President Bola Tinubu has expressed his heartfelt condolences to the family of legendary singer, songwriter, actor, journalist, activist, and politician, Onyeka Onwenu, who passed away on Tuesday night at the age of 72.
In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, President Tinubu celebrated Onwenu’s life and legacy, saying, “President Tinubu mourns the passing of the Queen of Songs, whose edifying and mellifluous rendition of ‘One Love’ in the 1990s evoked a fervour of fellowship and harmony.”
Onwenu’s death occurred after she collapsed at a birthday party in Lagos, where she had performed. The President recalled her many artistic interventions, including her classic collaboration with King Sunny Ade on ‘Wait for Me’, a melodic campaign on family planning in the 1980s. “Ms Onwenu lives on in her immortal masterpieces,” he stated.
President Tinubu extended his condolences to the entertainment industry, the Imo State Government, and Onwenu’s numerous fans, praying for the repose of her soul and that “she finds a place yonder where the music never fades and where there is ‘Dancing in the Sun.'”
