Onyeka Onwenu, a veteran Nigerian singer, broadcaster, and actress known as the ‘Elegant Stallion,’ died on Tuesday after performing at a ceremony.
The 72-year-old singer died at a hospital in Victoria Island, Lagos, after falling during her performance at Stella Okoli’s birthday party, the founder of Emzor Pharmaceuticals.
The official reason of her death has yet to be revealed. Here are some things you should know about versatile Onyeka Onwenu:
1. Singer Onyeka Onwenu was born on January 31, 1952, in Obosi, Anambra State.
2. She was a Nigerian broadcast journalist, singer-songwriter, actress, politician, human rights and social activist, and former judge on the X Factor.
3. Onwenu began her broadcasting career in Lagos in 1980 as a corper for the Nigerian Television Authority, or NTA. In 1984, she authored and presented the globally recognized BBC/NTA documentary, “Nigeria: A Squandering of Riches.” She also worked as a television presenter, hosting the series Contact (1988) and Who’s On? (1993) for the NTA Network.
4. She obtained a BA in International Relations and Communication from Wellesley College in Massachusetts, as well as an MA in Media Studies from The New School for Social Research in New York.
5. The ‘Elegant Stallion’ launched her recording career in 1981, while still with the NTA, with the album ‘For the Love of You.’ She later released four more albums: ‘Endless Love’, ‘In The Morning Light’ (1984), ‘Dancing In The Sun’ (1988), and ‘Onyeka!’ (1992). She later switched to gospel music in the 1990s. In 2013, Onwenu was one of the three judges on X Factor Nigeria.
6. She made her acting debut in 1999 in Zik Zulu Okafor’s ‘Nightmare’. In 2006, she received the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her role in the film ‘Widow’s Cot. Onwenu appeared in the 2014 film ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’ alongside Chiwetel Ejiofor and Thandiwe Newton. She appeared in Netflix’s first Nigerian original film, ‘Lion Heart’ (2018).
She has acted in dozens of Nollywood movies.
7. In politics, former governor Ikedi Ohakim appointed Onwenu to chair the Imo State Council for Arts and Culture. She was later appointed Director-General of the National Centre for Women’s Development in 2013. She ran for Chairman of her Local Government, Ideato North Local Government Area in Imo State, twice but was defeated both times.
8. In 2011, she was granted the National Honors of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) in appreciation of her contributions to Nigerian society.
9. She was a mother of two. She kept her personal life private. Not much is known about her ex-husband, a Yoruba Muslim.
10. Onwenu passed away at the age of 72.
