It is always very painful when someone dies, especially when that individual is a celebrity you have loved so much all your life. To many losing a musician they love is equal to losing a member of their family.
It is so sad to know that many of Nigeria top artists lost their lives in their 60s. Starting with the legendary Abibu Oluwa. Abibu could easily be described as the creator of the sakara genre. He was so popular and very influential, he was the musician of the elites. As a matter of fact many of the elites of the time scrambled to be sereneded by him. Individuals like Herbert Macaulay, Oba Falolu, the then Oba of Lagos, JMJ Johnson, S B Bakare, Sanni Adewale (Father of I S Adewale) Salami Agbabiaka etc were his patrons. Sadly Abibu died in 1964 when he was just 60. He was rumoured to have died through food poison. Six years later another top juju musician Ayinde Bakare lost his life also at 60 when he suddenly disappeared from the stage after the band had a break at a wedding ceremony in which he was hired to perform only for his body to be found floating in the Lagos lagoon few days after his disappearance. In 1978 Yusufu Olatunji who was second to Oluwa in the sakara genre also collapsed and died while chairing a meeting attended by other prominent musicians. He was 69.
1983 was a bad year for the Ijebus because two leading musicians from Ijebuland lost their lives. Bobby Benson died in May 1983 aged 61. Alhaji Haruna Ishola the Ijebu Igbo born apala maestro who was undoubtedly one of the most successful musician of his time came to Ikorodu to commiserate with the Benson family in May 1983 also lost his life six months later in November of the same year at the age of 64. Ligali Mukaiba died the following year aged 62. Ayinla Omowura was very young in 1980 when he died aged 45 though some people believed he died at the age of 48. I remember reading about his death in the then Lagos Weekend news, according to the newspaper he died aged 45.
Alhaji Dauda Epo Akara also died few months after celebrating his 60th birthday, but he was said to have died at the age of 62. Ayinde Barrister the Fuji creator also lost his life on the 16th of December 2010 aged 62. I K Dairo Baba aladura also died at 66. Sunny Okosun, Oliver de Coque died in 2008 both died at the age of 61. Ras Kimono died at 60.
Amazingly many top artists also died at 59. Some on the lists includes Fela Kuti, Tunde Nightingale, Nosiru Atunwon, Lefty Salami.
Many of these legends left us when their stars were shining. For example Olu Odebagbemi Rex Lawson was extremely unlucky. He died at the peak of his career in January 1971 when he was just 36!
They would have continued to churn out fantastic songs if they managed to have lived longer.
Chief commander Ebenezer Obey and KSA, Dele Abiodun, are now in their 70s, may God continue to give them and other artists long healthy lives.
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