Orlando Owoh

Nigerian musician and activist

highlife

Occupation(s)

carpenter
Singer-songwriter
musician
band leader

Instrument(s)

vocals

Years active1958–2008Labels

Kola Ogunmola Theatre Group

Musical artist

Orlando Owoh (born Stephen Oladipupo Olaore Owomeyela; 14 February 1932 – 4 November 2008)^[1] was a Nigerian highlife musician and band leader of Yoruba origin.

Biography

Stephen Oladipupo Olaore Owomoyela, later known as Chief Dr. Orlando Owoh, was born in Osogbo, Nigeria on 14 February 1932 to Chief Atanneye Owomoyela and Mrs. Christiana Morenike Owomoyela. His father hailed from Ifon, Ondo State, while his mother was from the town of Owo. His father was a carpenter who was also a part-time musician in Osogbo. As a young man Owoh initially entered into the carpentry trade until 1958, when he was hired by Nigeria's Kola Ogunmola Theatre Group to play drums and sing. Owoh went on to form Dr. Orlando Owoh and his Omimah Band in 1960, and over a musical career of forty years became one of the leading proponents of highlife music. With bands such as the Omimah Band and later the Young Kenneries and the African Kenneries International, Owoh remained popular in Nigeria, even as tastes moved to the newer jùjú and fuji styles.^[2] He had over 45 albums to his credit. Orlando Owoh died on 4 November 2008 and was laid to rest at his Agege residence in Lagos, Nigeria.

Discography

Albums released by Dr. Orlando Owoh (not in chronological order):

Aiye nyi lo Medley
Ajanaku Daraba
Apartheid
Asotito Aye
Awa de
Ayo mi sese bere
Cain ati Abel
Easter special
E ku iroju
E Get As E Be
Emi wa wa lowo re
Experience
Ganja I
Ganja II
Ibaje eniyan
Igba aye Noah
Ire loni
I say No
Iwa l'Oluwa Nwo
Iyawo Olele
Jeka sise
Kangaroo
Kennery de ijo ya
Kose mani
Late Dele Giwa
Logba Logba
Ma wo mi roro
Message
Mo juba agba
Money 4 hand back 4 ground
Oriki Ojo
Orin titun
Thanksgiving
Which is which

His singles include (not in chronological order):

Brother ye se
Day by day
Diana
Ebe mo be ori mi
Zo Muje
Egi nado
Elese (sinner)
Fiba fun Eledumare
Ma pa mi l'oruko da
Ma sika Ma doro
Modupe Medley
Oju ni face
Okan mi yin Oba orun
Olorun Oba da wa lohun Medley
Oro loko laya
Rex Lawson
Wa ba mi jo
Yabomisa sawale
You be my lover

This list of albums and singles is however not exhaustive.^[3]

References

^ "Orlando Owoh: A decade after". TheCable. 22 November 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
^ Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 1883/4. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
^ "Discography of Dr. Orlando Owoh". Archived from the original on 31 December 2008. Retrieved 6 July 2019.^{[self-published source]}