Elegant Stallion, Onyeka Onwenu: 1952–2024

The truth in the saying that Nigeria, as a country is abundantly blessed with every good thing that many nations are earnestly yearning for can best be said to be more manifest in the country’s human and natural resources considering the unquantifiable premium usually been attached on Nigerian professionals of all creed, shade  and structure.

It usually takes the unveiling of the identities of a few high-profile Nigerian professionals and practitioners of all trades for those who think more of Nigeria in terms of liquid and solid mineral depositories to realize why the country prides herself as the eagle in the sky; the cynosure of all eyes and the much sought after catalyst for revolutionary tendencies especially among organized societies hence the ever-increasing number of Nigerians in the diaspora.

Let it be said that Nigeria is profoundly proud in identifying Lady Onyeka Onwenu as one of the country’s  outlandishly accomplished multidisciplinary talent whose beacon of achievements were mounted across the nation which tentacles are majestically hoisted across the global communities in such a manner that reflected Nigeria as an enigma.

Born on January 31, 1952, Onyeka Onwenu, who the world acknowledged as, and tagged the Elegant Stallion died on July 28, 2024 amidst momentous ovation in reflection of what she lived and stood for, part of which was her contributions towards the formation of a more united Nigeria courtesy of her creative arts as a musician, poet, social critic and crusader of human rights with particular emphasis on women empowerment and gender equality.

We are deeply humbled by the many accolades, shades and colours of flowery gowns with which she was addressed in her eventful life time. But Onyeka was worth much more than people knew of her on the ground that she was not the type that would flaunt all that she had.

Typical of the proverbial elephant to which the many blind men described from the part that they were able to touch, Onyeka  stood out as an epitome of the successful music artist, broadcaster, journalist and playwright.

Dubbed the “Elegant Stallion” due to her significant impact on African culture and entertainment, Onwenu acquired so much clout as she became a chairperson of the Imo State Council for Arts and Culture at a very early stage. In 2013, she was appointed the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Centre for Women Development.

We sincerely acknowledge the indisputable fact that she successfully succeeded in putting Nigeria on the global map through her works, sense of purpose and decency. Although she attracted a good dose of controversies, an attribute which characterizes most celebrities, she depended majorly on her virtuous family upbringing to weather the storms when they did arise.

Onyeka, who held the unofficial title of Lady of Songs in an honest acknowledgement of her prolific nature in composing songs  hailed from Arondizuogu, a big town in Ideato North, Imo State, Southeastern Nigeria, but was raised in Port Harcourt.

She was the youngest daughter of Nigerian educationist and politician D. K. Onwenu, who died when she was four years old in a traffic collision a week after his appointment as Minister for Education, leaving his widow, Hope, to raise five children alone after her husband’s family denied her access to his property.

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 in the United States. 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.

As an NTA employee, Onwenu made an impact as a newsreader and reporter. Recall that in 1984, she wrote and presented the internationally acclaimed BBC/NTA documentary, Nigeria: A Squandering of Riches which became the definitive film about corruption in Nigeria, as well as the intractable Niger Delta agitation for resource control and campaign against environmental degradation in the oil rich region. A member of the NTA board, she also worked as a TV presenter, hosting the shows Contact and Who’s On? both on NTA Network.

But the height which Onyeka attained and retained till death was in her musical career where she roared like a lioness as she defied all criticisms to emerge the favourite of all creeds, religion and tribe considering her capacity to make music in various Nigerian languages.

Originally a secular artist, Onwenu made the transition to gospel music in the 90s, and most of her songs are self-penned. She wrote and sang about issues such as health (HIV/AIDS), peace and mutual coexistence, respect for women’s rights, and the plight of children.

She began her recording career in 1981 while still with the NTA, releasing the album For the Love of You, a pop album which featured an orchestral cover of Johnny Nash’s “Hold Me Tight”, produced by Berkley Jones. Her second album was Endless Life, produced by Sonny Okosun, and included another cover – the Everley Brothers’ “Walk Right Back”. Both records were released under the EMI label.

Onwenu’s first album with Polygram, In The Morning Light, was released in 1984. Recorded in London, it featured the track “Masterplan” written by close friend Tyna Onwudiwe who had previously contributed to Onwenu’s BBC documentary and subsequently sang back-up vocals on the album.

In 1986, she released One Love which contained an updated version of the song “(In the) Morning Light from the previous album.  Another song, “You and I”, was re-recorded for the 2001 film Conspiracy starring Nkem Owoh and Onwenu herself.

For the 1988 album Dancing In The Sun, Onwenu adopted a more Afrocentric sound and collaborated with veteran jùjú artist King Sunny Ade on the track “Madawolohun (Let Them Say)”. This was the first of three songs the pair worked on together; the other two – “Choices” and “Wait For Me” – centred on family planning, and were endorsed by the Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria who used “Choices” in their PSA.

It is also note worthy that Dancing In The Sun, Onwenu’s final release on Polygram, was dedicated to Winnie Mandela, the subject of a song of the same name which Onwenu performed live when Nelson Mandela and his wife visited Nigeria in 1990 following his release from prison. The duo are now of blessed memory.

We hold Onyeka Onwenu out as a person of many parts who traversed and indeed conquered on all fronts. She was among the first batch of talented artists who led the way for Nigeria to earn foreign income from the entertainment industry.

Onyeka too, did not shy away from politics as she was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. She contested twice to become the Local Council Chairman of Ideato North Local Government Area of Imo State and lost at both attempts,  but was appointed Chairperson of Imo State Council for Arts and Culture by former Governor Ikedi Ohakim. President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan had on 16th of September 2013, also appointed her the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Centre for Women Development.

At 72, Onyeka Onwenu represented everything good about the Girl Child including the confirmation that there are no limitations to what determination can achieve. As she lay in rest, she symbolizes a pathway to audacious accomplishments amidst humility.

If Onyeka Onwenu were to be a soldier, it would have been said that she died in active service considering the fact that she took her final bow shortly after doing what she had loved to do the most; bringing happiness to humanity.

However, as the family, Nigeria and indeed the entire global entertainment community mourn her passing, we request that we oblige and respect her last wish which is that she be accorded an early and private burial devoured of all the funfair . We demand that the Federal and Imo State governments should immortalize her legacies by naming prominent monuments after her. We pray for the repose of her gentle soul.

 

For a better society

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