Posted by Abiodun Onafuye, Moyo Onatemoyo, Sope Savage & Nneka Ozoadibe on
First wife of the late highlife maestro and Kennery exponent, Dr. Stephen Oladipupo Owomoyela, a.k.a. Dr. Orlando Owoh, Mrs. Caroline Muibat Owomoyela, has described her late husband as the best thing to have happened to her.
First wife of the late highlife maestro and Kennery exponent, Dr. Stephen Oladipupo Owomoyela, a.k.a. Dr. Orlando Owoh, Mrs. Caroline Muibat Owomoyela, has described her late husband as the best thing to have happened to her.
Mrs. Owomoyela spoke with P.M.News, at the residence of the deceased, in Lagos. According to her: 'I enjoyed every moment of my life with Baba until he died. I don't know any person on earth that can fill the vacuum his death has created in my life.
'He knew he would die on the day he passed on. He told me that I should not forget where he said he should be buried whenever he died. I assured him that he would not die because I have faith in my Lord. But as God wanted it, He took away my precious husband, the joy of my life.'
Mrs. Owomoyela confirmed that the late Orlando Owoh had six wives and many children, adding that arrangement for his burial was still being planned. 'The first son, who lives in Chicago, USA, has been informed and he has to come first before we fix a date for the burial,'' she explained.
When P.M.News sought the views of other wives about Orlando Owoh's death, they said they agreed with the first wife's comments. 'Mama has spoken and she is our mama. We agree with whatever she says,' they chorused.
Lamenting the demise of the highlife artiste, his immediate younger sister, Mrs. Helen Kayode, asked: 'Why should he die now? He was a loving brother. What pained me is that he still has an aged mother who lives in Owo, Ondo state. She is about 100 years old. We have informed her and she took it as an act of God.'
Many of his children who spoke with P.M.News eulogized the man they described as a commoner who identified with the down-trodden in the society.
Miss Feyikemi Owomoyela, one of his daughters, said: 'Though he is gone, I believe he is still around. Everywhere you go, you still hear his music and that would make us to always remember him.'
Another daughter, Omobolanle Owomoyela, a student of the University of Lagos, said: 'My father was a man of many parts. He was everything to me and a man to be celebrated all the time; very caring and accommodating. Nobody can fill the vacuum his death has created in my life.'
The deceased's uncle, Mr. Femi Owomoyela, said: 'We give thanks to God for his life. We don't need to rush his burial. He was a great man that the whole country would miss. We will meet for the burial arrangement and you will be informed.' Dr. Orlando Owoh died on Tuesday, 4 November, 2008, at the Ikeja General Hospital, Lagos. He was 74.