I want to take this time out to remind you of a music legend who has immortalized her name. she left her footsteps on the sand of time. The wind of music has swept across the industry and has blown away many songs still her songs are everyone’s favourite. I am writing about Evi-Edna ogholi.
The days of Evi-edna in the music industry were days of happiness. When you are sad, you find solace in her songs, when you are happy her songs make you happier and when you need advice you find a million advise in her songs. In those days she ruled the industry, no party or ceremony is complete without a song by Evi-edna. Your birthday is not complete if you fail to play ”happy birthday” by Evi-edna. (those days people refered to birthday as ‘bye-day’ lol)
Life was very sweet in those days. Evi-edna’s songs were more or less “National Anthem” in the country. Songs like “look before you cross, my message to the youths, Ririovarano e.t.c” and of course, “happy birthday”. Good old memories comes to mind when you listen to her songs.
She reminds us of the time of decency in Nigeria music industry. She was always decent in all her out-fits unlike the female musicians of nowadays who thinks without exposing their bodies their musics will not sell. She was always moderately dressed yet her albums went platinum.
Evi-edna’s songs were done mostly in Isoko language and vanacular yet they were nationally and internationally accepted. She is one of the pioneers who made Isoko language popular in Nigeria and beyond. Her voice so sweet and beats so soothing. Lyrics so perfect and convincing. The music of today has drifted from the good standard of Evi-edna. They have good beats and poor lyrics (mostly nonsense). At times I wonder, what are the criteria for winning a music award in Nigeria? Is it by popularity? It is very unfortunate that the good name of our Nigeria music has been dragged to the mud ever since Evi-edna left the scene. It bothers me that Evi-edna who was making good music for us has abandoned the industry.
Early Days
Evi-edna Ogholi was born on the 6th july 1965. She was born to Reverend R.O. Ogholi of Emede, Isoko South Local Government Area, Delta State, Nigeria. After completing her secondary school in 1985, she travelled to Lagos where she broke into their market. She was with a demo of the songs she had composed.
In Eko Akete, the land of Aromisalegbz she met Emma Oghosi who would later become her producer/manager and husband. It was just like the case of Tiwa Savage and Teeblizz.
Music career
Evi-edna released her debut album in 1987 and it was titled, “my kind of Music” through this album she made a name for herself as the “Nigerian Queen of Raggae”. She later added three more albums to her credit, which were, “On the move, Happy Birthday, and Step by step”. These albums were very popular across Nigeria and West Africa, with each going platinum. As at that time, she was just 23 years old. She toured West Africa thereby thrilling her fans and putting them on their knees begging for more. Almost all her songs were hit songs.
She got sponsorship from various companies like pepsi and that was a boost to her career. She performed to millions of people both home and abroad. Evi-edna is the greatest musician isoko has ever produced and one of the greatest musicians in Nigeria. There was none like her before she entered the music industry and when she left a vacuum, no one has risen to fill it.
Marriage and her where-about
Evi-edna got married to his manager/producer, Emma Oghosi but later divorced. Emma oghosi was one of the best Nigerian music producer in her days. He is the one responsible for Evi-edna’s good beat and some of her songs.
Upon her success in the industry, she faced hard times. There was no much money for musicians of those days unlike now when a musician can afford to buy a G-wagon of 40 million naira.
Because of her popularity, pirates from different parts of the country and other West Afican countries were on her neck. Many of her songs got pirated and there was no strong agency against pirates then so she tried bring the pirates to book herself. She travelled to the West Coast to hunt the bootleggers. Later she travelled Abidjan, Cote D’voire and from there, she travelled to Paris, France.
That was how our beloved Evi-edna disappeared from Nigeria. Ever since then, she has not returned home. She is living in paris, France on a low key. Many of her fans thinks she is dead but she is still alive and hearthy.
We eargerly awaits her return and we hope she will find her way home because one of her song is, “there is no place like home”
There is no place like home
Home sweet home
When I go south west, east and north
I will always come back home
I hope she still remembers this song.i
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