Play it again: Vinyl is making a comeback in Nigeria
Most people may stream music now, but the recent Egwù Vinyl Festival shows old-school is still cool.
Samuel Banjoko
Lagos was buzzing with the energy of Detty December. Booming Afrobeats clubs and house and techno music raves dominated the city’s soundscape. But tucked in the frenzy was a different kind of musical celebration: the Egwù Vinyl Festival, a rare ode to analogue sound and Nigerian music history.
Sir Shina Peters, a jùjú music legend, was the festival headliner. Dressed in a tracksuit and gold chain, reminiscent of his earlier years, Peters delivered an absolutely electrifying set that bridged generations. Classics like Ijo Shina and Shinamania captivated the festival-goers, underscoring the enduring power of old Nigerian music. The festival wasn’t just about nostalgia. Vinyl-lovers were also treated to contemporary acts by The Hause, Dibs, Kem Kem, Majid, Kikelomo, Yinka Bernie, and Baddestdjeverliveth.
The festival energy – savouring music in its most tactile form and reconnecting with history – was a reminder of the beauty in slowing down.
In a city that is eager to embrace the new, it was a celebration of the old-school.
But it was also the coming-out party of a new community.
Over the past three or four years, a community of vinyl enthusiasts and old school Nigerian music lovers in Lagos and London has built around Egwù Records, an online vinyl record shop. Egwù Records was founded in 2021 – the year global vinyl album sales hit a 30-year high. The founders –Yinka Bernie, Orry Shenjobi, and Kayo – wanted to offer what today’s streaming can’t.
Decades ago, in the ’70s and ’80s when vinyl was king, collecting records was easier. Today, scarcity has turned it into an art. Running the store is “like treasure hunting”, says Kayo.
“We all collect – that’s the common factor. And we all love music, or work in music, or are creatives. So we just turned a passion into a community and now it’s a festival,” says Bernie, an artist and producer.
