The Reggae Rebound

I have watched the Nigerian music scene all these years and all the while.
In the 70's and 80's, Reggae music was a dominant genre across Nigeria, apparently  buoyed  by the continuous struggle for liberation of the people locally from oppressive and repressive Military and sometimes corruption ridden civilian regimes in the country.
Hence, musicians such as Sunny Okosun, Majek Fashek, Victor Eshiet, Ras Kimono,Terra Kota, Orits Wiliki, Peterside Ottong, Mawell Udoh ,and Alfa Kuffa were the unofficial mouth pieces of the people deploying the reggae medium into effect.

Internationally, these artistes also lent their voices to the liberation struggle across Africa. All these came to a decline with the dismantling of apartheid set up in South Africa, Namibia, etc and the installation of civilian democracy in most parts of Africa.

At this point, the liberation message was no longer relevant and as such the beat changed  more so with the influence  of raga and dance hall coated vibes coming through from Jamaica with the likes of Shaba Ranks, Papa San, Yellow Man, Chaka Demus and Pliers etc.
The Nigerian artistes caught up with the toast and ragga bug hence we had our own in Blackky, Daniel Wilson, Sweat, Felix Duke, Kuppa Victory, Dready Samaiko, Desmond Offong, Alex Zitto all doing their stuff in the ragga/dance hall/toast format.

Their efforts were also truncated by the near total collapse of the entire entertainment industry during the uncertain and chaotic period following the cancellation of the widely accepted presidential elections of 1992.
 The Nigerian music industry bounced back with a new music forms brewed from the ghettos in Ajegunle, Orile and Okokomaiko and other similar hoods across the country. these various forms have evolve into what is called Afro hip hop or Afro beats today. This development seems to have relegated reggae music to the back seat, but recent developments seems to be changing all that.

In the midst of the decline in reggae music, some die hard appostles remained resolute , these will include Rymzo, Jahcub, Henry McJohn and a few others. Reggae indeed would become a one track feature in albums released by major acts.
Lateley, a resurgence and rebound of the act is becoming obvious with the likes of General Pype, Rymzo,Jesse Jags, Benny P holding forte while  Ras Kimono, Pasto Goody Goody and even Majek Fashek are making a return to the scene.
It is now let to be seen how the music loving public will embrace these late rebound of this fascinating, conscious and message laden music form.