police us well, don't take bribe.”

• Laffs and Jamz, N-Tyce, South London

  

  The audience went crazy during every song African China performed, but especially his latest hit 'Mr President' really got the crowd going.

• Laffs and Jamz, N-Tyce, South London

  

  Energetic, sometime hilarious dancing, complements the Ajegunle sound.

• Laffs and Jamz, N-Tyce, South London

  

  African China also got 'sprayed' during his performance. Spraying is particularly popular in juju and highlife music, and involves audience members coming up onto the stage offering money to a singer, usually putting the money on his head.

• Laffs and Jamz, N-Tyce, South London

  

  This was only a tiny part of the money African China got ­  from 1 Dollar notes, £5 notes, £10 notes to £20 notes. Go to the Rock Paper Scissors website to find out more about 'spraying'.

• Laffs and Jamz, N-Tyce, South London

  

  A photographer observing the action on stage.

• Laffs and Jamz, N-Tyce, South London

  

  Funmi and Eniola are part of Naija Babez, a soon-to-be launched entertainment show on Passion TV (Sky 183).  Pictured here with Tony 'T-jazz' Ukpong, manager of Abuja-based R'n'B three-piece Styl-Plus.

• Laffs and Jamz, N-Tyce, South London

  

  Tunde, Zeal and Shifi (left to right) of Styl-Plus were in town to launch first full length album 'Expressions'.

• Laffs and Jamz, N-Tyce, South London

  

  'Styl-Plus' stage show was perfect as always and they performed al their hits including 'Olufumi' and 'Runaway' plus tracks off the album.

• Laffs and Jamz, N-Tyce, South London

  

  Styl-Plus captivated their audience.

• Intro Easter Jam, N-Tyce, South London

  

  DJ Abass is the presenter of the most well-known African music show in the UK - INTRO TV on OBE TV (Sky TV 159). The INTRO crew put on their third annual INTRO Easter Jam party which was also to celebrate 3 years of the TV show.

• Intro Easter Jam, N-Tyce, South London

  

  Ayo Shonaiya from R70, the production company behind INTRO TV.

• Intro Easter Jam, N-Tyce, South London

  

  South London-based rapper CA$HINO (right, pictured with a friend) was one of the many UK-based Nigerian artists attending the INTRO party.

• Intro Easter Jam, N-Tyce, South London

  

  Ragga Remi (left, pictured with Smokey from JJC & 419 Squad) mixes Ragga with Nigerian music. His song 'Eko Akete', produced by JJC and featuring guest vocals by S.O. Simple from 419 Squad, is starting to make waves in Nigeria at the moment.

• Intro Easter Jam, N-Tyce, South London

  

  Komo is another Nigerian hip-hop artist based in London. He has been in the industry for a while and is about to release new material.

• Intro Easter Jam, N-Tyce, South London

  

  Stevano U-G-O, an LA-based Nigerian rapper (right, pictured with DJ Prince Charles), was passing through London on his way to Lagos where he was due to perform at a show with 2Face.

Photos: © Ilka Schlockermann