[Throwback]: Queen Salawa Abeni – “Mo Tun De”

Little Lagos presents the ever-green tune by Queen Salawa Abeni – “Mo Tun De”.

In the late 1980s, legendary female Nigerian music entertainer, Queen Salawa Abeni, introduced to us a totally new music genre which she called “Waka”. Before then in Nigeria, only few genres as Highlife, Juju, Apala and Fuji were the fad. This then new music type is an adaptation from Fuji and Apala. That is, it seems like a perfect fusion of the former and the latter. Before we knew it and in no time, “Waka” spread like wild fire in the harmattan. Matter-of-factly, the music was all over the place. And n the early ’90s I remember as a child, “Mo Tun De” buzzed everywhere: It banged at every birthday party and played endlessly on our airwaves. Salawa Abeni’s “Gentle Lady” also is another song we heard then anywhere we were or went.

Despite the preponderance of many male musicians at that time, Queen Salawa Abeni fought like an Amazon and stood neck to neck with them. This was a time King Sunny Ade, Dr Orlando Owoh, Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, Ayinla Kolington, Sir Shina Peters, Adewale Ayuba, Mico Ade, Segun Adewale, Sandoka and more were on fire but this tough and super gifted singer refused to be swallowed up.

One beautiful thing about timeless music is they will always come back.The new generational artistes now acknowledge the earlier and great contributions of those who set the pillars for them. We saw how Olamide brought back, in 2012, Kwam 1’s “Omoanifowose” with his “Anifowose” track off his “Yahoo Boy No Laptop” album. American based Nigerian rapper Big Sheff hoped on one of her classics, “Gentle Lady” that actually brought back sweet childhood memories. We also felt how the “Baddo” sampled Paul Play’s “Aye Mi Dara” with his smash hit, “Morowo Re”. Don’t let us forget Dammy Krane like his peer also remembered the K1 De Ultimate’s “widows mite” in the industry with his release of “Amin” years back.

Queen Salawa Abeni “Mo Tun De” is definitely a classic re-birthed that may never leave our heads.

Lyrical excerpt:

Mo tun de bi mo se n de o
Mo tun de bi mo se n de
To ba je ti k’a sere
Ko le remi
Mo tun de bi mo se n de
De de de de de de
A tun de bi a se n de o
A tun de bi a se n de

Listen below, download and enjoy Queen Salawa Abeni “Mo Tun De”!!

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