Like the biblical Job, highlife music legend, Orlando Owoh, has been hit by yet another tragedy. The latest one is the death of his first wife, Folasade, on Saturday. The woman, who was in her 60s, died during a brief illness. Before now, the news from Owoh's Papa Ashafa home in the outskirts of Lagos was that the man was dying gradually of stroke. The musician could not be reached when Daily Independent visited the house on Sunday, but one of his aides confirmed the death of his wife.

Orlando Owoh has survived two stroke attacks in one year. Presently he finds it difficult to walk about. He has been off the stage for about five months. He needs money to maintain himself daily. Orlando belongs to the second generation of highlife musicians. He is known far and wide but his financial status does not match his popularity.

The family is yet to meet over burial arrangement because some of the deceased children are outside the country.
http://odili.net/news/source/2006/apr/10/611.html

RIP Folashade...I pray that Orlando recovers from his current illness! Amen

May God help him

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THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT ME; SO I GUESS I AM DOING SOMETHING RIGHT.

U MAY lOVE ME OR HATE ME BUT U CANT IGNORE ME

Once again, here's a biggest music legends in d country and he's having financial constraints. It just makes me wonder how these celebs manage their financial matters back home. For a man of his age to have survived 2 strokes, sounds, the family can only hope and pray.

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I am what I am.

Folashade don die? Daaam! This is sad.

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Get rich or die trying!!!

This is a clarion call to all friends, fans and lovers of Kennery Master, Dr. Orlando Owoh. The man is inching towards the grave. Unless something happens very soon Nigeria, and indeed the entire world, may lose him.

Recent media reports have hinted that he is recuperating from a debilitating stroke, but what many people don't know is that all is far from well with him.
And as if that was not bad enough, his first wife, Sade, as reported by Daily Independent on Monday, died last Saturday after a brief illness. Until her death, the woman was always by Orlando's side. Her demise is a big blow on the legendary highlife musician.

The family had not met to work out a burial plan as at the time of going to press. One of the couple's children, Tokunbo, is said to be a boxer in the U.S. others are Daisi, Aina and Kunle. Having been off the stage for some time because of the stroke, the musician no longer has a regular income. It has become difficult for him to attend to some of his needs. He now suffers double jeopardy from the effect of the stroke and his inability to perform on stage.

Some of his friends have, however, taken it upon themselves to try and save him from kissing the stage goodbye. A group of journalists under the aegis of Arts Writers Organisation of Nigeria (AWON) are presently reaching out to individuals and corporate bodies to stop the hourglass from emptying out on Orlando. The Kennery Master is, however, not the only artistes in dire need of help. Joe Layode who played Teacher Garuba in the Village Headmaster series is reportedly completely blind, helpless and hapless. He lives in Iba Housing Estate behind Lagos State University and is a sorry sight. Veteran filmmaker, Eddie Ugboma, who goes to see him frequently says the man sometimes resort to public begging to raise enough money with which to feed and maintain himself. Layode is believed to be in his 70s.

Watch out for more stories on Orlando and Layode in days to come.

http://odili.net/news/source/2006/apr/15/605.html

R u serious? Oh my gosh.

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I am what I am.

At one time in Lagos and some western towns and cities, his music was the rave. In buses and cabs, hotels and pubs, the uniquely distinct gravelly voice of Orlando Owoh was heard everywhere. He also commanded number one billing in concerts, playing in top clubs from Lagos to Ibadan, Akure, Benin and Ilorin.

Even private homes were not left out, as most fans sometimes started their mornings with the joyful strains of his brand of highlife. But in the last three years, the canary bird has stopped warbling because of a stroke. He has had it twice. On his doctor’s advice, he must not exert himself too much, not do any strenuous work. In short, he must rest as much as he can.

But the popular highlife musician and leader of Orlando Owoh and his African Keneri Band, thinks it is the confinement that will kill him eventually. He is tired of doing nothing; just sitting at home surrounded by wives, relations, friends and sympathetic band members.

“I don tell my people say dis one wey dem no allow me go play music so na im de kill me pass,” he says frankly, on what the confinement is doing to him. He feels he’s dying slowly by not getting in on the action. His relations fear he may die if he goes on a musical tour. But ever a man of action, Orlando Owoh says that is just what he needs to stay alive.

The next two weeks will decide whether he stays tucked in bed or goes on stage. Already, there is a concert somewhere in Ondo state where he’s billed to perform. He intends to go, even at the risk of dying. Intensely passionate about what he does best, he sums it thus: “I love music, and I want to die in it.”
For much of his 70 years, Oladipupo Owomoyela aka Orlando Owoh has done nothing but play music, a peculiar kind of highlife and juju. Now, he may not be able to play again because of a partial paralysis. Famous for his baritone voice, the artiste has been down with stroke these past three years. Evidence of that is not hard to see.

When Sunday Sun met and spoke with him at his Iyana Ipaja residence midweek, his baritone voice still had the hard, gravelly edge but is now much slower, a kind of slow drawl. His hands are becoming arthritic too, not in the best shape to strum a guitar expertly. Yet, he insists on getting on stage as soon as possible because if he does not, he reckons he will die even sooner than expected.

“As I dey rest so gan na im de make me de sick,” he told the newspaper last Wednesday. “I have been telling my people that if they are holding me like this, if they don’t allow me to play, they want me to die.”
True, there are those who can’t rest much if they are not busy most of the time, especially what they are proficient at, like a workaholic sent on compulsory vacation. If Orlando Owoh has his way, he’ll be off to a town in Ondo state in two weeks where he is billed to perform in a concert. “I want to play. I still want to go back on stage.”

Orlando Owoh isn’t the first Nigerian musician who will wish to die singing. In September 2003 when traditional Urhobo artiste, Omokomoko Ojuwukevwhe Osokpa, came down with the same affliction, his one desire was to get on stage one more time. Unfortunately, Omokomoko’s wish was unfulfilled. He never performed again before he died the following year.

But can Orlando Owoh hold himself on stage for long, considering his age and health? That is no problem, he replies, because music is all he ever got to know in life and has lived for.

Ever since he released his first album in 1959, the Owo-born performer has not done much else after, though his musical career started much earlier in 1960. His father was a carpenter and agidigbo drummer but he seemed not to have made much of a success out of it, at least not as his son has done.

For sure, it isn’t the best of time for the once energetic artiste whose music was the rave in popular pubs and hotels in Lagos, and even beyond. Then, you could hardly visit any happening joint in town without having an Orlando number play, the same way soukous once invaded Nigerian music scene.

Not that the most famous musician from Owo town in Ondo state is afraid his music will die with him even though none of his children is carrying on the musical touch as Fela’s children. He does not fear for that because his father never was a musician, and didn’t even know when he started his musical career. “Na God know dat one,” he says

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpage...4-2006-001.htm

this is such a sad news