By Evans Ufeli Esq.
I watched the 20th anniversary of the demise of King Ochiligwe Ubulu, which was held recently at Onicha Ukwani, and I was touched by the turnout and outpouring of love for the late Ubulu. The outing was a manifestation of the huge influence the man Ubulu commands even in death across the globe.
The prominent musicians from the Ndokwa extraction were all there. It was nostalgic because they all learned from Ubulu and played the instruments they were known for when they played under him. The outing was a grand event that brought together the men and women of Ndokwa extraction. The man Ubulu was a highly respected chief cum musician whose excellent composition of highlife music in the Ukwuani language spanned over 40 years on stage before his demise.
The likes of Orji Moore played the drums seamlessly with a conscious mastery that spoke of his excellent craftsmanship at the event. His artistry and dominance with the drum reverberated through the stratosphere. He shut his eyes and held the drumstick like one whose soul is caught up between the cosmic realm and the deities of creativity whilst he played rhythmic melodies that held the stage hostage and the people engrossed. You could feel the grandiose performance of a master's clinically perfected skills at work from all sides.
Deskenny was on the lead guitar. He re-enacted the Ubulu melodies of the late '80s into the early '90s. He has a way with the guitar that amazes onlookers. Through practice, these men have perfected the art of the unity of melody, producing classic songs without complications. The mix of talent and professionalism on stage that day spurred the audience into the realm of unforgettable expression of bliss as they danced to the good music of the Ubulu legacy.
Isioma held the rhythm guitar and with it, he unlocked the heavens; the decibels of the guitar sound rose and fell like dew in the air. He played like he could make a town cry with those strings. The harmony he drew from the lead guitar was incredible. They both created a voice almost as if you could hear them talking through the instrumentality of the guitar. When he played the bass guitar, he then raised the human soul to unstable places; little wonder he could become exactly this from the promise of that—altogether a mastercraft. Isioma has a bleeding temperament with the guitar such that his transitions and renditions are far-reaching, dripping with cohesion in melody, voicing into the void with power and excavating memories from the universe.
Chuks Igba sang Ubulu songs, and you could swear Ubulu himself was the one on the stage from afar. These guys are a representation of the good fruit of apprenticeship. The talent in Ndokwa land is unimaginable. He had the head-voice of Ubulu, and the echoes thereof rent the air. You could tell these were the true selected team of Ochiligwe himself. They know every beat, song, sound, style, and performance. They brought back the man Ubulu, turned the town into a carnival, and spurred the audience to the irresistible percussions of the Ubulu legacy.
When the rich metaphors of the Ukwuani language and the trenchant proverbs of Ubulu music mixed up with the delectable beat of these men, the guitar, flute, and conga drums, it took the audience to a climax as everyone was in high spirits. What started like a mini outing was lifted to another realm of intentionality and soon became a hugely successful outing.
Ubulu lived a life that is worth emulating. His legacy will live on. He was a great son of the Ndokwa dynasty. Today, we remember him, his huge contribution to Ndokwa, and this legacy of his that must be preserved.
