Victor Ezeja
Iconic Nigerian singer and songwriter, Onyeka Onwenu, whose tragic passing occured on Wednesday morning in Lagos, had multiple talents.
She reportedly slumped after performing at a function in Lagos and died thereafter at Reddington Hospital, Lagos where she was taken to for medical care.
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She was born on 31st January 1952 at Obosi in Anambra State but hails from Arondizuogu, in Ideato North Local Government Area, Imo State, South-east Nigeria. She was raised in Port Harcourt, the capital city of Rivers State, Nigeria.
She was just four years when her father, Dickson Kanu Onwenu, an educationist and politician died in an auto crash.
Onwenu, who was raised alongside her other siblings by her mother, was later fortunate to attend Wellesley College, Massachusetts, where she bagged a Bachelors degree in International Relations and Communication. She also has an MA in Media Studies from The New School for Social Research, New York.
Onwenu worked as a tour guide for the United Nations before returning to Nigeria in 1980.
Back in Nigeria, her four decades career spanned journalism, music, acting and human rights and political activism.
As a journalist, Onwenu worked at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) both as a newscaster, and reporter in the 1980s. She also wrote and presented the BBC/NTA documentary, called Nigeria: A Squandering of Riches, which got international acclaim as it vividly portrayed corruption in Nigeria, and also the Niger Delta agitation for resource control and campaign against environmental degradation in the oil rich region of Nigeria. Aside from that, she also hosted other shows on the NTA Network up until 1990s.
From journalism, Onwenu moved into music. After releasing some albums on secular issues, she transitioned into gospel music. She was both a songwriter and singer, often perfoming live at iconic events. One of them was when former South African president and freedom fighter, Nelson Mandela, visited Nigeria in 1990 following his release from prison.
Some of her popular music include You and I, One Love, Iyogogo and Ekwe.
In 2013, Onyeka Onwenu served as X Factor series judge.
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As an actress, Onwenu starred in various movies including, The Nightmare, which was her first movie where she acted as a childless woman who adopts an abandoned baby. She also featured in another popular Nollywood movie The Tyrant which had legends like Pete Edochie, who acted as the military head of state, late ace broadcaster, and actor, Justus Esiri, among others. The movie reminisces military regime in Nigeria.
Onwenu had since featured in several other Nollywood movies.
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. She was also nominated that same year for Africa Movie Academy Award for “Best Actress in a Leading Role” in the movie Rising Moon.
Other latest movies that she appeared in include Half of a Yellow Sun (2014), based on Chimamanda Adichie’s novel, and Lion Heart (2018), produced by Chinny Onwugbenu and directed by Genevieve Nnaji. The film has stars like Pete Edochie, Genevieve Nnaji, and Nkem Owoh.
Onwenu was also an activist. One notable incident of her activism was when she protested against her former employer NTA over non payment of royalties on her songs used by the station. The scuffle that ensued, attracted support for her making NTA to resolve the matter amicably.
In 2022, during the fourth anniversary of Leah Sharibu’s abduction (one of the Government Girls’ Science and Technology College Dapchi students in Yobe state who were kidnapped on 19 February 2018), Onwenu, with Reno Omokri, and Panam Percy Paul, produced a short song titled Angels On Guard where they prayed for Sharibu’s safety and also reinforced the campaign for her freedom from the Boko Haram terrorists.
Watch the video here
READ ALSO: Nigeria’s Music Icon Onyeka Onwenu Remembers Leah Sharibu, Calls For Prayers
In 2013, Onwenu was also appointed the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Centre for Women Development.
She was the mother of two children – Tijani Charles and Abraham.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
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