•Late Pal Akalonu
Nigeria music took a dramatic turn between 1970s and early 80s. There was a big shift inwards towards Nigeria’s local sound from the world pervasive rock and roll psychedelic era projected heavily by The Beetles, the Rolling stones or the Motown hits from Stevie Wonder, The Supremes and the Temptations or James Brown.
Nigerian musicians who had listened to so much of such foreign sounds started to imbibe and formulate an afro rock sound that sounded more indigenous, reports Saturday Vanguard.
Bands emerged in the Nigeria’s south west, mid-west and south east, which just emerged from a gruelling 30 months of carnage occasioned by the civil war playing a quasi rock sound.
In those years, while record companies especially EMI, relied on Odion Iruoje to produce these new Nigerian afropop artistes in the mid and south west including BLO, Joni Haastrup, Monomono and a host of others, they relied on extra prolific music producer Pal Akalonu to harvest the ubiquitous pop music talents abound in the south east of Nigeria. And he did so well in this role as the world would readily attest.
Pal just passed on recently.
What made Pal different from all was that while many other producers specialised in one genre of music, he proved to be indeed a very versatile and all- round sound man who traversed musical genres producing both pop music, highlife as well as hymnals and traditional cultural music for EMI as well as other labels. Like his defunct TV show ‘Now Sound’, Pal Akalonu loved every thing sound.
Most if not all the popular and commercial pop music from Eastern Nigeria from 1970 till the early 80s had the imprint of Pal Akalonu as producer.
Before making a list of the bands and records Pal Akalonu in his early beginnings in production sometimes in conjuction with EMI GM Eastern Nigeria CU Nwaiga produced for EMI, Anodisc, CAP, Feathers, a division of Melody Records, Blackspot Records, Phonodisk, Clover Leaf etc, let us trace the background of the Emii, Imo state born broadcaster and celebrated music producer.
HIS BACKGROUND
Akalaonu worked at the ENBC as a presenter then producer in Enugu with so much bias for music.
He presented musical shows both on radio and on TV. Not long after East central state was split into two and Pal went to Imo state and to Aba where he soon started presenting several programmes most memorable being NOW SOUND a programme that brought him closer to the many talented pop musicians of the south east who converged at Aba at the end of the civil war.
At the same time, Aba was very commercially and musically viable and entertainment friendly. Several big hotels as Unicoco and Ambassadors Hotel were well located and open for regular performances. Indigenous record companies like Anodisc, Clover, Ben Records etc also sprang up.
He grew to be the General Manager of NTA Aba and later Benin before his retirement.
In 1985, he was voted best entertainment manager.
Perhaps what made Akalonu stand out as a music man was that music ran in his family. He told of his father who was a soldier and played the organ, a talent that rubbed off on all his children and siblings including his younger brother Basil and sister.
He had told an interviewer that music came first for him before broadcasting.
Now let us see a few in the long list of artistes that Pal Akalonu discovered, produced or became associated with: Stoneface and Life Everlasting, Christy Essien Igbokwe, Sweet Breeze which had his younger brother Bazy Cole Akalonu as drummer.
Akalonu also produced the first famous Wings album ‘Kissing you so hard’ with CU Nwaiga and Odion Iruoje and later Original Wings when the band split after the death of its frontman Spud Nathan.
He also helped One world, Apostles, Founders 15, Heads Funk, Semi Colon, Dan Ian, Soki Ohale and a host of many others cook up great songs into unforgettable albums.
Pal Akalonu also produced highlife music by the Peacocks Dance band featuring the song Eddie Quansah, Various folk songs from Imo state, Great Oriental Brothers International when the Oriental Brothers split, Abraka Guitar Band and some soukous music by Negroe Bantus and a faction of Rocafill Jazz etc.
HIS REGRETS
Akalonu may have died with three basic regrets one of which was what he told his prodigies’ that he would have wished his younger brother Bazy Cole Akalonu formerly of the Sweet Breeze would bury him but alas, Basil died a few years ago.
Again, in an interview with Arise TV, Akalonu regretted not being recognised by the nation for arts and culture contributions with any national honors of MON or OON.
He also planned to release an album of his last composed songs. But that was not to be as death came calling at 91years of age.
BURIAL PLANS
Since his son Hendrix Akalonu announced his death and burial date set for August 21, 2026, a burial committee has been set made up of the many prodigies and former students of PAL AKALONU school of music production headed by a foremost broadcaster Allan B Onyemaechi.
It also includes Pastors Kingsley Dallas Anyanwu of Sweet Breeze and Paul Chukwu, Dame Nkem Opara, Professor Chinedu Asinu Anosike (Cona) and Chief Soki Ohale.
Other members of the committee are, Engr. Olaedo Anyanwu, Chief Nnamdi Olebara, Lady Patsy Gal Nwachukwu, Elder Iyke Ekeoma, Elder Marshall Udo Oruh of Founders 15, Walton Arungwa of the Apostles, Chairman of Imo State PMAN as well as Elders Emma Okere and Frank Fyne charged with publicity.
They have been serially meeting towards giving the respected music producer a befitting burial. And they swear that a befitting burial Pal Akalonu must get.
