“They will change Nigeria.
They will change Africa.
They will change the world.
Enjoy the sounds from the cave.”

These words are narrated over soothing acoustics accompanied by low-tempo percussion and a wispy tune. It is the opener for The Cavemen’s debut album ‘Roots’ and right off the bat, the Nigerian highlife band is unafraid to bask in the knowledge that they are something special.

To understand The Cavemen you have to go way back. The spirit of highlife has always rested in the raw emotions of celebrating life’s complexities in times of joy or in moments of sorrow. The genre rose to prominence during the clamour for Nigeria’s independence in the 1950s, resonating especially well in the hearts of the Igbo people of the South-East. In the 1960s, E. C Arinze’s ‘Freedom Highlife’ rang through as Abubakar Tafawa Balewa became Prime Minister and the green-white-green flag hoisted for the first time to proclaim the country’s freedom from colonial rule.

When the South-East sought to become its own country in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Cardinal Rex Lawson’s music served as the herald of hope during the resultant civil war. Following this bitter conflict, highlife continued to thrive in this region and eventually served as a source of rehabilitation with songs such as Eddy Okwedy’s ‘Happy Survival’. More names to know include Osita Osadebe, Nico Mbarga, Oliver De Coque and The Funkees. However, as time passed, the relevance of the once-revered genre waned.

Today, The Cavemen, comprising Lagos-based brothers Kingsley and Benjamin Okorie, are on a mission to reintroduce highlife to a new generation. “Highlife is back! And it is back on steroids,” Kingsley excitedly tells me during our zoom call. With ‘Roots’, the band remind us of the greatness in our past. With every song, they show us that there isn’t a better time than now to embrace the legacies of those who have walked the path before us.

Much like myself and most young people of Igbo heritage who grew up outside the South-East, we experience a little disconnect with our culture and struggle with fluency in the Igbo language. Regardless, The Cavemen do not let that stand in the way of their music. “We don’t filter the lyrics. It’s just as it comes. That’s one advantage of not knowing how to speak (Igbo) really well. Our goal is always to make our songs participatory and relatable for people to learn. That’s why they are mostly chants,” explains Kingsley.

Sung in Igbo and Pidgin English, ‘Roots’ centres on the important things in life such as love, happiness and the uncertainty of tomorrow. “We make highlife because it’s the music of our ancestors. It connects us with the history and struggles of our people,” he adds.

The brothers discovered music as young boys at church. “We never really had instructors. Benjamin stuck with the drums while I learnt other instruments like the keyboard and bass. We were just hustling for ourselves but then my brother attended music school.” Kingsley, on the other hand, went off to study law in Kano State – a decision largely due to the expectations of stability that are often associated with being the first child in Nigerian households.

That, however, did not put a dent on their shared dream of one day becoming a band. “I guess we were a band even during our church days. I mean we did - and still do everything together,” he says fondly of their bond. “Making music with Benjamin is special. It’s surreal. We were teammates before we were bandmates. Our connection is so natural.”

The Cavemen officially formed in March 2018 when the brothers reunited after their studies. Since then the duo has honed their sound by playing with established artists such as Asa, Bez, Onyeka Onwenu, and a favourite collaborator of theirs, alte star Lady Donli. “We met Lady Donli in 2018 at Tamerri Festival in Abuja. Ever since then, she has been on our case and we’ve been on hers.” The brothers were producers on her 2019 debut album, ‘Enjoy Your Life’. In turn, she played the role of co-executive producer on ‘Roots’. When I ask if we are to expect a joint album in the future he says with an assuring smile, “By God’s grace! It’ll be an EP though.”

Making ‘Roots’ was a two-year process that included other Okorie siblings Mercy and Emmanuel. “When creating music, my brother and I try not to limit ourselves. I think you can tell from ‘Ifeoma Odoo’ – it is the one song on the album that I’d say is ingenious, not to be boastful!” This track is noteworthy for its imitation of the endearingly crackling sounds you hear when listening to vinyl records. “It was BigFootInYourFace that did the mixing. He saw the intention and just went for it. While recording, Benjamin, Emmanuel, and I had to circle the mic as we all sang to achieve the muffled sound.”

Interestingly, all of the Okorie siblings are vocalists despite neither of their parents being singers themselves and neither did they bring them up on highlife. “Our mum played a lot of gospel. A lot of gospel! Our dad liked ABBA, Westlife, Michael Jackson. But our driver was Oliver De Coque’s biggest fan. We listened to him a lot.” This informed the music they presently make. “We probably know more Oliver De Coque records than most people from that era. It was like God sent him to us.”

For the future, Kingsley tells me they hope to tour the continent when it is safe to hold concerts again. Until then, we can all continue to enjoy the sounds of the cave from the safety of our homes.

Roots by The Cavemen is out now. Find it here

Photography Olarinde Olayemi Ayanfeoluwa and Bami Ogungbe
Words Ify Obi

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Published on 05/09/2020