The Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, Lagos, was filled this past Wednesday with music, memory, and quiet reverence as family, friends, musicians, and admirers gathered to celebrate the 100th posthumous birthday of Nigeria's pioneering broadcaster and music icon, Steve Rhodes, fondly known as Uncle Steve.
The event also marked his 18th memorial, drawing a diverse crowd united in honour of a man whose legacy continues to shape Nigeria's broadcasting and music landscape.
The midday service, organised by the Steve Rhodes Voices, carried the same musical discipline and spiritual depth that defined his life.
Classical hymns and carefully arranged choral renditions echoed through the historic cathedral, creating an atmosphere that was both solemn and celebratory.
Among those present were his daughters, Gloria, Jeanette, and Ada, as well as Maxine, who had joined from England, and members of the Aboderin family, media executives, and long-standing members of the Steve Rhodes Voices who had worked closely with him for decades.
Reflecting on her father's legacy, Gloria described music as the enduring thread that binds the family and the choir together.
"Music is part of our lives," she said, noting that his values of discipline, excellence, and humanity continue to shape the lives of those he mentored and worked with. Gloria noted that the choir remains committed to preserving its vision and values.
For many in attendance, the centenary was not just a remembrance but a celebration of a man widely regarded as one of the quiet architects of Nigeria's modern cultural and broadcasting landscape.
Uncle Steve was born on April 8, 1926, into a prominent Lagos family at a time when Nigeria was still under colonial rule.
His father, Justice Steven Rhodes II, was one of the earliest indigenous members of Nigeria's judiciary and executive council, while his mother, Mabel Rhodes, was a trained pianist and singer who introduced him to classical music at an early age.
Growing up in such an environment meant discipline was not optional. Music lessons began early, and as a choirboy at Christ Church Cathedral under renowned organist and composer T. K. E. Phillips, Rhodes developed a deep appreciation for structured musical expression.
His education at CMS Grammar School, Dennis Memorial Grammar School in Onitsha, and Enitonna High School in Port Harcourt exposed him to brass band music and orchestral performance, laying the foundation for what would later become a remarkable musical career.
Like many members of Nigeria's elite at the time, Steve was sent abroad for higher education. He studied at Oxford University, where he read Politics, Philosophy and Economics, but his true passion remained music.
At Oxford, he played jazz with student bands and performed in operatic productions, immersing himself in the rapidly evolving global music scene.
His journey later took him to Germany, where he studied music under composer Winfried Zillig, a student of Arnold Schoenberg. There, he trained in orchestration, conducting, and music history while performing in jazz clubs and orchestras to support himself.
The European experience transformed Steve into a rare figure: an African musician with rigorous classical training and profound exposure to global musical traditions, at a time when such opportunities were scarce.
When he eventually returned to Nigeria, he brought with him not just knowledge but a vision: to build a structured and professional music and broadcasting culture in the country.
Steve joined the Nigerian Broadcasting Service in the 1950s, where he played a pioneering role in shaping live music broadcasting. At a time when radio was still developing in Nigeria, he established and directed the NBC Dance Orchestra, one of the earliest professional radio orchestras in the country.
The group performed live music programmes that introduced Nigerians to structured orchestral and dance music on air.
His work helped set standards for musical programming and professional broadcasting, demonstrating that Nigerian audiences were ready for sophisticated, high-quality productions.
He later moved to Western Nigeria Television in Ibadan, Africa's first television station, where he rose to become programme director and assistant controller of programmes.