Tony Ogaga & Chidebe Josephine
It was fun and excitement recently when popular celebrity hangout, O’Jez Restaurant and Bar celebrated the legendary highlife maestro, the late Bobby Benson with a post-humous award which was presented to his highlife musician son, Tony. It was an event that attracted industry heavyweights courtesy, the monthly O’Jez Elders Forum initiative.
In this chat with Entertainer, Tony Benson opens up on his late dad, his music and the state of the Bobby Benson estate among over issues..
Thirty-five years after your father’s death, he is being honoured with a post-humous award. How do you feel?
I feel great that at last, someone has deemed it fit to give him an award. Our government celebrated 50 years of Lagos recently but did not do anything to recognise him. Well, it is not just about him. There are many Nigerians out there who have contributed immensely to national growth but have been thrown to the back-burner. An example is Femi Esho, one of the biggest collectors of highlife music inNigeria. All said and done, it is obvious to the world that the time he spent here on earth wasn’t wasted. People are beginning to remember and celebrate him.
Your father was one of the pioneers of highlife in Nigeria…
His basic musical background was not just highlife, he was not a highlife musician but an all-round musician. You see, Kabana Bamboo had a lot of foreigners coming around so we played a bit of everything. It was not one way music; Bobby Benson was an all-rounder.
How did you feel when he died?
Well, when it is your time, it’s your time. What else can we say? He lived a good life and left a good legacy. I was there when he passed on. He was ill on and off so we saw it coming. I use to live in the Republic of Benin but came back to Nigeria when I was told my dad was sick . He was in the hospital at that time. It was his illness that brought me back home.
What lessons did you learn from him?
He was a disciplinarian who never spared the rod. And back then for me, he didn’t look nice but now I can see the evidence of his influence on me today. He didn’t give me any advice that misled me. I learnt a lot of lessons from him and found his good works and simple life inspiring. He taught me never to subscribe to shortcuts and to be realistic and respectful always.
Fela once said he received over 300,000 strokes of the cane from his dad. How many did you get from Bobby Benson?
He was a disciplinarian to the core and I must confess, I cant count the number strokes I got from him and being the first son, it was relentless. I got the punishment because I was his first son. My younger oncs didn’t receive the kind of punishment he gave me.
As the first son, you are also a highlife musician. How do you feel being the torchbearer of the Benson legacy?
It has not been easy though. Thank God for his mercies. Femi Esho has also been encouraging me in his own way as a senior brother and it gives me faith to go on.
What is being done to immortalise Bobby Benson?
Well, I can’t answer it that way because if you say he was just a great man, he wasn’t great to me alone. He was also great to the nation but what has Nigeria done to immortalise him.
For Fela we have Felabration. Is there any plan for an annual music fiesta to celebrate him?
He will be celebrated definitely but for now, I can’t say much.
Has his name opened doors for you?
Well, not really, and that is because Nigeria has changed over time. We have become extremely materialistic.
Kabana Bamboo was a place the elite of Lagos hung out in those days. Any plan to revive it?
Well, it was demolished by the Lagos State government under some funny leadership and the matter is in court. We are trying to get them to release the land to us but it’s not been easy.
There are also rumours flying around that his kids are not united. As the first son, what are you doing to bridge the gap?
There are a lot of misgivings out there. There is no family that doesn’t have ups-and-downs. But then people read meanings and then take things to another level.
What do you want government to do for your dad against the backdrop of his contributions to Nigerian music?
I cant beat the government into appreciating and doing what they should do. My father is not the only one because there are so many heroes in this country. They are so many; they are countless who are not being recognised. Let us look at this 50 years of Lagos State. Many top musicians in this country had their roots and found their status in Lagos but how many were recognised?
Do you see him in your dreams and what do you discuss?
Well, not immediately, but later I did. We did not have any conversation per say; he was just passing by.
It was widely reported that you once contemplated suicide. What happened?
Well, it was just unnecessary pressure of life. Then, I was doing my best but I felt my best wasn’t good enough.
Could it be as a result of your father’s death, and how did you overcome the pressure?
Well, it was everything put together. When I was discovered, people tried to help me and I gradually got healed.
What is you take on contemporary NIgerian sound?
All those guys are doing the best they can under the circumstances they find themselves and the level of musical exposure in the country.
Any regrets?
When you live as old as I am, you realize there are ups and down in life. Just pray to God for him to give you the spirit to be able to handle situations that come your way.