Chief of Steelband in Nigeria - Bowie Sonnie Bowei
receives Chieftain Titles
Nigeria -
In a celebration that lasted four hours at the palace of the
Alagbara of Agbara, Agbara town in Ogun State, south west
Nigeria, two chieftaincy titles were conferred upon panman
Bowie Sonnie Bowei, and one upon his wife, Ndudi Bowei.
The couple was honored in traditional fashion and in
recognition for their integral and ongoing roles in the
development of the steelband artform in Nigeria overall,
especially within the community where
Panland, the parent
organization is set up.
Sonnie Bowei’s first title is The Amuludun of Agbara Land meaning “the one who makes that land sweet”
(signifying his making the land ‘sweet’ with steelpan
music). The second, The Majeobaje of Oto-Awori Kingdom
is more philosophical and means “the good deeds which Sonnie
Bowei has done should not be allowed
to get spoilt.” The title bestowed on Ndudi
Bowei, his wife - who does not play pan but is indispensable
in her role as managing director of their company, Panland -
is that given to the wife of a Chief - The Yeye Amuludun
of Agbara Land.
The journey to this point in the life
of Bowie Sonnie Bowei (which now revolves almost solely
around the steelpan), is one that was influenced more than
twenty-five years ago when he performed with the Nigerian
Army Steelband. The instruments used by the band were
those left behind by Trinidad and Tobago’s Starlift Steel
Orchestra who performed in 1977 at FESTAC (Festival of Arts
and Culture) in Nigeria. The bulkier pans that
Starlift would use were manufactured on-site at the
facilities of
the Nigerian Army Band Corps Headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria,
by a Trinidadian sent ahead specifically to complete this
task. At the end of the festival, those instruments
remained behind with the Nigerian Army, which would
eventually send about nine of their soldiers to Trinidad to
become steelpan musicians. Upon returning they
became the core of what would be called the Nigerian Army
Steelband, which Sonnie Bowei would join during his stint in
the military. That band was the only steelband in
Nigeria until 2001 when the Xcel
Steelband, the brainchild of Sonnie Bowei, came into being.
But the enterprising Nigerian would
not settle for merely being the founder of a small steelband
playing around Nigeria. He wanted to see steelbands
become the norm, not remain the exception or a novelty.
So in addition to
Xcel Steelband(pictured left) performing around the
country, Sonnie Bowei began fostering and promoting interest
in founding other steelbands. In response to the need
for instruments for Xcel themselves, and others setting up
their own fledgling steelbands, Panland - the umbrella
organization for Xcel Steelband, and then the Xcel Steelpan
Co., Ltd. - was officially commissioned. Located at km33 Badagry Express Way,
Agbara, Lagos, on about one acre of land, Panland houses several pan-related facilities including a
steelpan training school, a steeldrum factory and an
electroplating plant for chroming steeldrums. It
sports an on-site performance area for Xcel, and boasts both
a recording and production studio for the purposes of
recording the steelband and producing steelband-related
television programs. Panland now also has accommodation for students
coming for training as panists or pan builders/tuners.
November of 2006 saw the first really
major initiative (in addition to Panland) of Sonnie Bowei come to fruition. It
was Nigeria’s first secondary school national panorama where
the Nigerian Navy Secondary school
(pictured right) emerged victorious.
Another school panorama is planned for November 2008 with
the expected participation of eight schools. Today in Nigeria
there are steelbands in several secondary schools and a few
churches - all utilizing instruments manufactured at Panland,
and with initial instruction by Sonnie Bowei.
The illustrious pan entrepreneur
remains quite busy and dedicated to introducing the
steelband even further afield in Nigeria. In addition
to the 2008 school panorama, Sonnie Bowei, through Panland
(pictured left),
is currently focusing on organizing a 2009 steelband
competition dubbed the “Forces Panorama” featuring the
Nigerian military and paramilitary. Slated for August
2009, it will be undertaken in partnership with the Federal
Ministries of Defence
and Internal affairs in Nigeria. The panman’s
promotion of the steelband artform does not stop there.
A panorama involving 36 states and the federal capital in
Nigeria is also being planned for 2010 during the Abuja
national carnival. It will be a joint initiative of
Panland and the Federal Ministry of Culture and Tourism, as
well as the Abuja carnival committee.
Earlier this year in January, the
Boweis were informed by the Alagbara’s palace in
Agbara Town of
Ogun State, south west Nigeria that they were going to be
honored. Among the many guests present for the
occasion were the representative of the former
president of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo (who,
back in 1977 was the military head of state responsible for
bringing Starlift Steel Orchestra to Nigeria to perform at FESTAC),
the deputy governor, along with the Commissioner of Chieftaincy
Affairs - both of Ogun State, numerous kings - all traditional rulers of Igbesa, Ilogbo,
Ijanikin, and a host of other notables. All were members of the Rotary club of Agbara.
Also on hand for the auspicious occasion were many pan lovers in Nigeria, relatives, friends and members of the
community. His Royal Majesty, Oba Isaac Gbadebo Agunbiekun, The Alagbara of Agbaraland
crowned both Bowie Sonnie Bowei and his wife Ndudi Bowei.
Message Board -From The Opinion Desk of
When Steel Talks
Copyright 2008 - Basement Recordings, Inc. All
Rights Reserved.
ANY REPRODUCTION,
REPRINTING OR COPYING OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS, OR ANY OTHER MATERIAL
- AUDIO, VISUAL OR TEXT - FROM THE
BASEMENT RECORDINGS/WHEN
STEEL TALKS/PANONTHENET
WEBSITES, IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED, WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN
PERMISSION OF THE MANAGEMENT OF WHEN STEEL TALKS.
Make Sure Your Steelband
Music and Art Collection is Complete
A Pan Story
The History of the Steelband
Movement In Pictures As You’ve Never Seen Before..
Capture A Piece of History Click here to
start the journey
Master Clive Bradley
The Greatest Steelband Arranger/Composer Ever - As You’ve
Never Heard Him Before!
Click here to start the journey