Nigerians continue to mourn the loss of a beloved creative talent, Onyeka Onwenu, who died on July 30 after performing at a friend’s birthday party in Lagos. Rather than focusing on her passing, I’d like to share a personal reflection on how I came to brand her as the “Elegant Stallion.” In the 1980s, Onyeka was Nigeria’s beloved music diva and broadcaster.
Her success in music and pop culture paved the way for her entry into movies when Nollywood exploded in the 1990s. Her iconic nickname, “Elegant Stallion,” was born out of entertainment journalism and became a brand she proudly identified with until her death. Sometimes in 1987, a young Zimbabwean music promoter, Steve Chigorimbo, arrived in Nigeria for music business.
He came from Harare and recruited famous Nigerian musicians for a southern Africa tour, billed as Music Against Apartheid. I had the privilege of covering the Music Against Apartheid tour in southern Africa, featuring Onyeka, the late Sonny Okosuns, and Christie Essien-Igbokwe. As the Entertainment Editor of The PUNCH , I was invited to be the MC for the sold-out concert at the Rufaro Stadium in Harare, Zimbabwe.
The night before a stadium sold-out concert, Steve urged me to be the MC. Earlier, the tour had taken the groups to Lusaka, Kitwe and Kabwe, major cities of Zambia. The first major performance in Zimbabwe was at the Rufaro Stadium.
By the afternoon of the concert date, Rufaro Stadium was packed with excited concertgoers, including univ.
