Adieu, King of Palm-Wine Highlife

Permit me to express my warm belated condolence to the family and fans of the late highlife music maestro, Chief Dr. Oladipupo Owomoyela (aka Orlando Owoh). This is another bigblow to the Nigerian music industry. I was bewildered to hear about the sad loss of this great man. Like most legends, Dr. Owoh crafted his own distinctive genre of Highlife music, what he calls Asiko Highlife, which is anchored on systematic polyphonic blend of lead and rhythm guitar leaks; with beautiful guitar and conga transitions from one track to another. He had this peculiar resonating husky voice, which was his brand identity and Unique Selling Point, over other musicians of his time.

Orlando was not just an average musician, he was also a social crusader who used his palm-wine highlife tunes to decry societal ills such military rule, corruption and injustice in Nigerian prisons; with tracks such as Have you been to the State Before?, Experience, E get as e be, Eku Iroju Omo Nigeria, Not in Our Character (Iwa Wa Ko), Nigeria Aanu Semi and Hunger etc. He was also strong believer in the unity of the Nigerian state, and encouraged citizens to hopeful for a better tomorrow, as expressed through his tunes like Nigeria a Dara, Omo Nigeria Ka So Wopo, Eniyan Se rere, Ka Jumo Se and Ire Loni.

Dr Owoh may not have been formally educated; yet, he has in no small measure contributed his quota to Nigeria's socio-political development, with tracks such Na Democracy we Want, Operation Feed Nation and I Say No to Military. He also joined his voice to the international call for the release of Nelson Mandela and the end of Apartheid in South Africa, in his album Apartheid. In some ways, he was like a prophet using his songs to tell biblical stories such as Cain ati Abel, Oti D’Opin, King Nebuchadnezzar, King Solomon, Jonah, Mo Duro Le Christi Apata, Noah, Lord Speak- Your Servant Heareth, Angeli Ti Ko’rukomi Soke, Singing Hallelujah, Ewa Gba Jesu and many more. In other ways he was like a sage, always dishing out proverbs and words of wisdom aimed at inculcating salient societal values and virtues. He sang about patience in Logba Logba, hardwork in Ise Logun Ise and good manners in other tunes.


Orlando Owoh would be sorely missed by his family, friends and well wishes, including yours sincerely. I learnt that he was given a very befitting state burial. Kudos to Ondo, Lagos and Ogun State Governors for their assistance to his family. I suggest that a documentary of the life, music and times of this great man be undertaken for the benefit of our future generation and the yet unborn. Adieu, Baba Kennery!!!

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