Discography of Ikenga Super Stars of Africa



The Ikenga Super Stars of Africa, led by Vincent Okoroego, a former member of Steven Osita Osadebe's Nigeria Sound Makers, were a leading Igbo "guitar highlife" group of the seventies and eighties in Nigeria. The Ikengas called their style of music "Ikwokilikwo," a word which has also been used to describe the early recordings of Oliver deCoque and Kabaka Opara of the Oriental Brothers, among others. About the meaning of this term, Fidelis N. Umeh writes, "...'Ikwokilikwo' actually has a 'vernacular' type of meaning in the Igbo language. To set it in context, take a look at a word like 'ngwo-ngwo.' Its meaning has been derived from the act of 'igwo abacha' (preparing cassava - normally in rich oily mixing bowl), 'igwo ncha' (preparing a dish called ncha with a special type of mixing bowl), etc. It has come to be used to describe any preparation which entails the act of 'preparation in a special mixing bowl.' Ikwokilikwo is derived from 'ikwo oka' (grinding corn into pulp form), 'ikwo okpa' (grinding beans and peas into pulp form) and denotes the grinding process. The type of music to which it refers is similar in vernacular to 'cooking' used in the U.S. in the 70's to refer to really 'heavy' music in rock, jazz, blues, etc."

Ikwokilikwo in the early days at least was associated with certain classes of people, particularly traders. Its hard-driving, bouncy beat was just the sort of thing to play over a market stall sound system to attract customers! The Ikengas' LP "Ikenga in Africa" was a pan-African best-seller, combining sharp Congo-style guitar work, rhythms similar to Camerounian makossa and lyrics in "broken" or "pidgin" English, which broadened its appeal across ethnic lines. Indeed, its call-and-response recitation of the countries of Africa inspired numerous imitations, including one by the Ikengas themselves! 1976's (and 1983's) "African Unity" was a rehashed version of the same tune.

Gilbert Hsiao has provided much useful information for this updated Ikengas discography that sheds light on the history of this influential group. One question which has apparently been resolved is the relationship between the "Nkengas," who issued at least two LP's, and the Ikengas. It now seems all but certain that these are one and the same group, headed by Okoroego. But this does not answer all of the questions! It has long been rumored that "Nkengas in London" was an Osita Osadebe master tape hijacked by Okoroego and other members of the Nigeria Sound Makers who defected in the early seventies. Absent any evidence to the contrary, this seems likely. "Nkengas in London" sounds not at all like other Ikengas recordings, for instance, "Ikenga in Africa." The vocals, the instrumentation, even the spoken comments at the beginning of the songs, are all classic Osadebe. For this reason, I have listed this recording in Osadebe's discography as well as this one.

The Ikengas have had numerous personnel changes and defections over the years. A significant split occured after the band won a sizeable award from the Nigerian government for their performance at FESTAC '77 in Lagos. Guitarist Aloysius Anyanwu left to join the Oriental Brothers, and subsequently had a solo career. While the Ikengas were basically an "Igbo" group, over time they took on a broader character, enlisting musicians from other ethnic groups and Cameroun. In this sense they were part of a broader movement in Nigerian music in the late seventies and early eighties that I call "Pidgin Highlife," a trend that included artists like Prince Nico Mbarga who sang mainly in "pidgin" or "broken" English rather than vernacular languages. As this genre faded away in the early eighties, so did the Ikengas. I do not know if they are still performing as a group. - John Beadle




1973
The Nkengas
Destruction (LP; Orbitone OTO 05)
[A] Anyi Bundi Igbo / Obuna Alu / Anyi Buofu / Jungle Beat / Ube Frank Special
[B] Ndu Bu Isi / Nkenga Special / London Special / Destruction

1973
The Nkengas
Nkengas In London (LP; Orbitone OTO 06)
[A] William Emeka Omambala / Asa Mpete Special / Anaedo Special
[B] Unzulu Onye / Ige'Gbupi / Ekene Dili Chukwu
-- Read the introduction above for information about this peculiar recording.

1975
Ikenga Super Stars of Africa
Odinani Sounds System (LP; Rogers All Stars ASALP 1)
[A] Oneajo Anya / Ugbala Nwanyi Nma / Omelu Anyi Lote Echi / Ije Nwangbada
[B] Odinani Ikenga / Uwadiegwu

1975
Ikenga Super Stars of Africa
Ikenga in Africa (LP; Rogers All Stars ASALP 2)(LP; Soul Posters [France] SP 2108)
[A] Ikenga Go Marry Me
[B] Ikenga in Africa

1975
Ikenga Super Stars of Africa
Ikengas in Nigeria (LP; Rogers All Stars ASALP 3)
[A] Anyi Ga Emeli Ekwensu / Merry Christmas
[B] Enugu Rangers international football club of Nigeria / Aku Nke Uwa

1976
Ikenga Super Stars of Africa
Peace Movement Social Club (LP; Rogers All Stars [Onitsha, Nigeria] ASALPS 5)(LP; Soul Poster SP 2109)
[A] Peace Movement Social Club of Nigeria
[B] Shakara School Girl / Olu Ugbo / Men of Today

1976
Ikenga Super Stars of Africa
Nigeria Operation Feed the Nation (LP; Rogers All Stars [Onitsha, Nigeria] ASALPS 5)(LP; Soul Poster [France]?SP 2111)(Rogers All Stars ASALPS 7)
[A] Nigeria Operation Feed the Nation
[B] African Unity

1977
Ikenga Super Stars of Africa
Greedy Man (LP; Rogers All Stars ASALPS 9 & Decca [France] 278.155)
[A] Greedy Man / Ojele Woman / Your Thing
[B] Nwannemu Oho / Soffrey Soffry Catch Monkey

1977
Ka-La-Ka Afro Beat Band
Soul Ethiopia (LP; La Voix De L'Ethiopie [Paris] LVE-G7598001)
[A] No More Colonial Greediness / Belle Femme d'Afrique Noire / Every Do It Your Own Way
[B] Le Baiser De l'Elephant / No I'm Not A Monkey / Soul Ethiopia
-- Carter Van Pelt reports that this funky afro-beat LP is actually the Ikenga Super Stars LP "Greedy Man" (ASALPS 9) issued under a different band name, and with retitled tracks! The title track of Soul Ethiopia does not correspond with any song on the Greedy Man LP. Jean-Baptiste Duvignaud reports that this is the song "Soul's Guinea" from the LP Los Saxofones by the Puerto Rican group Orquesta de Felix del Rosario!

1977
Ikenga Super Stars of Africa
Late Celestine Ukwu Special (LP; Rogers All Stars ASALPS 12)(LP; Decca [France] 278.169)
[A] Late Celestine Ukwu Special
[B] Ego Di Nogwu

1977
Ikenga Super Stars of Africa
? Money Ya Man (LP; Roger All Stars [Onitsha, Nigeria] ASALPS 15)
[A] Money Ya Man / Onwelu Ife Mmelu / Vic?
[B] Why You Dey Kill? / Onyinye Chukwu

1978
Ikenga Super Stars of Africa
Africa is Our Home (LP; Afrodisia DWAPS 2063)
[A] Africa is Our Home / Tobenu Chukwu
[B] Wetin I Go Do / Omulu-Zwa Nwa

1978
Ikenga Super Stars of Africa
Onye Weli We (LP; Afrodisia DWAPS 2068)
[A] Onye Weli We / Onye Nmelu Amazim
[B] Every Thing Get Time / Nkpulu Onye Kulu

1978
Ikenga Super Stars of Africa
Onye Weli We (LP; Rogers All Stars ASALPS 29)
[A] Egwu Agana
[B] Nwa Ogbenye / Nke Akamu Akonamu

1981
Ikenga Super Stars of Africa
Nke Onye Asoa (LP; Afrodisia DWAPS 2114)(LP; Afrodisia/African [France] DWA 2114)
[A] Nke Onye Asoa
[B] Onu Ekwu Otu

1981
Ikenga Super Stars of Africa
Nwa Enwe Nne (LP; Afrodisia DWAPS 2150)(LP; Afrodisia/African [France] DWA 2150)
[A] Nwa Enwe Nne
[B] Anyi Ga Gbalu Enu Oso
-- An oddity. Although this sounds like a typical "Ikengas" record, none of the musicians listed are the same as on any other record. Odder still, Victor Okoroego, putative "leader" of the group, is not listed either! Dolf Motz, apparently resolving this mystery, writes: "I think that I can solve the problem of the "oddity" DWAPS 2150. I checked the backside of the sleeve and discovered that apart from the song titles, all the words on the sleeve are the same as on the backside of the sleeve from Vicky Edimo's record "Thank-u-mamma" released as DWAPS 2152 in 1981. As you can see on "Nwa Enwe Nne," the song titles do not correspond with the song titles on which the musicians were supposed to contribute. These song titles belong to the Vicky Edimo album. Since the record itself really sounds like the Ikengas I am almost 100% sure that a mistake has been made in the production process of the record sleeves." Thanks, Dolf!

1983
Ikenga Super Stars of Africa
African Unity (LP; Rogers All Stars RASLPS 048)(LP; Rogers All Stars/Sonodisc [France] RAS 048)
[A] African Unity
[B] Nigeria Operation Feed the Nation / Shakara School Girl
-- Reissue of "Nigeria Operation Feed the Nation" (SP 211), above?

1984
Ikenga Super Stars of Africa
Ikengas in Search of Peace (LP; Rogers All Stars RASLPS 056)
[A] Anyi Ji Anu Ukwu Mu Nka / Ikengas in Search of Peace
[B] Austerity / Okamma Na Ama

1984
Ikenga Super Stars of Africa
War Against Indiscipline (WAI) (LP; Rogers All Stars RASLPS 065)
[A] War Against Indiscipline (WAI)
[B] Tinye Onwegi Obi Oma / Uwa Bu Egwu

1987
Ikenga Super Stars of Africa
Meziem (LP; Ibex Records IBEXLP 001)
[A] Meziem / Akawa Ebewe
[B] Peace in Africa / Ihe Onye Gawu

2005?
Ikenga Super Stars of Africa
Great Hits Vol. 1
(CD; Rogers All Stars [Onitsha, Nigeria] RASCD 018)
Ozo Emezilam / Tinye Onwe Gi Obi Oma / Shakara School Girl / Uwa Bu Egwu / Bonus Track / Ikenga Go Marry Me / Long Live Africa




-- This discography was compiled by John Beadle at P.O. Box 100174, Milwaukee, WI 53210 USA. For weblog, visit (http://likembe.blogspot.com/), and E-mail to John Beadle


-- Special thanks to: Gilbert Hsiao, Dolf Motz, Fidelis N. Umeh, Naotaka Doi, Carter Van Pelt, Miles Cleret, Zim Bida...


Last updated December 24, 2014.




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