Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe was one man that brought the highlife music from Ghana, and added flavour to it in Nigeria igbo language. He was born in (March, 1936-and died on may 11,2007). He is from Atani town Anambra state. He lasted in his career for over four decades, and he is one of the best highlife musician of all time in Nigeria.(Espencially in the Eastern Nig. )His “Osondi Owendi”.was one of Nigeria most popular records of all time.He was also known as ( The doctor of hypertension). Osadebe was a song writer,singer, and record producer,
it was in his high school onitsha he started growing interest in music.he came into lamplight in a night club in Lagos, he had been apart of empire orchestra, led by E. C. Arinze.”where he learned much of his music skills.A prolific composer,He released his first album in 1958,and went on to write over 500 songs.
Around 1964, He struck out as a band leader with his group( The Sound Maker) .His style of music matured to include social commentary, His music is intensely rhythmic that one find it difficult not to move the body, even if you don’t understand the lyrics, He succeeded in completely transforming high life into the call and response pattern of African music.
During the civil war and after the war, Osadebe maintained his scheduled live, and his career has reached its zenith. After turning 50 in 1986,Osadebe started to give priority to fatherhood and gave more time to his son Obiora. In 1960 Osadebe interrupted his music career and studied economics in Soviet Union, now Russia until 1962.After his 1981 album Onu kwolinijo was recorded. His music combined the West Africa music style high life with forms of the igbo people of Nig. Guitar and wind instrument dominated his music, saxophone can also heard. Osadebe was the first to include critical elements in his famous album” Osandi owendi” which was the most successful song ever released in Nig. Especially among us , In 1995 he went on his first music tour in U. S. A, his album kedu America” Osadebe was regarded as an idol and an Elderstateman, because music is the fruit of the soul. States honoured him with the award Officer of Order of Niger(OON).
The performing musician of Nigeria named him the beat highlife artist of the year 1988.with the released of Osandi Owendi”(meaning: one man’s meat is another man’s poison) which he sold 750,000 copies. His unique sound was highly regarded among the older generation that grew up with his music during the 1960s and 1970s, Osadebe once said that ” A country without music is a dead nation,and Igbo musicians are great people, musically Igbo is great nation. Today Osadebe’s music is enjoyed not only in Nigeria but all around the World. His songs which were full of proverbs,life lessons and humor contributed immensely to the cultural growth and social consciousness of the country. His contributions as the voice of highlige music impacted a younger generation of artists such as the late MC Loph, and Flavour N’abania.etc.He was honoured by his people with a chieftancy title the (Ogbuiti Ezealulukwate of Atani land).He was a man who was not only loved by his ethnic group, he was loved by everyone across Nigeria.He died at St. Mary hospital Waterbury Connecticut on May 11,2007 of severe lung failure, He shared thesame day and month with the legend of Reggy music Robert Nesta Marley. Also May 11th.
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