Sweet Mother

In 1974 EMI turned down the demo of "Sweet Mother", reportedly citing its childish appeal. Decca and Philips said no as well. Prince Nico Mbarga, born in Abakaliki to a Nigerian mother and a Cameroonian father, had spent the civil war years across the border in Mamfe, Cameroon, carrying instruments for a Congolese band and teaching himself their finger-picked guitar style. Back in Nigeria he formed Rocafil Jazz to play regularly at the Plaza Hotel in Onitsha, and after a regional hit his label dropped the band for failing to break beyond its local following. The song finally came out in December 1976 on Rogers All Stars, a record company based in Onitsha. Sung in Nigerian Pidgin, it is a celebration of motherhood set to West African highlife with Congolese soukous-style guitar, a blend of the two traditions Mbarga had absorbed on either side of the border. It spread far beyond the region, and estimates of its sales range from three million to thirteen million copies. It has been described as the best-selling song in history by an African recording artist, though it was the only major hit of his career. Sometimes called Africa's anthem, it was voted the continent's favourite song by BBC readers and listeners in 2004, ahead of Brenda Fassie, Fela Kuti, Franco and Miriam Makeba. A song the major labels found too simple became the one that millions of people across Africa sing to the women who raised them.