LET’S REBURY ORLANDO OWOH

 

                    BoN during an interview with the late Musician

 

              WE NEED ORLANDO’S MUSEUM

 

           Last week at the St. Louis  Lewis and Clark Library Missouri, America  I sighted   two CDs of  two Nigeria’s great Musicians on the shelf: Fela Anikulapo Kuti and King  Sunny Ade. I felt great. I showed the two CDs to many there . I want to  donate some of Orlando’s CDs to them.

       Its a pity   that a  prophet does  not have  honor in his own town.When Orlando’s music is being played it throws many into frenzy. Last year a  young  man suddenly stopped and started dancing to the track, Ojo  (Ojo onitemi o Ojo o, Ojo a b’adiye s’aba l’ori eyin Ojo , Ojo o si ni’le Omo adiye d’agba …..Ojo ooooooo,ooooo… ) the young man who coincidentally bears Ojo danced his heart out .He said ” that is my favorite music that is my name Orlando is singing its  praises , then the others followed him dancing when they were convinced of his sanity.

It  happened last year at Agege Pen Cinema area , infact I joined in the dance.The young man  told everybody that he bears Ojo, the  name Orlando sang its  praise. That is Orlando’s music for you.

His music suits any occasion , highly philosophical, full of wisdom, poetry, folklores, traditional stories .

  When he released the  Ganja album , he sold millions and was hailed to high heavens  despite being banned , yet it sold like hot cake. But how can we pay honor to this great man?

 During an interview with the mother of Orlando Owoh, she  was not happy that her son was not buried in his country home , Ifon. Now , it is exactly 10 years Orlando has been dead,while his remains were buried in Lagos.Yes, mistake has been made but let all his friends, fans and family members gather and put their heads together and have his bones  exhumed and be buried in Ifon while his statue be placed at the center of the town while a museum be built and all his materials be kept in his memory. Up till this moment no street not even a local government Park or Center is named after this legend.

        That Orlando’s  mother is still alive is not an excuse. Bob Marley’s mother , Cedella Booker was still alive when her son died at 36.She died  27 years  later  ( 2008).

         LET’S EXHUME ORLANDO’S BODY

  The Holy Bible tells us how  Joseph’s bones  were exhumed from the land of Egypt and  brought to Shechem  and  buried according to the instructions he [Joseph] gave to the Israelites before he died.

Moses Orimolade  Tunolase the leader and founder of Cherubim and Seraphim died on October 19, 1933 ,and was buried at Ojokoro Church , along Lagos /Abeokuta express way , but 42 years later  his bones  were exhumed and taken to his hometown , Ikare, Ondo State for burial on October 19, 1975.

Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia had his bones exhumed    25 years after his death and was given a befitting burial.

Others who had their remains exhumed and reburied are  Eva Peron, Abraham Lincoln, John Wilkes Booth, Zachary Taylor, Christopher Columbus, Oliver Cromwell, Lee Harvey Oswald, Simon Bolivar,

     Orlando’s sculptor carved on his mother’s door

Daniel Boone, Santa Claus (Saint Nicholas) and many more.

                                    APPEAL FUND NEEDED

     We need an appeal fund, if need be, and the money realized from his royalties coupled with all his  friends , fans and family members of the late Orlando Owoh should endeavor  give him last respect and honor and bring his bones down to Ifon, his hometown and be reburied. It is then we will be proud of having a son from Ifon who took us beyond the native town.

     Here was a man who has over 70 albums to his credit.Let us appeal to his childhood friends , Die The Matter, HRH Apata, and some of his friends to come together and if need be launch an appeal fund and exhume Orlando’s remains and take it back home.

          BoN with Orlando’s mother

      If the late African Kennery were here today he would have recorded many albums. He  would have sang on religion, politics, killings by Boko Haram and Corruption. The great musician  would have sang about elections, against Cultism, inflation, increment of school fees and workers’ hardship.

Yes! if Orlando were here today he would have used his songs to fight social injustice  and social ills in the society.He was a multi -talented musician, poet, composer ,guitarist and  folklorist.

 But the High-life musician  is not here. The African Kennery  joined his ancestors 10 years ago .The Ganja preacher has gone to the land of no return. His remains were buried at his Lagos residence. May his soul rest in peace.

For him truth was his watchword, he would boldly tell you he smoked Indian hemp and so what? .He was a friend of the masses. He was  humble to a fault.

          Apart from the late Orlando and Fela Anikulapo  Kuti who publicly smoked ganja no musician in Nigeria ever confessed smoking it. Infact, he is ranked among  likes of  Bob Marley , Peter Tosh and  Fela. He preached the gospel of ganja .In one of his elpees he sings  that the Police and other law makers smoke the weed.If he were here he would have waxed another record for its legalization. He was gifted. He was the voice of the masses, voice for  the Voiceless and he truly identified himself with them.

                       NEED ORLANDO’S MUSEUM

         Bob Marley died at the age of 36 in 1981, today  there is  a museum where all his personal effects and his history are being kept for viewing . It is now a tourist center.While many Parks and other things are named after him.

There is James Brown’s museum, there is Michael Jackson’s museum.We need Orlando Owoh’s museum. Infact there is no book yet written about Orlando , although I met a man five years ago in Ogbomoso  who is a die-hard fan of Orlando compiling information on the late Musician.Up till now no book known to me that had been published about him.

   And the question  is  “when can we have this type of Musician  again? .”

                          ORLANDO’S ALBUMS

       A man whose wife nags him always  last week  played   IYAWO OLELE  for her but when his wife knew he was indirectly referring to him, she changed the CD and played  KO SEE MA NI  (Woman is indispensable). They  looked at each other and stopped their quarrel.

The reason why people are migrating is because of  ITAN OWO (THE STORY OF MONEY ).  Oh my God how do we call it when Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Jacob Miller Killer, Michael Jackson , James Brown, Haruna Ishola, Ogunde Hubert,Baba Sala,  Orlando Owoh are gone? BELERE BA LO NILE YI, no music again  for  ASOTITO AYE have all gone . ADAJO ERE but the Musicians are nowhere to be found to play for us.

A young boy whose boss accused him of stealing his money  played  MA WO MI RORO, to stop suspecting him. For the past one week till the end of this year it is THANKSGIVING for God has spared our lives .

If you smoke  GANJA [I] and  arrested by the law enforcement agent just tell them that the Police, Judges smoke it while in  some states in America GANJA [II] has been legalized.

For those who are away from home they should console themselves and play the  track ERO KI YEYE MI for their mother. Above all don’t underrate your siblings because OMIYE LALA.

Are you oppressed by one stupid rich man?, then sing the song    LOGBA LOGBA    for him,  and he would calm his frayed nerves but don’t forget to , remind him that AYE NYI, while we would continue to pray until when OLORUN OBA DA WA LOHUN then we will sing  MODUPE  , infact ORO MI JU OPE LO.

Whenever I remember  THE LATE  DELE GIWA I used to tell others that OMO BERU AIYE -AIYE LE .I also advise  that MA SIKA, because of the EXPERIENCE I have in life.

We shall soon sing ORIN TUNTUN  and  give IBA EDUMARE  in the new year  because OKAN MI YIN OBA ORUN  and I SAY NO to any YELLOW SISI  for  E GET AS E BE even though SISI SALEWA will not understand .

If your husband is angry just play ORIKI  OJO for him since he is aba diye saba lori eyin and say IRE LONI for you have  to say  AGBA MO JUBA,  to show respect for him..

 

 The monster called  APARTHEID  still reigns in South Africa, but  WHO NO KNOW GO KNOW as they treat us like   CAIN AND ABEL.

Economy is biting hard  no wonder our ladies have become  MONEY FOR HAND BACK FOR GROUND that is why we need to ask the State Governments who claim they cannot pay 30k minimum wage that  WHICH IS WHICH?

    The only way to reach your friends here and outside is to send a text MESSAGE.

 Last week I saw a   KANGAROO  in the Zoo at  St. Louis

   When you look up you see how be OSUPA RORO, Everyday we say , O BABY,to our ladies wanting to make her happy . I SAY   NO  to satan .When you remember your mum  sing this song  with message ERO KI YEYE MI. Are you in America, UK or other foreign country , remember that  AJO KO LE DUN, so East , West, South or North home is the best.

With the current political topsy turvy and hullabaloo we still have hope and we should believe that NIGERIA A DARA.It is good you have made it and no enemy can attack you so sing  AJANAKU DARABA. During the Muslim festival they kill Eran Ileya and  in  four months time is EASTER SPECIAL   for the Christians when we will be celebrating the crucifixion of  Jesus Christ .

 In two weeks time they will soon be selling KNOCK OUT  to herald Christmas and not now for AJUWA YEYE. Please remember that LAIKU EGIRI you don’t you don’t use its skin to make drum and we need to say MO DUPE always especially we  OMO YORUBA for giving us good leaders like Osinbajo.

Born as Stephen Oladipupo Owomoyela in Oshogbo, his father was from Ifon and mother from Owo

Thank God Orlando left behind his children who did not want his name to die as Kunle Orlando Owoh is making waves .

Unfortunately this great musician left his aged mother behind.

Orlando’s fans should be kind enough to see that  his mother is doing fine.

Born on  February 14 1932 , died on  November  4, 2008.