NIGERIA: Legendary musician Onyeka Onwenu died on Tuesday, July 30 in Lagos.
She reportedly collapsed after performing at the 80th birthday party of Stella Okolie, Chief Executive Officer of Emzor Pharmaceuticals.
Here are 17 things to know about Onyeka Onwenu, reports The Nation.
1. She was born January 31, 1952 to the family of Nigerian educationist and politician D. K. Onwenu.
2. Her father died when she was four years old in an auto crash, a week before his appointment as Minister for Education
3. Onwenu possessed 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.
4. 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.
5. While at NTA she wrote internationally acclaimed BBC/NTA documentary on corruption in Nigeria, titled ‘Nigeria: A Squandering of Riches’ in 1984
6. She began her recording career in 1981 while still with the NTA, releasing the album For the Love of You
7. Originally a secular artist, Onwenu made the transition to gospel music in the 90s, and most of her songs are self-written.
8. Onwenu’s first movie role was as Joke, a childless woman who adopts an abandoned baby in Zik Zulu Okafor’s Nightmare
9. As an actress she featured in numerous Nollywood movies, and in 2006 she won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance in the movie “Widow’s Cot.”
10. Her most recent screen appearances include 2014 in the movie Half of a Yellow Sun with Chiwetel Ejiofor and Thandiwe Newton, and Lion Heart (2018).
11. Onwenu was a member of the People’s Democratic Party(PDP).
12. She contested twice to become Chairperson of her Local Government, Ideato North Local Government Area of Imo State and lost at both attempts.
13. Onwenu was appointed Chairperson of Imo State Council for Arts and Culture by former governor Ikedi Ohakim.
14. On 16 September 2013, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan appointed her the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Centre for Women Development.
15. Onwenu kept her personal life private and often refused to disclose private information regarding her ex-husband.
16. She is survived by her two children – Tijani Charles and Abraham.
17. She died on July 30, 2024.
