Prince Nico Mbarga | Aki Special

Listen to "Aki Special"


Listen to "Sweet Mother"

Get the 7-song CD here.

Another winner found Saturday afternoon at Blessing Udeagu in Corona, Queens, Nico Mbarga's Aki Special includes what I believe might be not just a couple of his own most popular songs, but at least one -- "Sweet Mother" -- that is reputedly the single most popular song of all time in Africa.

It was a song that he actually had to shop around: Both EMI and Decca rejected it and it was finally recorded in 1976 for a small local publisher, Rogers All Stars. 

It went on to sell more than 13 million copies. 

Ha, ha.

Track List
1. Aki Special
2. Christiana
3. Sweet Mother
4. Wayo In-law
5. Free Education in Nigeria
6. Onye Ori Ori
7. Nature