Celestine Ukwu was destined to be a performer, born to a father who played traditional Igbo music genres and a mother who led a women’s singing group. As a child, he travelled often with his uncle, a church choirmaster, who introduced him to the harmonium and taught him how to read music. After a brief stint as a teacher, he joined Mike Ejeagha’s Paradise Rhythm Orchestra in 1962, marking the beginning of his professional music career.

Ukwu went on to form the Music Royals of Nigeria and later the Philosophers National, through which he released albums such as True Philosophy (1971) and Ilo Abu Chi (1974). His songs, performed primarily in Igbo, wove traditional rhythms with reflections on materialism, social justice, and the human condition. Tracks like Ije Enu and Money Palava earned him a devoted following and cemented his place in Nigeria’s Highlife tradition.