Music and the quest to meet Mami Wata

                                                   (kensedeobong)

Victor Uwaifo belonged to the pioneering voices of high - life music in Nigeria. Uwaifo’s musical dexterity could be seen in his electric guitar mastery accompanied by percussion instruments. His magnum opus would be the songs “Joromi” and “Guitar Boy”.

The legendary artist was prominent for his intellectualism and academic prowess. He would probably be considered among the few most educated performers in the world having obtained a PhD in Architectural Sculpture from the University of Benin, Nigeria in 1997. 

As an R & B aficionado, yours sincerely had no business listening to high life in the first place, but my penchant for musical eclecticism kept me attuned. Thanks to the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Nigeria’s premier media establishment, one was privy to the finest of Nigeria’s musicianship. Those were the days when television programming commenced at 4pm and terminated at 10:30 pm. And in those moments, when certain programmes could not be aired due to “circumstances beyond our control”, or programmes were shorter than scheduled, the empty slots were filled with local and sometimes foreign entertainment. It was on one of such days, that I got to know the song “Guitar Boy”.

I found enthralling the deep base line and the omnipresence of the guitar with its dominant interjectory melody, especially its squeaky response to Uwaifo’s repeated chant of “Guitar Boy”. Speaking on the song’s inspiration, Uwaifo in an interview granted to Nigeria’s Channels Television, many years later, recollects visiting the beach after work to unwind and derive some inspiration. While there, with the beaming moonlight hanging in the sky, the sea waves became cacaphonically turbulent. He witnessed an advancement and recession of the waters. And when he looked at his distant right , he beheld a shiny glittery figure which drew closely towards him and in a screechy voice said “Guitar Boy”. The next day, the song was composed, rehearsed and became an instant hit.

Interestingly, this song is significant in the annals of Ghana’s political history. It is said that the attempted military coup on 17th April 1967 by some junior officers was code named “Operation Guitar Boy” . The coup plotters are said to have derived inspiration from the song and had it on replay, when the broadcasting house was taken hostage. Consequently, the song would be banned from the airwaves, by the then military government.

The highlight of this song is the musical instrumentation which showcases musical elegance and sophistry. However, my main interest was the lyricism. The simple song with few lines could be mastered in a jiffy, and it goes thus:

“If you see mami wata o (2x), Never, never you run away, eh, eh, never run away Victor Uwaifo.

Guitar Boy (guitar squeaks)

Guitar Boy (guitar squeaks)

If you see mami wata o (2x), Never, never you run away, eh, eh, sing that song of love, sweet melody”.

The key word in this song was “mami wata”. Precocious as I was, my inquisitiveness about the term was triggered. “Mami Wata” is the Nigerian term employed to describe water spirits or mermaids. She is enshrined into the ancient traditions and culture of the Nigerian coastal areas. Highly esteemed in Africa and the diaspora, Mami Wata is considered to be simultaneously benevolent and malevolent. She is said to bestow great gifts of health, wealth, fortune and fertility to her devotees.

As a church attendee, I had been taught that mermaids were dark spirits resident in the marine kingdom. Often described as demonic and wicked, we were told that certain humans were their offsprings and communed with them, and as such needed to be ostracised. Any gorgeous girl, especially one with an extremely light-skinned and a great singing voice was suspect.

At the time, stories also abounded about the marine kingdom’s influence over the material and technological advancements on earth. Fashion and beauty were said to embody a high degree of marine influence. Consequently, we were warned against the use of make- up, hair extensions, jewelry, etc. Even cars and televisions were said to be designed in the “waters”. The problem is the more I heard these stories, the more curious I became. I wanted to grow up faster, so I could wear some make-up.

With the popularity of “Guitar Boy”, speculations were rife that the man, Victor Uwaifo was Mami Wata’s son and his musical sagacity and multifarous talents were “marine endowments”. “No wonder he can play instruments, sing, sculpt, design, invent, teach, etc. The man is a jack of all trades. Mami Wata pikin! ”, they exclaimed.

The speculations about Victor Uwaifo piqued my curiosity. I, too wanted to meet Mami Wata. As a city girl, I knew that the perfect time for my adventure would be during the holidays from grade school. It was the norm to visit my paternal grand mother in the village. My village was nourished and nurtured by a beautiful and glisteningly clear river which was wide and deep.

The river had two sections: when in need of potable water, we went to the serene and compact section with her smooth stones, ripples, ferns and mirror-like quality; and for baths, swims and laundry, we visited the larger section which was a picturesque beauty surrounded by palm trees, long grasses, charged by silvery currents humming nature’s rejuvenating melodies into our auditory perception. These melodies enlivened, resuscitated and inspired. As far as I was concerned, if Mami Wata was to be met, this was the perfect venue.

In folk lore, it was often said that Mami Wata appeared when the river was calm with no visitors in sight. She was often portayed as a creature with human-fish features, extremely beautiful with lengthy hair and smooth skin, and a mirror and comb in the hand to admire her beauty.

One early evening, yours sincerely took a walk to the river. I must have been seven or eight years old. During the late afternoon hours, nearly everyone busied themselves with buying and selling at the local market. The water needed for the day’s consumption had already been fetched and except in emergency situations, the villagers seldom returned to the river in the evenings.

My Grandmother and her house help had gone to the market and I seized the opportunity to go in search of Mami Wata. I walked briskly to the river. The path leading thereto was quiet and abandoned. As I approached the river, my pace decelarated. My gaze surveyed the surroundings and there was no soul in sight. Everywhere was silent. Suddenly, my heart began to pounce hard against my chest as I drew near and hid behind the long grasses.

I became like Moses’ mother hidden closeby, while watching out for her son and awaiting the arrival of Pharoah’s daughter. The only difference was that Pharoah’s daughter was flesh and blood and Moses’ mother already knew who to expect. While I on the other hand, awaited the appearance of a spirit being whose image had only been painted by folklore. I had no clue what to expect. And wheras Pharoah’s daughter was known for her daily baths at the river, I had no clue if Mami Wata had ever appeared and if there had ever been witnesses.

So, I waited………………………! The river gushed enthusiastically, the tadpoles wobbled, the frogs croaked, the insects hummed, dry branches crackled and fell. I felt simultaneously warm and cold. After what seemed like forever, the sun began to set and I realized that my mission was an exercise in futility. What was I thinking? It is not as if Victor Uwaifo had expected an encounter, when she showed up. Time and chance happened to him. And so I returned home, and never divulged the tale of my adventure to anyone.

It is for this reason that “Guitar Boy” holds a very special place in my heart. It sparked the quest for an unforgettable childhood adventure. Had she appeared, what would have been my reaction? I would never have ran away, as Uwaifo had cautioned. We would have had an intense, but pleasant conversation. And I would have asked, if she knew the guitar boy.

Thank you , Victor Uwaifo!