Like a former showbiz editor of The Punch Newspaper, Mr. Azuka Jebose, confirmed in his facebook timeline while alerting the music world of the present health condition of music man, Chris Mba of Baby ‘Don’t Cry’ fame,
Mba, arrived the scene the in ‘1983 with his debut album, EVERLASTING LOVE. The vinyl contained his first hit single, BABY DONT CRY. The single, a breezy guitar-driven dance beat with Chris’ languishing voice cutting through the infectious dance rhythm. Baby Don’t Cry became a dancehall fav…’
That was a smash hit, at least by Nigerian standard, like a friend of mine, Mr. Bamidele Johnson, MD of Strategic Outcome will say.
Mba, a contemporary of the likes of Chris Okotie, Jide Obi, Dora Ifudu, Oby Onyeoha et all, dominated the airwaves and dancing floors at parties and nightclubs of that era.
With his jerry curled hair, he bestrode the music scene like a Trojan, appearing in one gig or the other especially the ones put together by students union government in those days. In fact, if corporate Nigeria had taken interest in Nigerian musicians the way they do to the now generation musicians, Mba and co., would not have been feeding from hand to mouth as they do now. “Dem for don” blow like Davido, Wizkid and the rest.
Just like Nigerian footballers of that era, Christian Chairman Chukwu/Segun Mathematical Odegbami and Co, most musicians especially those in the pop music genre and not our traditional music like Juju/Apala/Highlife/Afro Beat were contended in the popularity they got and not fortune. That was the era that produced Christ Mba.
Though, he released follow ups to “Baby Don’t Cry,” they were not as successful as the one featuring the hit single. That not withstanding, “Baby Don’t Cry’ opened doors for him, made him who he is today, a star, at least by Nigeria standard.
However, his journey into and out of hospital wards started during an incident that took place at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium Enugu years ago, when a military man assaulted him with his horse whip and almost damaged his eyes in the process. It was a musical show sponsored by Nigerian Breweries PLC., breweries of Star Larger beer among others.
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The incident took Mba to many hospitals seeking to nurse the injured eyes to good health while at the same time going to court to compel the giant brewery company to pay compensation.
Mba was still in that state of pain and anguish when suddenly, his “bow legs” like we use to say in our local parlance started “bowing” the more making it difficult for him to move freely and easily from place to place. He sought care from Nigerian hospitals to no avail. But determined to walk and dance again, Mba gathered all his life savings and off he went to India where he found a cure to the ’bowing’ legs.
A jolly good friend without a dull moment, he returned to the country to continue with his hustling.
Chris Mba on sick bed.
A man of ideas, he once composed a song in support of Super Eagles’ World Cup participation. Story also had it and which he confirmed to this writer, of how fellow artists of South/south and South/east extraction with the active support of a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member stole a song he composed for the then President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election. He once disagreed with Asaba bssed Gideon Nwaomu over who calls the shots as the head of a group that was planning a festival, Ala Igbo Festival, which the Anambra State Government had agreed to sponsor as part of activities to attract Ndigbo in the Diadpora, to their father’s land during Yuletide.
As you read this and as Jebose wrote, ‘Chris is currently admitted at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), where he is receiving treatment and care. Preliminary tests indicate that Chris is receiving a heart condition treatment and desperately needs our help… I appeal to everyone to please donate N5K each to help Chris pay for his daily care.
“Daily expenses for his care in the hospital are estimated at N50K : ‘Jebose we buy drugs every day and hospital bed costs N50k…’
“Please make your N5K, N2K or any donations NOW, thusly: This Is Urgent Situation”
This is the situation Mba has found himself.
