Something Close to a Tribute to Dr Orlando Owoh

This Sunday morning, I am sitting on my bed listening to Iyawo Olele, by Dr Orlando Owoh. I remember listening to Orlando’s music on LP in our sitting room when I was growing up. It was one of those old record players that had to constantly have its pin changed… if you remember those. I also remember when Orlando returned from the notorious Alagbon detention centre, and the record he released shortly after that. The album was filled with first-hand experience with humiliation in detention, humiliation both for himself and for others. I can still sing the songs on the album, almost word for word.

Then sometime later, we heard that Orlando had become a born-again christian. It was not too long after Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey became a born-again. Orlando did a song that still makes me laugh out loud each time I remember it…..

I probably should add that I grew up in the town where Orlando spent a large part of his time, not too far away from his hometown, and I was quite familiar with the sight of his Peugeot 505. He even paid for palm wine for some of my friends at some point.

My friend sent me an email a couple of weeks ago to tell me that Dr Orlando Owoh was dead. I really loved that guy, really. He was a great musician. I am not going to make any biography. The current edition of The Guardian has a pretty nice editorial on him, but it probably cannot even top the story already done by the same newspaper in 2006.

Those who are not familiar with his music can have a feel of it here.

Here is the current editorial
Here is the old story, from Molara Woods’ old blog.