This past weekend, Nigerian X (formerly known as Twitter) did what it always does: it went to war over legacy. Who’s the real father of Afrobeat? Who first made Nigerian Highlife music? Whose catalogue holds up? Which one came first: Afrobeat or Nigerian Highlife? Old heads and young cats dragged out links, old interviews clips, hearsay, and thin-sourced history to back their side. Comment sections and quote tweets turned into history lessons, everybody with a hot take and nobody backing down.
I’m not here to settle the argument, only here to make one we can all work with. Long before Fela Kuti and Afrobeat, the horns and the political fire, there was Highlife: guitar-led, brass-heavy music that moved rooms. This music scored Nigeria’s independence, survived a civil war, minted gold discs and produced records that still outsell most things released today.
These are the ten songs, in no particular order, that made Nigerian Highlife what it is today, the ones any serious argument about “the best” has to start with.
1. ”Taxi Driver” — Bobby Benson & His Combo (1958)
Bobby Benson’s keen observation and ability to embody personalities are useful skills that built “Taxi Driver”, a dig at Lagos classism of its time. He brings his experience of romance and classism in the big city to make a mass-appeal track that defends a woman’s right to marry a taxi, lorry or motor driver against societal snobbery about the profession. It’s a West African classic and one of its most covered songs.
The genius of Bobby Benson can’t be contained in a single blurb nor the impact of “Taxi Driver.” But it’s a good way to start if you need an introduction to Bobby Benson’s music.
2. “Mofe Mu’yan” — Victor Olaiya & his Cool Cats (Early 60s)
Highlife trades mostly in easy, feel-good themes, but Victor Olaiya bends that on “Mofe Mu’yan” (AKA “Baby Jowo”). He’s begging a woman for her body. Here, he skips metaphors and gets lewd to express his desire. If you’re Gen Z, you probably know the legendary singer and trumpeter’s hit “Baby Mi Da” (meaning “Baby, please”) that features 2Baba (2013). What you probably don’t know is that it’s a remix made in an attempt to clean up the uncouth version, “Mofe Mu’yan” (meaning “I want to suck breast”).
Despite its explicit lyrics, it remains Victor Olaiya’s most enduring song — getting a remix featuring 2Baba, decades after its original run. It outlasted its era purely on the strength of its melody.
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3. “Joromi” — Sir Victor Uwaifo and His Melody Maestros (1965)
This song was recorded by Victor Uwaifo and his Melody Maestros on Philips West Africa. It’s sung in Bini, and retells the legend of Joromi, a wrestler who battles a seven-headed spirit and loses. It sold over 100,000 copies and earned Uwaifo the first gold disc awarded to any African musician. It became a documented continental first and drove Nigerian Highlife music with its high industrial sales numbers. “Joromi” remains rooted in Edo language and folklore, without diluting it for wider appeal.
4. “Identity” — Oliver De Coque (1980)
“Identity” is a story of faith, daily gratitude, self-awareness and self-respect over wealth — “money money identity” as its recurring hook — delivered over Ogene percussion and his signature guitar style, which fused in Congolese soukous technique. Oliver De Coque playfully addresses the many prestigious titles people call him. Yet, the message always grounds him in his true, humble self. It’s a social commentary and dance song that stands out till date.
5. “Osondi Owendi” — Chief Osita Osadebe (1984)
This is a masterpiece of Igbo highlife music. The title translates from Igbo as “What pleases one, angers another” or “One man’s food is another man’s poison.” The song explores human nature, destiny and the reality of envy. It reminds listeners that success will naturally bring both celebration from friends and criticism from detractors, and encourages them to live fully and ignore their critics. “Osondi Owendi” is a timeless, live-and-let-live philosophy laid over sweeping horn sections and a calm groove.
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6. “Sweet Mother” — Prince Nico Mbarga (1974)
“Sweet Mother” is a top five maternal tribute song in Nigeria, and it’s not number five. Prince Nico Mbarga and his band Rocafil Jazz International made a classic about mother’s love and sacrifice. It celebrates the sleepless nights, patience, and unconditional care that mothers provide. Its accessibility lies in the Pidgin English language. The production consists of interlocking guitar melodies and upbeat tempo that takes it from a message of gratitude into a pan-African celebration.
This is Mbarga’s only major hit and it sold an estimated 13 million copies across Africa, more than the Beatles’ “I Want to Hold Your Hand” sold worldwide at the time. This song should be a test of how much any Nigerian loves their mother.
7. “Sawale” — Cardinal Rex Jim Lawson (1969)
Cardinal Rex Jim Lawson, a trumpeter and bandleader, recorded “Sawale” with Congolese-influenced guitar work sometime in the 1960s, before his death in 1971 at 33. The chorus is catchy and the word “sawa” playfully implies something spoiling or going bad. Beneath its dance and groove vibe of the song, it carries a clear message of social commentary. Lawson used the track to observe the changing times, specifically cautioning young women against getting caught up in the fast, gritty life of the city.
“Sawale” has been repeatedly remixed since, by Alex Zito as “Baby Walakolombo” (1991), by Feladey under the same title the same year, and by Flavour as “Nwa Baby (Ashawo)” (2011). A generational hit.
8. “Okwukwe Na Nchekwube” — Celestine Ukwu (1972)
“Okwukwe Na Nchekwube” is a reflective song by Celestine Ukwu and his Philosophers National. The title translates from Igbo as “Faith and Hope.” Over elongated guitar riffs, he uses Igbo proverbs to sing of how faith and love will save us. It’s a reminder to hold onto hope through life’s uncertainties. Celestine Ukwu teaches that whatever challenges befall us, faith is the primary driving force that will carry us through. Unlike the fast-paced songs of his peers, Ukwu was famous for his relaxed, mellow melodies and profound wisdom.
9. “Jagua Nana” — Orlando Julius Ekemode (1965)
The 1965 song paints a picture of a metropolitan woman, an equivalent of a City Girl in 2026. It praises her striking fashion sense and her seductive dancing skills on the Lagos nightlife scene. It’s named after the title character of Cyprian Ekwensi’s 1961 novel Jagua Nana, a comparison to the Jaguar car, glamorous but high-maintenance. It came four years after the novel’s publication and helped cement the book’s cultural afterlife in Nigerian pop culture. The song is upbeat, heavily rhythmic, horn-driven and mixed with American Soul, and it’s an early groundwork for the Afrobeat genre.
10. “Bisi” — Eddy Okonta (1978)
“Bisi” is a love song named for a woman. Its melody is rooted in highlife’s older palm-wine tradition. It captures the joy and affection of romantic love. Apart from its allure of romance, the song stands out for Okonta’s masterful trumpet solos and a groovy percussion. This song is part of the long line of tradition of 1960s highlife naming songs after women (Olaiya’s muses, Lawson’s “Hannah,” Julius’ “Jagua Nana”) — and “Bisi” is one of the best examples of this done right.
