Elegant Stallion: Things to know about legendary late singer Onyeka Onwenu

Onyeka Onwenu was a legendary figure in Nigerian music and entertainment.

According to reports, the iconic singer died Tuesday night after performing at an event at Banana Island, Lagos. She was 72.

Here are things to know about Onyeka Onwenu:

She was born on January 31, 1952, to the family of Nigerian educationist and politician D. K. Onwenu, who died in an auto crash when she was four years old, a week before he was appointed Minister for Education.

She attended Wellesley College in Massachusetts, USA, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations and communication.

Onwenu’s impressive career spans several fields, including music, acting, human rights activism, journalism, and politics, earning her the nickname “Elegant Stallion” from the Nigerian press for her powerful voice and charismatic stage presence.

Onwenu began her music career in the 1980s, releasing several albums that blend genres like highlife, pop, and gospel. Some of her popular songs include “One Love” and “You and I.”

She made a significant impact in Nollywood, starring in numerous films and television series, including “Half of a Yellow Sun,” “Lionheart,” “Muna,” and many others.

Onwenu, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, contested twice unsuccessfully for the position of Local Council Chairman of her local government but was later appointed Chairperson of the Imo State Council for Arts and Culture by former Governor Ikedi Ohakim.

She was awarded the Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) for her contributions to the Nigerian entertainment industry and also received the Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) in 2011.

Onwenu once went on a hunger strike in 2000 to protest against her former employer, NTA, for refusing to pay royalties on her songs and blacklisting her from transmission after then-director general Ben Murray-Bruce took action.

Onwenu was known for keeping her personal life private and often refrained from disclosing details about her ex-husband, a Yoruba Muslim, with whom she had two children, Tijani Charles and Abraham.

Despite widespread speculation and rumours of a romantic relationship, Onyeka Onwenu consistently denied any involvement with Fela Kuti, clarifying in a viral podcast and her autobiography, My Father’s Daughter, that their relationship was purely professional and based on mutual respect.

Onyeka Onwenu had a notable collaboration with King Sunny Ade, one of Nigeria’s most celebrated musicians, marked by the release of the hit song “Wait for Me” in 1984, which not only became a significant success in Nigeria but also served as part of a public health campaign promoting responsible family planning and safe sex.