Nigeria in the 1970s was buzzing with music across different genres. In West Africa, specifically in Nigeria and Ghana, one of the principal genres of recorded music since the late 1950s was highlife. By the 1970s, highlife music was huge and a core genre of recorded music in both countries. During that decade, the music industry in Nigeria was one of the biggest in Africa. In addition to highlife music, afrobeat also became a dominant genre and there were many releases across other genres such as funk, soul, disco and psychedelic rock. Some of the psychedelic rock bands in Nigeria from that time include Blo, Ofege, Monomono, The Funkees and Ofo The Black Company. All fine bands. However, there is one band from that time that I want to focus on called The Hygrades.
The Hygrades were formed in the early 1970s in the eastern Nigerian city of Enugu by guitarist and producer Goddy Oku. Oku was also an engineer and considered something of a technical wizzkid. He had a reputation for fixing and constructing amplifiers, pedals and even guitars. Before forming The Hygrades, he was already a notable figure on the local music scene and was a member of a band called The Postmen in the mid 1960s when he was only in his teens. According to Charles Okosuns, the brother of Sunny Okosuns who was the band’s lead singer, The Postmen were seen as the first major pop group in eastern Nigeria and were also one of the first Nigerian pop bands to release records. They released a single called “Shillings and Pence” that was a local hit. Unfortunately, I can’t seem to find any of this band’s releases on Discogs and there is limited information on the internet. I am guessing that that particular single must be almost impossible to find hence the lack of info. The band’s career was cut short in 1967 by civil war that broke out in the country. Yet despite the war and break up of the band, Oku remained active and was a member of legendary highlife star Celestine Ukwu’s Philosophers National band. Celestine Ukwu & His Philosophers National for me were one of the best highlife groups from Nigeria and I highly recommend checking out their material. Oku features on their first album release, True Philosophy, which in my opinion is one of their strongest releases and a good place to start for those who want to explore Ukwu’s music.
When The Hygrades formed in the early 1970s, they only released four singles on the Nigerian branch of the HMV label from 1971-2. Those 45s are very hard to find and often when they do come on the market they are not in great condition. I am very lucky to have a copy of their first 45 release; the double sider Jumping Cat/Baby, from 1971. The track “Baby” on side B was a big hit in eastern Nigeria. It’s a good song, however, for me it pales next to “Jumping Cat”, an instrumental psych rock gem. Oku’s guitar playing is red hot on that song. Even though my “well used” copy suffers from chronic surface noise, Goddy’s nimble guitar playing still glows.
The Hygrades – “Jumping Cat” and “Baby”:
In 1971, the band released another 45 on HMV; the double sider Rough Rider/Keep On Moving. “Keep On Moving” has an obvious funky James Brown influence with some killer guitar and organ riffing. But the best is saved for the A side instrumental “Rough Rider”, which contains another round of blazing Goddy guitar fretwork a la “Jumping Cat”.
The Hygrades – “Rough Rider”:
The Hygrades – “Keep On Moving”:
The Hygrades released their third single in 1972, “In The Jungle”. On side A there is a “vocal” version of the song and on side B the “instrumental” version. For me, it is again the instrumental version of the song that stands out and is another sizzling slice of wild fuzz psych wah-wah guitar tones courtesy of the Goddymeister. And the repetitive but equally infectious hammond organ riffing makes that track extra special.
The Hygrades – “In The Jungle” (instrumental version):
The Hygrades – “In The Jungle” (vocal version):
The band released their fourth and final singer in 1972, Somebody’s Gonna Lose Or Win/Day Dreamer. For me, it’s the vocal track “Somebody’s Gonna Lose Or Win” that is the strongest track on the single and I would say is probably my favourite of the vocal tracks across their four singles. It is a potent cocktail of classic funk, dynamic vocals and of course Goddy’s unmistakable guitar playing.
The Hygrades – “Somebody’s Gonna Lose Or Win”:
The Hygrades – “Day Dreamer”:
Oku soon left the band after their forth single and would not make any music again until 1976. He built a recording studio in his home called Godiac Studio and produced and released a solo album called Jesus Is The One, which was released on his own record label, Godiac Records. Over the next few years he released and produced a number of religious gospel albums on his label including a further solo album entitled Love One Another.
He continued to run Godiac Studio recording many albums there over the years and decades until his death a few years ago in September 2023. Even though he continued to record and produce music over that time, he mostly avoided answering questions related to The Hygrades and I guess within the context of his entire music career, they represent a very brief moment in time. But during those two years from 1971-2 when they released these four singles, they burned very bright.
2024 Hygrades compilation released by Dig This Way Records and Sleeve Records
The following year since Goddy Oku passed away in 2024, an Italian record label called Dig This Way Records in partnership with Sleeve Records released a compilation album on vinyl containing all eight of those Hygrades songs released across their four singles. I am the proud owner of a copy of that record and it is a fantastic compilation; a true labour of love and a wonderful way of bringing their music to a wider audience and new generation of listeners such as myself. As an added special bonus, the compilation album also contains a four page insert of liner notes by Uchenna Ikonne. It is an excellent and thorough read of the history of the band and of Oku himself. Even though those Hygrades songs are featured also on other compilations of music from that time, there is very little information on the internet about the band and on Oku himself so Ikonne’s liner notes are much welcomed.
By Nicholas Peart
15th August 2026
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Main band image: Discogs
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