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| Duncan Mighty. Source: Duncan Mighty's Instagram Library |
Duncan Mighty is a Nigerian artist whose name I first encountered through his single Port Harcourt First Son. In the song, he acknowledges prominent figures from Rivers State, his home region, thereby establishing both his identity and his connection to his roots.
I first saw him perform during former President
Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign tour, shortly after the passing of President Umaru
Musa Yar’Adua. The rally took place at the Rwang Pam Township Stadium. Before
any political speeches were delivered, Duncan Mighty opened the event with a
performance of Port Harcourt First Son. It
was evident that the performance served a dual purpose: to entertain and to
promote his music. There must certainly have been fees involved, as Jonathan
was well known for supporting Nigerian artists. Timaya, another Port Harcourt
musician, has often spoken in interviews about being a beneficiary of this
generosity.
On that day, Duncan Mighty left a lasting
impression. With his long dreadlocks, black leather jacket, and denim jeans, he
commanded the stage. His performance was energetic and expressive—at one point
he clenched his fists, thrusting them to the left while extending one leg
outward, the other firmly grounded as if anchoring him to the stage. It was an
arresting dance move that conveyed passion and intensity. That was the moment
he etched himself indelibly in my memory.
Over time, I developed my own skills in music
production, with a particular focus on reggae. While reading Duncan Mighty’s
Wikipedia profile, I discovered that his music also bears reggae influences.
Inspired by this, I experimented with his work, using a stem-splitter to
isolate the vocals of Port Harcourt First Son
and reworking it into a reggae version.
Because of my personal connection to Port
Harcourt—I lived there for six years—the song holds special significance.
Naturally, I wanted my reggae version to gain visibility. I initially shared it
with friends in Port Harcourt via direct messages, but they were too
preoccupied with their own concerns to respond. As a result, I decided to
approach Duncan Mighty himself by sending him messages on Instagram.
Unfortunately, as is often the case with such platforms, a recipient must first
accept a message before it can be read. If only he would accept and listen, the
remix might reach a wider audience and even go viral.
For now, however, I remain waiting.
Yiro Abari is the author of How to Become a Music Maestro: a Handbook for Intending Music Artists. By it on
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