The lineup of artistes at “The Legacy Lives” concert, organised by EbonyLife TV for the late South African president, Nelson Mandela, was overwhelming.
The crowd went wild listening to hits from some of his favourite artistes.
It was a night of soul-stirring music, engaging comedy and profound words in honour of Madiba, as the late freedom fighter was fondly called.
Stars at the show included D’banj, Tuface, Tiwa Savage, Ikechukwu, Waje, Darey Art Alade, Burna Boy, Timi Dakolo, Julius Agwu, Nikki Laoye, Victoria Kimani, Nneka, Joseph Benjamin, Olisa Adibua, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, K Switch, Niyola and Chuddy K, among others.
That night, the power of love and hope over discrimination and despair was also celebrated. It was time to celebrate some alsoof the finest qualities that Mandela lived and died for.
Nikki Laoye set the stage for what turned out to be an amazing night, with a rendition of the National Anthem.
The anchors of the show, Olisa Adibua and Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, did a good job to keep the crowd engaged all through the night,. They coordinated the artistes’ appearances and shared what they knew or thought of the late Madiba at intervals.
Godbless and the Ebony Band dished out popular African tunes like Miriam Makeba’s Pata Pata; Brenda Fassie’s song of celebration, Vulindlela; Flavour’s Ada Ada and Robin Thicke’s Blurred Lines.
The presence of ace comedian, Julius Agwu, was a comic relief to the show. He did not disappoint as he cracked several jokes and expressed a few thoughts on the African hero. The comedian described Mandela as “the Nigerian we never had”, lauding him for turning the world’s perception of Africa from the negative to the positive.
There were screened interviews by Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola and his Cross River State counterpart, Liyel Imoke. There was also a mini-documentary on Madiba.
According to the CEO of EbonyLife TV, Mo Abudu, the inspiration for the concert “came from the fact that this man (Mandela) has given so much to Africa. He has given so much to everyone of us.”
Abudu said, “The Legacy Lives” Madiba tribute concert was put together by some of Nigeria’s biggest music stars and some notable brands in collaboration with EbonyLife TV.
She noted that in the spirit of ‘Ubuntu’ (meaning humanity and selflessness in South Africa) that Madiba embodied, all contributions towards the event were given gratis, including the venue of the concert, performances by the artistes, technical support, food and drinks.