A coterie of singers work the crowd to ecstasy during a music show sponsored by Ibom Air at the Christmas Unplugged 2.0 celebration in Uyo
By Inemesit Ina
For nearly four hours on Saturday night, eight talented music acts drove the crowd at the Unity Park in Uyo to frenzy with scintillating performance. It was the show sponsored by one of Nigeria’s leading airlines, Ibom Air, at the ongoing Christmas Unplugged 2.0 celebration.
Saturday, December 7, 2024, was Ibom Air Day at the celebration.
The crowd danced and sang along with the acts. They yelled for more in euphoria. For them, it was as if the show should never end.
*The Opening Acts*
The show began at 7.02 pm with a songbird, Eme Freda, as the opening act.
She roused the crowd with a medley of familiar Christmas songs.
After her was another minstrel, AfMay, who belted out some riveting folk songs.
*Side Attractions*
Two notable comperes in Akwa Ibom State, Mighty George and General Ode, deftly anchored the show.
In between the music, they brought a number of other attractions to entertain the crowd.
Such attractions included a quiz competition about Ibom Air, involving five voluntary members of the crowd who won prizes, and the presentation of prizes to three groups of winners of the Ibom Innovation Challenge earlier sponsored by the airline.
Ibom Air’s Board Chairman, Pastor Imo-Abasi Jacob, explained that the show was the airline’s way of giving back to “society and our stakeholders.”
He thanked Governor Umo Eno for creating a Christmas experience in the state and the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Sir Charles Udoh, for adding a touch.
*The Stevie Wonder of Akwa Ibom*
Though blind from birth or infancy, Late Ray Charles, Clarence Carter and Stevie Wonder rose to become three of America’s greatest singers and songwriters. They reigned for decades.
On Saturday, Ibom Air presented Akwa Ibom’s upcoming version of Wonder, a genius whose influence on music has been and remains overwhelming, having single-handedly defined the sound of a century and spearheaded the evolution of multiple genres, including rhythm and blues, funk, jazz and pop.
With a shrill voice like the American icon, Chris Vic, a gifted young blind musician from the state, captivated the crowd, covering popular songs by greats like late Bob Marley (Jamaican), Shania Twain (Canadian) and Tuface Idibia (Nigerian).
So good was he that an obviously perplexed Mighty George stopped him as he was being led out of the stage and asked: “How come?”
The Stevie Wonder of Akwa Ibom had a terse answer: “It’s the thing in me.”
Before he started singing that night, Vic had expressed gratitude to Ibom Air for the opportunity: “This is one of my biggest events ever. I just wanna say thank you to Ibom Air for giving me the opportunity.”
On his part, Jacob, the Ibom Air boss, in his speech, praised Vic’s “incredible talent.”
*Like Play, Like Play, Ibom Air Becomes Number One*
Next on stage was the highlife guru, Sir Wilker Jackson, backed by a band.
A very popular musician in the state, Sir Wilker rendered a string of his hits, reaching the crescendo with his trademark, Like Play, Like Play.
The chorus of the song normally goes thus: “Like play, like play, Sir Wilker becomes number one. Like play, like play, Sir Wilker becomes super star.”
But on stage, that night, he improvised the chorus to replace his name with Ibom Air to the delight of the airline’s management and staff members present.
*Behold, the Local Vigil Singer-Turned-Super Star*
After an interlude, the dexterous guitarist and singer, Fiokee, mounted the stage.
Now a super star, he recalled his early days as a local musician in the state, playing at vigils and church.
The Ikot Akpan Ishiet, ONNA-born act, whose real name is Ifiok Effanga, displayed an extraordinary mastery of the guitar while dishing out four songs as the band played along.
*Enter the King*
Described by Mighty George as the biggest music export from Akwa Ibom in recent times, Edidem Ikpa Udo is making waves in the country. His music is a fusion of Afrobeat and rap delivered in a mix of Ibibio and English.
Despite his national breakthrough, he still maintains a huge fan base in the state.
Ikpa Udo styles himself “Edidem” (King) and his fans have come to accept him as such.
They went wild on Saturday night as he sang his hit upon hit, aided by a deejay.
The biggest thriller was his smash hit, Ame Nwod.
Ikpa Udo worked the crowd, singing and interacting with them. At a point, he threw two of his branded T-shirts to the exuberant crowd.
*The Return of the Former Uyo Boy*
And there was Nasboi (Nasiru Lawal) who sounded like the late Afrobeat king, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. He did three of his own popular songs.
Nasboi is not just a musician. He is a content creator, comedian and an actor as well.
Connecting with the crowd, the Osun State indigene revealed that he had been an Uyo boy at a period in his life, having studied Mechanical Engineering at the University of Uyo.
*Then came the Star of the Show*
One of Nigeria’s biggest musicians, Timaya, was the star of the show.
Apparently for maximum effect, he did not come out easily. The comperes and his handlers actually created a suspense, delaying his entry, tasking the patience of the expectant crowd and whetting their appetite. Probably, as part of the delay tactics, one of Timaya’s hype men even posed three quiz questions to the crowd about the singer’s career.
Then the Egberipapa I of Bayelsa State emerged at 10.16 pm, three hours and 14 minutes after the start of the show, crooning his self-titled hit, Timaya, and getting the crowd overjoyed.
For 40 minutes, he proved his mettle, supported by the band.
Timaya veered to a medley of church choruses before switching back to his hits including Dem Mama, I Can’t Kill Myself and Sweet Us.
At 10.56pm, the Plantain Boy ended his exhilarating performance with the crowd yelling for more.
What a night!
Indeed, it was a show to remember. And Ibom Air became super star.
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