Evergreen Music Promoter, Femi Esho, Dies At 77

LAGOS, NIGERIA – The death of Pa Femi Esho, founder of Evergreen Musical Company, was announced on Monday, June 17, 2024, in Lagos at the age of 77.

Pa Esho, a prominent collector of evergreen music from Ilesa, Osun State, passed away following a brief illness.

His daughter, Bimbo, who is the Managing Director of Evergreen Musical Company, shared the news on her Facebook page, writing: “My Loving Dad, May your Gentle Soul Rest In Peace Esho Baba (sic).”

Later, the children of the deceased formally announced the death of their patriarch in a statement signed by Mr. Bunmi Esho.

“We announce the passing unto glory of our patriarch, Mr. Samuel Babafemi Esho, popularly known and referred to as ‘Baba Esho,’ ‘Baba Musician,’ etc.

Baba Esho departed to greater glory on Monday, 17th June, 2024, after a brief illness at the age of 77 years.

Baba Esho, until his demise, was the chairman of the Evergreen Musical Company as well as the founder of the Evergreen Music Heritage Foundation.

Baba Esho was a mentor and ‘encyclopedia’ to many Highlife music aficionados.

He will be remembered as one who gave so much of himself to see to the ‘immortality’ of the musical works of Nigerian Highlife, Juju, Sakara, Apala, Afrobeat, and a crop of other Nigerian/African genres of indigenous music.

The family will announce the burial arrangements in due course,” Bunmi Esho stated on behalf of the family.

Pa. Femi Esho, born on November 29, 1946, had recently announced a project called the Evergreen Music Heritage Foundation, in collaboration with Dr. Daniel Olukoya, founder of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM).

The foundation, with his daughter Bimbo as the executive secretary, aims to include a music library, museum, cinema, recording studio, and event center, among other facilities.

The death of this renowned evergreen music collector is not expected to affect the proposed project, as Bimbo Esho asserted, saying, “Let the music play on.”