can relate to that. The same thing with
sports. Like Mike Jordan, Carl Lewis,
they  are  popular  among  the  youths
here,  they  love  them.  Tyson,  when
Tyson came out, everybody  wore his
hairstyle.

And,  see, the  DJs  are  playing  for  the
people what they perceive that people
love. So, I found  that this Black thing,
there is no point throwing it overboard
because in a way it is positive. It's not
like  they  are just  crazy  for  anything
foreign. I was also happy that they are
not as popular as just anything white.
I mean, country music is not as popular
as  Black  music  in  this  country.  You
still find  them  in the east[eastem  part
of Nigeria], especially  Don  Williams
and Kenny Rogers and so on, but just
a few of them. Most of the time it is the
Black thing that is really hot and really
happening,  even  those  Black  artistes
who are not national  successes  in the
US., they are big here. When Lakeside
came  to  Nigeria  then,  Lakeside,
Shalamar  and  so  on,  they  weren't  as
big as many of the white pop and rock
musicians. Buthere, they were mighty
heroes.  So,  there  is  a  Black  thing
happening.  So,  I  think  that,  one  day
you  will  find  a  Nigerian  who  will
come  up  with  a  concoction,  out  of
Nigeria, not that he would  go out and
borrow  something  from  abroad  o.
Something  Nigerian.  Some  Nigerian
that would  really  hit...and  I mean, hit
it. 

[GRI

• Interview recorded by GR
at 59 Oregun Road, Ikeja, Lagos,
Nigeria on Friday, 24th February, 1995.

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MUSON
CELEBRATES  IN  LAGOS
Friday  24th  February,  1995

marked the first anniversary of
the Musical Society of Nigeria
(MUSON)  Centre,  Nigeria's  new
centre of excellence forclassical music.
Built  at  a  cost  of  over  N200  million,
the Centre is an important landmark in
the  skyline  of  Lagos.  The  Musical
Society  of  Nigeria  has  been  highly
commended for its monumental vision
and  achievement.  MUSON  Centre
constitutes  a  rallying  point  for
international  and indigenous music in
the category  of classical  idiom.

Activities lined up for the celebration
included a piano concerto by the well-
known British pianist, Gordon Fergus-
Thompson  under  the  sponsorship  of
the British Council. MrThompson also
organised music workshops in Enugu,
Nsukka, Abuja and Ibadan. On Friday
February  24,  two  celebrated  artistes,
Herbert  Druml, Austrian  tenor  living

in  Vienna  and  Kristin  Okerlund,  an
American  pianist also performed  at the
Centre. Their programme  included  the
works of Schubert,  Brahms, Fanre and
Britten.  They  ended  with  a  vocal
workshop  on  Saturday  March  4,  1995.
Also on Saturday 25th February,  1995,
Marianne  Thorscn  (violin)  and  Julian
Milford 
(piano)  thrilled  the  Centre's
audience.  The  programme,  sponsorec
by  BP  and  StaOil  Alliance,  featured
selections from the works of  Beethoven
Kreisler  and  Wienniawski.  Other
activities  were  a  special  concert
featuring renditions of Telemann, Gluck,
Mozart,  Chopin  and  Faure  on  Friday
10th and Saturday  1 lth  March.

Friday  24th  and  Saturday  25  March,
1995 saw Nigeria's Zeal Ony ia entertain
alongside MUSON  resident  artistes.

But how did the MUSON dream  come
about?  17551

23