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Fondly called Elegant Stallion by fans and admirers, the songstress has within the last 60 years inspired many younger Nigerians her genre of use.
Known for her popular hit-track One Love Keep us Together released in the early ’80s, Onyeka, daughter of the late politician, D.K. Onwenu believes that at 60, her best is yet to come.
The entertainer-cum-politician who turned 60 over the week gave an insight into her foray into the entertainment industry burning other burning issues especially those affecting the creative industry.
The sexagenarian is pained deep down in her heart. She voiced her conviction thus in this bare-it-all enthralling chat.
“I’m on my way to being fulfilled. The day you think you’ve gotten there, then, it’s time for you to go home. Life is an on-going experience, a University. So, I look forward to each year for what I can learn and do better than what I’ve done in the past.”
“There’s still so much to be done and I’m involved in so much. My children need my motherly care. So also my community and my Church. I get up in the morning and feel like I can still contribute so much to my society.
Definitely, I have plenty of them and I think we all do if we must be honest to ourselves. Of course, you have regrets because there are mistakes you’ve made in the past that you wouldn’t want to repeat again. If they were good, you would go back and repeat them.”
“Oh yes. The fact that I offered myself for a political office may have been the destination. The interest that I brought into the local government-the fact that I made it an issue that more people are interested in and are talking about which may lead to changes in the way the people are being governed.
“That could have been the destination. So in regards to that, I have no regret because I think God used me to raise that awareness. Particularly, where I come from, I think the awareness is greater and God used it to position me as somebody who’s not interested in a political office because of fame and money.”
“And that served as an example for people to realise that politics isn’t a game for thieves. So, people should go into politics with a mindset of service to the masses. Politics must not be left in the hands of notorious people or the mediocre.
We must bring our best into it and no one has a right to complain if one refuses to get into politics, and some other people ventured into it and make laws that will affect your generation yet unborn. I can beat my chest anywhere to say that I contested even though I didn’t win the election. I debated and contributed to the debate.”
Yes, it was music that I wanted to do. Going to school runs in the blood of my family and I was born by well known educationist, Honourable D. K. Onwenu. So, I dare not refuse to go to school because my mother would kill me. So that was the prerequisite. So I went to school, had my masters degree and had work experience before getting into music, before it was acceptable.”
Most of the songs were his, in fact, all of the songs were his. It was just the way he fashioned it but it was okay for our first outing. But right after that, from the second album, I began writing my songs.”
Songs like Iyogogo, Hallelujah- some of them were taken from folk songs, but they were my songs. I also recorded my mother’s songs Ochie Dike and Sodom And Gomorrah with my contributions. She wrote Ochiedike for her mother. Although she didn’t record it, she went to the Churches, singing and teaching the song during the yearly mother’s Day.
And then one day, I said to her that I would record the song and that she should name her price. “Well, they’re both planning to give me a joint gift- a gift of a song they’ve never given to me before. This birthday was special and they gave me a special gift…”
“I didn’t celebrate it because I just buried my mother in January and it was awesome. I really thank God for his grace because we gave her a grand farewell. She made me promise to give her a grand send-off because she’d always wanted it.”
“So, I was exhausted in every way and to start another preparation for my birthday wasn’t a good idea. If you haven’t buried someone, you wouldn’t understand what I’m saying and being what I am in the society, the burial attracted a lot of attention and it meant spending more than necessary and I just had to take a break and organize myself for the year.”
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