From Nasarawa to Lagos, Banger Bwai chased his Afrobeat dreams, defying all odds

Nigerian Patoi, Afrobeat and a song writer. Henry Ejike Sylvanus, also known as Banger Bwai, was born in 1988 in Ihiala, Anambra State, Nigeria. He is the third child in a family of seven, with two brothers and five sisters. From a young age, he displayed a deep passion for music.

Raised in Nasarawa State, Henry attended school while being immersed in a variety of musical genres, including 80s hits, Rap, R&B, Hip Hop, and more. This exposure fueled his inspiration to start writing his own lyrics and developing a unique musical style.

I remember During the time of my promotion exam to SS1, my friends, Odih, Slim Zack, and I traveled from Nasarawa to Jos to record our first music, and I ended up abandoning my exams. When I returned, my father was furious and disappointed.

He told me, “I’m doing my best to pay for your school fees, and you left the school I enrolled you in to go waste your time with that foolish music. Because of this, I will no longer be responsible for your education and as At 21, Henry moved to Port Harcourt, and in 2011, he relocated to Lagos, where he continued to pursue his musical aspirations.