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Cardinal Rex Lawson, a musical icon ahead of his time was one of the pioneers of highlife in Eastern Nigeria. As a singer, trumpeter, and bandleader of his Mayor's Band of Nigeria, he developed a form of highlife that fuses mellow with symphcatic sounds. His band dominated highlife in Nigeria with popular hits such as So Ala Teme, Yellow Sisi, Gowon Special, and Jolly Papa. Along with his band, he was also one of the best-known and hugely popular highlife musicians in Africa in the 60s.

While his musical vision was crafted in Kalabari in southeast Nigeria and subsequently reached the apex in Africa, he had a distinct sound and composition that was his signature trademark. The first band he created is the Nigeriaphone Studio Orchestra of Onitsha, and later his second band is Mayor's Band of Nigeria, which was later renamed Rivers Men. Cardinal Rex was very much connected to the land, people, and the cosmic flow that shaped all the inhabitants. There was a spiritual element as well as lament in his songs often times summoning God. This was evident in his music and his overall approach to the creative process. In fact, he used his much to promote peace and unity. The famous Nigerian tenor saxophonist, Sir Maliki Showman once remarked that Cardinal Rex valued music over money. In his signature song, So Ala Teme, he speaks that God created all beings equally, both rich and poor. The name of the song speaks of the royalty that God created. In essence, Cardinal Rex's conception of life is that royalty is not tied to material wealth.

Before his untimely death, Rex Lawson was a great highlife musician with over 30 songs to his name, a wife, and two daughters. Cardinal Rex Lawson legacy is his pioneering work in highlife, the road he paved for other musicians, the impressive collection of music he created which lives on today, the endearing human spirit of a great man, the countless musicians he inspired, and those his work continues to inspire. A generation is being introduced to his heavenly music. Rex Lawson is still regarded as one of the best highlife musician ever to live, his music is loved and enjoyed all over the world.

The Peacocks International Guitar Band is an Igbo highlife group from the southeast of Nigeria. The members of the band were former members of Rex Lawson's Rivers Men. The band released several albums to their name. -- Written by Azuka Nzegwu