TOUCHING TRIBUTE TO BEN MURRAY BRUCE AT 60

By Dele Momodu

Say what you will, Senator Ben Murray-Bruce is one of the greatest things to happen to entertainment in Nigeria, and Africa in general. My earliest recollection of Silverbird, the family business he leads, was as a student of the then University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University. Ben and his group used to invite top American artists to perform in Nigeria and took them to campuses especially Great Ife, noted for learning and culture.


I will let out a secret today. As an indigent student, I learnt how to do small business to augment whatever my poor mum could afford. I was studying Yoruba and learnt a lot about the traditional technology of Africa often referred to as ‘juju’. I exploited this knowledge effectively and used it to mesmerise children of the rich who actually believed I was a Babalawo.

Ben and his guys invaded Ife with those foreign bands, the Shalamar, the Sky Band, Whispers and others.

My late friend Femi Segun was the one who used to contract me. I had a little shrine in my room to complete the shakara. Walahi, I made my little income and was very popular on campus as a “rain catcher”.

The last show I got was to stop the rain from falling when Whispers came as the shows usually took place in the open air University Amphitheatre at Oduduwa Hall. Unfortunately, it rained cats and dogs that night and I had to run away from the vengeful anger of the mammoth crowd. My mystic was shattered. That was the end of my shakara, and of course my business!

Several times, Ben and his brothers invited me to be a judge of the ‘Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria’ contest. I was one of those who chose Ms Agbani Darego, the first and only African ever to win the Miss World Contest. Ben has since grown the family business to a stupendous empire foraying into cinemas, radio and television.

The great Ben encouraged me to go into television years ago culminating in our lifestyle Ovation TV, now showing in Nigeria, Ghana, United Kingdom, USA and Canada. I’m eternally grateful for that inspiration.

My admiration for Ben quadrupled when Ben decided to go into politics and he has made an astounding success of it. His sermon about what is wrong with Nigeria and the solutions that he has proffered to some of our intractable problems have gone viral on the Internet. I’m certain he has a greater role to play in the affairs of our nation.

Help me raise a toast and drink to the health, wellbeing and success of this fine, upstanding gentleman, media entrepreneur and distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

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