The late Oliver de Coque

I mean…it’s quite unusual to hear of the death of four known persons in such a short period of time. Though it is a known fact that everybody will die someday, but it definitely shouldn’t be four established personalities from the same field of endeavour in how many weeks?

While Oliver de Coque too is dead…there is hardly anything we all can do to change that. So, let’s take you through some of the highlights of his much eventful lifetime.

Oliver De Coque was born about 61 years ago in the eastern part of Nigeria, Anambra to be precise. However, his sojourn into the world of music did not begin until 1965 when he started featuring in partnership with one Mr. Alexander Emulumonye on weekends on NTA Channel 4, Aba.

He started as a professional in the 70s and got signed onto the then famous Olumo Records based in Lagos. He recorded ‘Messiah’ in which he praised late Gen. Murtala Muhammed under that label. It was not really a bad way to start a career that would be renowned for its praise singing dexterity.

Said to have been inspired by greats like; The Oriental Brothers, Prince Nico Mbarga and the Ikenga Superstars, Oliver was a great guitarist whose style of highlife music could be said to have moved mountains in his heydays.

He was later to be recognized nationally in 1981 with the release of Funny Identity, an album that could be tagged as one of his best. He also has to his credit, other hit albums like; Ugbana, Papa and Mama, Udoka Social Club, People’s Club Ka Anyi Bili Be Ndu, Nwachukwu and others…my igbo brothers, please help.

In recognition of his efforts as a musician, the Alaafin of Oyo crowned him the king of highlife music in 1994. He was also bestowed an honourary Doctor of Letter in Music by the University of New Orleans, USA.

Much more fulfilling is the kind of success his songs helped him achieve both home and abroad. His success was such that his music came to be synonymous with Igbo music generally. Till today, whenever anybody wants to refer to music from Igbo land, they refer to Oliver’s…you know the importer, exporter and so on stuff.

Oliver de Coque had a blissful outing at the recent AMAA awards where he was honoured with the lifetime achievement award.

While wish him a blissful journey on the other side of the world…those PMAN people had better go on their knees…and pray!

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