Art Alade was a very popular Nigerian musician and television personality. He was the host of the very popular Bar Beach Show on Nigerian television in the 1970s and he was also the host of the Art Alade Show in the early 1980s.
Modupe Afolabi Jemi-Alade, popularly known as Art Alade, was born in 1932. He attended the CMS Grammar School in Lagos and, as he said in this interview, “I was a dullard and my father thought that I could be saved if I was sent abroad”. He went to England in 1956 and attended Devon Technical College and London School of Television Production in the U.K.. Alade began his career as a musician on a cruise line, the Greek Line. He also played in a number of clubs in London. By 1964, on his return from U.K., he joined the staff of Nigerian Television Service, now known as NTA. He became the director of programmes at the NTA in 1978 and then he retired in 1979. Art Alade also owned a nightclub called Art’s Place.
The Bar Beach Show was a variety show that featured interview with entertainment stars, musical performances, etc. The Art Alade Show was very similar, but it was shown around 9 or 10am on Sundays. I remember getting home and the whole house was filled with the aroma of good food (breakfast would already have been ready) and watching the Art Alade Show while eating breakfast.
Art Alade’s son, Darey Art Alade, is also a famous musician.
The Bala Miller Show was also a variety show and it was shown at 8pm on the NTA from c1983-c1986. It was produced at NTA Kaduna. Bala Miller was also a popular musician who had hits in the 1970s. He was a director of the Costain Club in Kaduna.
This is an interview with Art Alade on the Bala Miller Show and then he performed his version of the Victor Olaiya song, Baby Jowo. His version is called Sisi Jowo and the performance was simply amazing.
Art Alade – Sisi Jowo live on the Bala Miller Show in 1983.
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