Onyeka Onwenu, Nigeria’s legendary musician, dies aged 72
Nigeria’s legendary musician Onyeka Onwenu.
Nigeria’s legendary musician, Onyeka Onwenu, has died, her family announced on Tuesday night. She was aged 72.
News of her death quickly caught on social media in Nigeria and beyond, as fans celebrated what they called an icon of African music.
Ms Onwenu is said to have collapsed after her musical performance at the 80th birthday of her friend on Tuesday in Lagos.
She had been rushed to the Reddington Hospital in Lagos on Tuesday night after performing at the birthday party of Mrs Stella Okoli. The hospital later confirmed the death as well.
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday extended his condolences to the family of the late Ms Onyeka Onwenu whom he described as a singer, songwriter, actor, journalist, activist, and politician.
President Tinubu said he was mourning the passing of the ``Queen of Songs, whose edifying and mellifluous rendition, 'One Love', in the 1990s evoked a fervour of fellowship and harmony.”
Onwenu was in fact beyond a musician. She had been a politician, a journalist and activist all woven into one.
The Nigerian leader recalled her interventions in promoting public good, noting her classic collaboration with another musical maestro King Sunny Ade on 'Wait for Me', a melodic campaign on family planning in the 1980s.
He said he would celebrate the ``life of the versatile and extremely gifted artiste who applied herself to the whole gamut of artistic enterprise and expression, bringing joy and laughter to many.’’
Dr Akinwumi Adesina, the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) took to his X handle and said Onwenu was music legend, broadcaster, actress and social activist.
``Your brilliance, poise, impeccable works and professional candor marked your stardom. You were proudly Nigerian. Thank you for incredible contributions to Nigeria. May your soul rest in peace,’’ Adesina said.
Onwenu hails from Arondizuogu in Ideato North, Imo State, Southeastern
Nigeria, but was raised in Port Harcourt, the capital city of Rivers State, Nigeria. She is the youngest daughter of Nigerian educationist and politician, late DK Onwenu, who died when she was four years old.
Onwenu will be remembered for her music albums such as In The ``Morning Light’’ ``Dancing In The Sun’’, ``Iyogogo’’, ``Half of a Yellow Sun’’ and ``Lions Heart’’ and others.
The deceased was nicknamed “Elegant Stallion” by the Nigerian press for her elegance and dexterity on the stage.
She was one-time Chairperson of the Imo State Council for Arts and Culture was in 2013 appointed Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Centre for Women Development.
The musician held a BA in International Relations and Communication from Wellesley College, Massachusetts, and an MA in Media Studies from The New School for Social Research, New York.
She worked for the United Nations as a tour guide before returning to Nigeria in 1980 to complete her mandatory one-year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), in Lagos, Nigeria.
For the love
While with NTA recording career in 1981 she released the album ``For the Love of You’’, a pop album which featured an orchestral cover of Johnny Nash’s “Hold Me Tight”, produced by Berkley Jones.
Her second album was ``Endless Life’’, produced by popular musician, Late Sonny Okosun, and included another cover – the Everley Brothers’ “Walk Right Back”. Both records were released under the EMI label.
Onwenu’s first album with Polygram, ``In The Morning Light’’, was released in 1984. Recorded in London, it featured the track “Masterplan” written by close friend Tyna Onwudiwe who had previously contributed to Onwenu’s BBC documentary and subsequently sang back-up vocals on the album.
In 1986, she released One Love which contained an updated version of the song “(In the) Morning Light from the previous album. Another song, “You and I”, was re-recorded for the 2001 film Conspiracy starring Nkem Owoh and Onwenu herself.
Though very closed about her personal life, she wrote in her memoir titled ‘My Father’s Daughter’ that she got married to a Yoruba Muslim in 1984 and had two sons named Tijani Ogunlende and Ibrahim Ogunlende.
