By Bimbo Esho
Joni Hastrup’s decision to be a musician started when he watched great Highlife bands like Victor Olaiya’s All Stars International. He loved the way they dressed and their showmanship. He joined Victor Olaiya’s band in the 60’s and was nominated by the media as the Soul Brother Number One in 1967.
Joni also worked with Ginger Baker and had his stint with Fela Kuti before he eventually formed his own band Monomono in 1971.
The music scene of Nigeria 70 emerged from the fall out of the Nigerian Civil war. According to Azuka Jebose a famous journalist he said the post civil war activated a new social lifestyle in a country battered by civil war. He said the music scene felt the groove of young music bands and solo musicians experimenting on a heavily influenced American popular music genre: funk and psychedelic rock.
One of such Bands according to him was Monomono.
Bands like Monomono , Blo and few others were top of the charts in the 70’s. Monomono toured West Africa with their Album Give a Beggar a Chance, Awareness, etc.
Joni Hastrup who was the lead vocalist of Monomono took the center stage with other great instrumentalist like Ken Okulolo (bass guitar), Jimi Lee, Candido Obajimi, Friday Jumbo , etc they produced great Evergreen songs like Give the Beggar a Chance, Ema Kowa Lasa Ile Wa, Eje A Mura Sise, Tire Lomo Da Nigbehin, Awareness, etc
I remember this great Nigerian icon today because my dad always told me about how he brought Joni Hastrup from Ilesa to Lagos.