Mr Femi Esho, founder of Evergreen Musical Company, was on Monday, announced dead in Lagos at the age of 77.
The death of the Ilesa, Osun State-born popular collector of evergreen music was earlier announced by his daughter, Bimbo, on her Facebook page.
Bimbo, who is the Managing Director of Evergreen Musical Company, Lagos, wrote: “My Loving Dad, May your Gentle Soul Rest In Peace Esho Baba (sic).”
The children of the deceased however later 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 genre of indigenous music.
“The family will announce the burial arrangements in due course,” Bunmi Esho stated in the statement on behalf of the family.
Mr Femi Esho, who was born on November 29, 1946, recently announced working on a project called Evergreen Music Heritage Foundation, in collaboration with the founder of Mountain of Fire Miracles Ministry (MFM), Dr Daniel Olukoya.
The foundation, which has his daughter Bimbo, as the executive secretary, is designed to include a music library, museum, cinema, a recording studio and an event centre, among other facilities.
The passage of the famous evergreen music collector may not have any effect on the proposed project as Bimbo Esho asserted “Let the music play on”.
