No royalties, no government recognition for Peacock Band – Akagha, 94-yr-old ‘Eddie Quansah’ crooner laments

Do you remember the song ‘Eddie Quansah’, which was the signature tune for the now-rested popular sitcom, ‘The New Masquerade’? The song was composed in the early 70’s by the highlife music group Peacock Guitar International Band.

ORJI ONYEKWERE spoke to the only surviving member of the group, Okoro Oha Boniface Akagha aka Alika, a nonagenarian, in this exclusive interview.

How did you people come together to form the Peacock Guitar International Band?

When I came back from Lagos, I started thinking about music and my wife reminded me that I should go and meet Raphael Amarabem at Uzo Agba, his hometown. I went to their compound and they said he was not around but with Dan Orji at Oji. On my way coming home, I entered Oji, because you will get to Oji before you reach Owerri. When I got to their compound, I heard the sound of guitar and when I got in, I discovered that it was Raphael Amarabem aka Ibiso and Dan Orji that were rehearsing a Ghanaian song. When they saw me, they said they were planning to come and see me the following week.

We had no guitar, the one we used was the one Ibiso used to play music while he was an officer in the civil war, which is what we used to start the music. We started talking of recording and how to hire bass fiddle because I play bass. Somebody told me he knows a musician at Egbu that plays that fiddle bass as part of his musical instruments and he knows the boy that handles it for him. So, I spoke with them and I told Dan Orji that I have seen where I will buy fiddle bass and he gave me one pound (before the currency became naira). I bought the fiddle bass and returned back to Oji.

We told our friend Pal Akalaonu and he said we should wait till next week. The upper week, we took the fiddle bass, one Konga and another instrument and left for Lagos with a letter from Akalaonu.

We got to Lagos at night and went to EMI Records studio, three of us, Dan Orji, myself and Ibiso. (Raph Amarabem). We passed the night there and were there till the workers came the next day. When some of the workers saw us early that morning, they laughed at us. We were there till the studio manager arrived and we gave him the letter from Pal Akalaonu.

He asked us when we arrived Lagos and we told him we came last night and slept in front of the studio gate because the security man refused to open the gate for us. He was not happy and threatened to report the matter to his boss. We waited till every worker came before they set up the necessary instruments.

So, after the rehearsals, we now recorded and our first recording there was the song, “Sambola Mama’, which is a Ghanaian song. We recorded before coming back to Owerri. Back in Owerri, we decided to recruit other boys to join the group. Remember, we hired the guys that played for the Konga, bongo, drums and other instruments during the recording, so when we came back, we now employed them full-time. Any instrumentalists we get that performs better than the previous one, we employ him.

So, the group was made up of how many people?

Nine. But it was only three people that formed the group before others joined

What inspired your hit song ‘Sambola Mama’ and ‘ Eddie Quansah both of which were major hits?

“Sambola Mama’ was composed by Dan Orji, the lead vocalist. We composed songs in Ghanaian language, Igbo, Efik and Hausa languages. Eddie Quansah is the nickname of one of our friends and we used it to sing.

Did the group envisaged that ‘Eddie Quansah” will be a hit song after it was used as a signature tune for the now rested sit com, “The New Masquerade”?

Yes, we knew.

Why was the band disbanded in late 70s and re-assembled in 1981?

Dan Orji’s elder brother told him to leave the group and form his own band because he was the lead vocalist.

Was he the one that later formed Skylarks International Band?

Yes. He was the one that formed Skylark International band.

Did he leave with other members of the group?

He went with our guitarist, the person that played Konga, the second vocalist and others. He left with five members of the group. We had engagement in Port Harcourt, only for me to hear that another band from our group has emerged. Then we were living at Atlantic Hotel Aba, and I had to leave for Lagos immediately. I waited till the Director of EMI came to office, by then; we already booked our recording space, but the other breakaway group had already recorded in another studio. The went to Decca Recording Studio to record theirs.

When I met with the Director, he ordered the cashier to release money for me to commence legal proceedings against them for breach of contract, but I refused and I told him that Dan Orji is my brother.

But suing him would have benefited the group?

Yes, but I could not do that.

How did the group come back?

We decided to come back later after the death of Ibiso. He lived in Ghana and was the one that composed almost all the Ghanaian songs. By the time the group regrouped, the man passed on.

Did his death affect the group that much?

Not so much because I was also a composer.

Did you compose any song for the group?

I composed “Ebe nsi me-ekwue, Gisi agaghi m ekwu” and “Ga- egbu nwa mgbenye egbu”

Did Raphael Amarabem form the group?

No, it’s three of us, Dan Orji, Ibiso( Raph Amarabem )and myself, Alika. He was a rhythm guitarist and a vocalist. Ibiso is Raphael Amarabem. We gave him the name because he just came from Ghana at that time. He got that name because whatever he said, he will say ibiso, so we now named him Ibiso. He composed all the Ghanaian songs.

Who is collecting your royalties, since you are the only surviving member of the defunct group?

I don’t know anything about that.

Have you been able to reach out to EMI or the company that took over from them?

We left EMI many years ago and went to Ambola Recording Company owned by a Benin man. When Uzee Madubuogwu, a Nollywood director, asked me, I told him we know nothing about it. He said I should check, and I asked, where do I start from because I don’t know how to go about it.

Has any artiste contacted you to do a remix of any of your songs?

None of these artists have contacted me to do a remix of any of the Peacock band’s songs. A lot of people have done remix on some of our songs and none of them took permission from us. Probably because most of the band members are dead or because their children are also not interested in pursuing that course.

Can you remember any memorable show your band performed?

I remember when Nathan Ejiogu died, we played at his burial. After the burial, we composed a song after his burial titled, “Onwu biara igbu Ejiogu’.

Tell us about some of your high profile performances like performing before heads of state or traveling outside the country to perform for high profile individuals.

We have travelled round the whole country to perform. In addition, Individuals and government officials usually invite us for performances.

What is the government doing to keep the memories of the band alive, probably to honour you since you are the only surviving member of the Peacock Guitar International Band?

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The government has not shown any interest in us. It’s unfortunate.

Among all your songs, which one do you like most?

I love the song ‘Ije- egbu nwa mgbenye egbu’.

Why did you compose that song?

There was a time we went for a show at Orlu and there was fight at the gate. Then we discovered that the rich wanted to enter the hall first no matter the price of the ticket, while the poor were at the gate begging for the price of the ticket to be reduced so that can go in and watch the show. So, I decided to compose that song.

What would say about today’s musicians and their style of music?

They are not playing good music, neither are they playing inspirational songs. They are just abusing people with their songs just to make money.

Is ‘Alika’ your real or stage name?

I got that name, Alika when I was with Rex Lawson. I composed that song, ‘Adure’ that Rex Jim Lawson sang. I started answering ‘Alika’ while I was with Rex Lawson. He was the person that usually gave me money and always called me ‘Alika’, probably because I was skinny at that time. So, he was always calling me ‘Alika’ and the name stuck.

Take us through the time you were with Rex Jim Lawson and the experience.

It was when I was with Rex Lawson that I learnt how to play fiddle bass before I left.

Did you have issues with him before you left?

No.

QUOTE:

I got that name, Alika when I was with Rex Lawson. I composed that song, ‘Adure’ that Rex Jim Lawson sang. I started answering ‘Alika’ while I was with Rex Lawson. He was the person that usually gave me money and always called me ‘Alika’, probably because I was skinny at that time.