NAIJA SOUNDS AND VISION SCAPES: A Centennial Celebration of Nigerian Popular Music (1925–2025)
This November, the Nsibidi Institute hosts A Centennial Celebration of Nigerian Popular Music (1925–2025). From the seminal recordings of Yoruba Folk songs by Chief Ladipo Solanke, under the Zonophone label in 1925, the modern Nigerian popular music industry emerged.
By Africa-Related, Nigeria
This November, the Nsibidi Institute invites you to a landmark cultural gathering that commemorates 100 years of Nigerian popular music and its deep visual, social, and historical footprint.
Date: 30 November 2025
Time: 1 PM – 9 PM
Venue: Didi Museum, 175B Akin Adesola Street, Victoria Island, Lagos
NAIJA SOUNDS AND VISION SCAPES
A Centennial Celebration of Nigerian Popular Music (1925–2025)
From the seminal recordings of Yoruba Folk songs by Chief Ladipo Solanke, under the Zonophone label in 1925, ( three years after pioneer choral recordings of Rev J. J Ransome-Kuti) the modern Nigerian popular music industry emerged.
Through music, imagery, film, and archival reflections, we explore how Nigerian sound has shaped identity, influenced movements, and contributed to global culture over the last century.
Expect a full-day immersive experience featuring:
Museum Installations — tracing the evolution of rhythm, instruments, performance, visual and sonic memory.
Photo Exhibition — historic and contemporary visual narratives of Nigerian music culture.
Panel Discussion — scholars, artists, and cultural workers unpacking 100 years of sound, influence, and innovation.
Film Screenings — four remarkable films illuminating our musical and cultural journey:
Film Lineup:
‘Ije Enu’ by Chikezie Ifedobi, the critically acclaimed Celestine Ukwu biopic
‘Fatai Rolling Dollar Unplugged’ by Femi Odugbemi. A detailed and sensitive tribute to the legendary musical sage.
‘Bamidele: The Dele Sosimi Story’ by Muni King-Keazor and Ed Keazor, tracing the iconic story of the Afrobeat superstar, mentored by the legendary Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.
‘My Father’s Book’ by Kagho Idhebor. An endearing chronicle of the Nigerian disco scene of the 1970s - 1980s.
Join us as we celebrate a century of rhythm, memory, and vision — and honor the artists, communities, and cultural forces that made Nigerian music a global heartbeat.
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WHEY HAM - A Son of HAM Investigates Africa's Oldest Civilisation
Whey Ham is a new documentary narrated by Yahaya Maikori, an entertainment lawyer turned filmmaker and 'son of the soil', that investigates the global spread and undeniable impact of the Nok Culture - Africa's Oldest Civilisation.
by Oyiza adaba, New york
Photos Courtsey of Whey Ham
“Whey Ham”
“Son(s) of Ham” refers to the Ham ethnic group in Southern Kaduna, who occupy the very land where the remarkable Nok terracotta artworks emerged.
Whey Ham Poster
If you are a fan of history, archeological discoveries and artifacts, "Whey Ham" is an artistic piece of storytelling worth forward to. This new documentary, as told by a 'son of the soil', investigates the ancient Nok Culture and its global spread and impact.
The documentary is a personal journey to discovery the captivating world of the Nok Culture, a fascinating and mysterious civilization that thrived over two thousand years ago in what is now Jaba Local Government, Kaduna State in northern Nigeria.
Join a mesmerizing expedition through time that explores the Nok Culture’s technological breakthroughs in iron metallurgy, their illustrious terracotta artistry, and enduring legacy that continues to astonish and inspire generations.
The documentary is narrated by Yahaya Maikori, a prominent entertainment attorney, who is also a direct descendant of the keepers of the tradition and describes himself as an “amateur historian”, . Maikori’s narration provides viewers with firsthand information and rare glimpse of the share scale, offering a unique and insightful perspective into the Nok Culture.
Producer’s Statement
The documentary, which will be released in late 2023, was produced by Definitiv Media Limited, has Ed Keazor as Director (‘January 15, 1970: Untold Memories of the Nigeria – Biafra War’, ‘120 Great Nigerians We Never Knew'); Chigozie Odo and Charles Ezeike (Directors of Photography) and Yahaya Maikori as the Executive Producer. It also features prominent sons and daughters of Ham like His Royal Highness, The Kpok Ham; Archeologist Angela Rackham and daughter of British archaeologist Bernard Fagg who spent time in Nigeria in 1940’s studying Nok; as well as some of the world's foremeost scholars.
Whey Ham Production Photos
