29th July, 2010
Veteran Apala music star, Alhaji Fatai Olowonyo is dead. The musician died in Abeokuta, Ogun State home on Sunday evening at age 68 and was buried on Monday according to Islamic rites.
The deceased, P.M.News gathered from a family source, died of complications arising from Asthma and tuberculosis, the two conditions he battled with and kept him away for sometime now.
According to the source, an 8-day fidau ceremony has been fixed for Monday, 2 August at his home in Ijaye, Oja Ale Area of Abeokuta. He was survived by wives, children and grandchildren.
The demise of the guitar-playing Apala maestro was coming exactly 30 years after the death of his arch rival, Legendary Ayinla Omowura. Both were from Abeokuta and had a long running feud. They even waxed caustic songs against each other.
Olowonyo in his lifetime recorded scores of hit albums such as Olewure Wole, Eke Adugbo, Abode Mecca, and Iku Abiola Is Nautica.
Tributes are already pouring in for the departed musician.
Admiral Dele Abiodun, National President, Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria, PMAN, was shocked over his death.
He said the man will be missed as he was one of the established musicians that contributed to the growth of the Nigerian music industry.
Also speaking in the same vein, Fuji superstar, General Kollington Ayinla, described Alhaji Olowonyo as a kind-hearted person whose legacy will remain indelible.
Abeokuta-based Fuji star, Shefiu Alao, told P.M.NEWS that Alhaji was a very talented singer and musician who combined his lyrics with dexterity as a guitar player. “He was a good singer and kind-hearted person,†Alao said.
—Ayodele Lawal & Funsho Arogundade