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BREAKING: Legendary Singer Onyeka Onwenu Slumps, Dies After Performing On Stage [PHOTOS]

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Renowned Nigerian music legend, Onyeka Onwenu, has passed away at the age of 72.

Born on January 31, 1952, she died at Reddington Hospital in Lagos after collapsing at a birthday celebration for Mrs. Stella Okoli, the founder of Emzor pharmaceutical company.

Onwenu had performed at the event, which was held to mark Okoli’s 80th birthday.

Witnesses initially thought her collapse was a prank, but sadly, it was confirmed that the music icon had indeed passed away.

“I have never seen anything like this before. She had just come down from the stage after performing energetically and admirably as always. And went to her seat where she slumped. It is still like a dream.”

Another eyewitness said: “It is very sad. Onyeka Onwenu just performed at the birthday of Mrs. Stella Okoli today, and after performing, she slumped. She was taken to Reddington Hospital and she couldn’t make it.”

As at the time of going to press, TheNiche reliably gathered that even the doctors were in disbelief and are yet to take her body to the morgue.

Another source who was among the people that rushed her to the hospital said, “Apparently, she had a heart attack. The doctor has advised that the body should be kept until later this morning. It is unbelievable.”

Onyeka was a singer, songwriter, actress, human rights and social activist, journalist, politician, and former X Factor series judge.

Dubbed the “Elegant Stallion” by the Nigerian press, she is a former chairperson of the Imo State Council for Arts and Culture.

In 2013 she was appointed the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Centre for Women Development.

Onwenu hailed from Arondizuogu, a town in Ideato North, Imo State, but was raised in Port Harcourt, the capital city of Rivers State.

She was the youngest daughter of Nigerian educationist and politician D. K. Onwenu, who died when she was four years old in an autocrash a week before his appointment as Minister for Education, leaving his widow, Hope, to raise five children alone.

Onwenu possessed a BA in International Relations and Communication from Wellesley College, Massachusetts, and an MA in Media Studies from The New School for Social Research, New York.

She worked for the United Nations as a tour guide before returning to Nigeria in 1980 to complete her mandatory one-year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), in Lagos, Nigeria.

As an NTA employee, Onwenu made an impact as a newsreader and reporter. In 1984, she wrote and presented the internationally acclaimed BBC/NTA documentary “Nigeria: A Squandering of Riches,” which became the definitive film about corruption in Nigeria, as well as the intractable Niger Delta agitation for resource control and campaign against environmental degradation in the oil rich region of Nigeria.

A former member of the NTA board, she has also worked as a TV presenter, hosting the shows Contact (1988) and Who’s On? (1993) both on NTA Network.

  • Music

Originally a secular artist, Onwenu made the transition to gospel music in the 90s, and most of her songs are self-penned. She continued to write and sing about issues such as health (HIV/AIDS), peace and mutual coexistence, respect for women’s rights, and the plight of children.

She began her recording career in 1981 while still with the NTA, releasing the album For the Love of You, a pop album which featured an orchestral cover of Johnny Nash’s “Hold Me Tight”, produced by Berkley Jones. Her second album was Endless Life, produced by Sonny Okosun, and included another cover – the Everley Brothers’ “Walk Right Back”. Both records were released under the EMI label.

Onwenu’s first album with Polygram, In The Morning Light, was released in 1984. Recorded in London, it featured the track “Masterplan” written by close friend Tyna Onwudiwe who had previously contributed to Onwenu’s BBC documentary and subsequently sang back-up vocals on the album.

In 1986, she released One Love which contained an updated version of the song “(In the) Morning Light from the previous album. Another song, “You and I”, was re-recorded for the 2001 film Conspiracy starring Nkem Owoh and Onwenu herself.

For the 1988 album Dancing In The Sun, Onwenu adopted a more Afrocentric sound and collaborated with veteran jùjú artist Sunny Ade on the track “Madawolohun (Let Them Say)”. This was the first of three songs the pair worked on together; the other two – “Choices” and “Wait For Me” – centred on family planning, and were endorsed by the Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria who used “Choices” in their PSA.

Dancing In The Sun, Onwenu’s final release on Polygram, was dedicated to Winnie Mandela, the subject of a song of the same name which Onwenu performed live when Nelson Mandela and his wife visited Nigeria in 1990 following his release from prison.

Onwenu diverted to Benson and Hedges Music in 1992 and released the self-titled Onyeka!, her only album with the label, after which she made the transition to Christian/gospel music. Her latest collection, “Inspiration for Change,” focused on the need for an attitudinal change in Nigeria.

  • Acting

Onwenu’s first movie role was as Joke, a childless woman who adopts an abandoned baby in Zik Zulu Okafor’s Nightmare.

She has since featured in numerous Nollywood movies, and in 2006 she won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance in the movie “Widow’s Cot”. She was also nominated that same year for Africa Movie Academy Award for “Best Actress in a Leading Role” in the movie “Rising Moon”.

In 2014 she was in the movie Half of a Yellow Sun with Chiwetel Ejiofor and Thandiwe Newton, and Lion Heart (2018).

  • Politics

Onwenu was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party. She contested twice to become the Local Council Chairman of her Local Government, Ideato North Local Government Area of Imo State, and lost at both attempts but was appointed Chairperson of Imo State Council for Arts and Culture by former governor Ikedi Ohakim. On September 16, 2013, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan appointed her the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Centre for Women Development.

  • Activism

In 2000, Onwenu protested against her former employer NTA over their refusal to pay royalties on her songs (NTA 2 Channel 5 had used “Iyogogo”, a track from the Onyeka! album, in station idents without asking her permission). After then-director general Ben Murray-Bruce blacklisted her from transmission, she embarked on a hunger strike outside the station’s premises.

Onwenu’s activism attracted widespread support from various artists, including Charly Boy, who lambasted Nigeria’s reluctance to pay royalties when songs are broadcast on television and radio. NTA resolved to settle the issue amicably but denied barring Onwenu from appearing on their channels.

The protest was called off after six days when Onwenu and NTA came to an arrangement regarding royalties.

 

See pictures from Onyeka Onwenu’s last performance below

BIG STORY

No Effective Governance Without Full Local Government Autonomy — Femi Gbajabiamila

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The Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, has stated that governance at the local government level cannot be effective without complete autonomy.

He made the remark while addressing journalists after voting in the Lagos State local government elections in Surulere on Saturday.

When asked about the progress of implementing the LG autonomy ruling by the Supreme Court one year after it was delivered, Gbajabiamila described the process as ongoing and said it would be completed with time.

Gbajabiamila said, “The ruling was welcome by everybody. It’s the execution of that ruling and the implementation of that ruling that we are still trying to dot the Is and cross the Ts.

“I believe in a matter of time, we will realise full autonomy. There cannot be effective governance without full autonomy. That’s what we are working toward.”

In July 2024, the Supreme Court granted autonomy to all 774 local government areas across the country following a case filed by the federal government through the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation. However, the ruling is yet to be fully implemented.

Following the judgement, the Senate urged state and local governments to immediately adhere to the court’s directive, especially regarding local government accounts and direct fund disbursements.

The Senate also moved to amend relevant sections of the Constitution to ensure full local government autonomy nationwide.

The announcement was made by Deputy Senate President Senator Jibrin Barau, after lawmakers emerged from a closed-door session where they discussed alleged efforts by some state governments to bypass the Supreme Court’s ruling on July 11.

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DETAILED: Coroner Orders Prosecution Of Auxiliary Nurse Over Mohbad’s Death, Probe Into Police Inaction

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The Lagos State Coroner’s Court in Ikorodu has instructed the Director of Public Prosecutions to initiate legal action against Feyisayo Ogedengbe, the auxiliary nurse who gave the injection allegedly linked to the death of Nigerian artist Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad.

In her ruling delivered on Friday, Magistrate C.A. Shotobi stated that Ms Ogedengbe was not a registered nurse or licensed medical professional, and therefore acted outside the law by administering a tetanus injection that reportedly led to complications resulting in the singer’s death.

“This is not a case of foul play but one of medical negligence,” Magistrate Shotobi said. “While I cannot certify a definitive cause of death, I draw a link from the sudden reaction after the deceased was injected by the nurse.”

She further raised alarm about lapses in healthcare regulations, highlighting how unqualified individuals are allowed to operate as health practitioners.

In a related directive, the court ordered an inquiry into the failure of the Nigeria Police Force to act on a petition filed by the late singer before his death, asking relevant authorities to determine if negligence occurred.

Family members and their legal team—Wahab Shittu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, along with Kabir Akingbola and Abiola Kolawole from the African Women Lawyers Association—were in attendance when the ruling was delivered.

Testimonies and autopsy reports

According to the Coroner, 19 individuals, including relatives, doctors, and police personnel, provided testimony during the inquiry.

Based on the evidence of two independent pathologists who conducted separate autopsies, the court observed that the advanced state of decomposition of Mohbad’s body made it difficult to confirm an exact cause of death.

However, both experts agreed that a severe anaphylactic reaction to the tetanus shot was the most probable cause.

“The death is not linked to any evidence of foul play, but to medical negligence,” Magistrate Shotobi reaffirmed.

Criticisms of family and law enforcement

The court found no direct connection between Mohbad’s passing and the alleged harassment by his former label boss Azeez Fashola, known as Naira Marley, and associate Samson Eletu, also called Sam Larry, despite evidence of continued intimidation.

Nevertheless, the court condemned the manner of the singer’s burial, referring to it as “undignified.”

It criticised Joseph Aloba, the singer’s father, for not obtaining a death certificate or requesting an autopsy prior to the burial, despite receiving N2 million from fellow artist David Adeleke (Davido) to facilitate a proper funeral.

Omowunmi, Mohbad’s wife, was also faulted for failing to seek timely professional medical care for the singer over a 15-hour period and not adequately documenting the circumstances surrounding his death.

“She had a duty of care to her husband which was not sufficiently discharged,” the court said.

The court also condemned the police for ignoring the singer’s petition before his death, which included claims of assault and threats to life.

Describing the situation as “dereliction of duty,” the court ordered the immediate reopening of the case and instructed the police to question all individuals mentioned in the petition, including Naira Marley and Sam Larry.

Systemic breakdowns and court recommendations

Magistrate Shotobi noted that the circumstances surrounding Mohbad’s death exposed “systemic collapse” across multiple sectors such as family, healthcare, law enforcement, and the entertainment industry.

She called for the prosecution of Ms Ogedengbe on charges of gross medical negligence and urged that Mohbad be reburied in compliance with public health and legal standards.

She also demanded a formal investigation into police inaction regarding the deceased’s petition and advocated for legislative reforms to tackle bullying and abuse in the entertainment sector.

The court recommended a ban on intravenous medication by unlicensed individuals and emphasized that all sudden deaths involving young, seemingly healthy people must be investigated before burial.

Traditional funeral rites, the court warned, must not override statutory procedures in suspicious or abrupt death cases.

She also cautioned online content creators and influencers that disseminating falsehoods about court proceedings could be classified as obstruction of justice under Nigeria’s Cybercrimes Act.

Public reaction

The legal team representing Mohbad’s family praised the decision as a significant ruling.

Speaking to journalists, Mr Shittu, counsel to the singer’s father, described the court’s findings as “unprecedented jurisprudence” and “a PhD thesis in justice.”

“The ruling analysed the testimony of 19 witnesses. It revealed patterns: Mohbad felt unsafe, was harassed, and lacked institutional protection,” he said.

He added that the rushed burial compromised a thorough forensic investigation. “While Islamic law encourages swift burial, public interest in this case should have prevailed.”

Mr Shittu also reiterated the court’s position that police should act immediately on the singer’s petition, stating, “This is not a flawed investigation—it was never properly conducted in the first place.”

Kabir Akingbola, who represented Mohbad’s wife, cited cultural and emotional limitations. “Yoruba customs limit a wife’s power to challenge a father-in-law. Even if she wanted to intervene, grief and tradition may have silenced her,” he explained.

Background

Mohbad passed away on 12 September 2023 at age 26 and was buried the next day, sparking public outrage and widespread demonstrations.

Following public pressure, the Lagos State Police Command launched a 13-member investigation team on 18 September. His body was exhumed on 21 September for autopsy.

In April 2024, a second autopsy was ordered after the initial toxicology results were deemed inconclusive. US-based NMS Labs, allegedly contracted for testing, later denied receiving any related sample.

Summons were issued to key individuals including Naira Marley, Sam Larry, the nurse, and Mohbad’s wife. In March 2025, calls were made for Magistrate Shotobi to step aside from the case over alleged bias, but she continued until the final ruling.

 

Credit: Premium Times

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BIG STORY

Jitters In Osun APC, PDP Over Adeleke’s Defection Plan

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Panic has gripped both the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress in Osun State amid reports that Governor Ademola Adeleke may be planning to leave the PDP for the APC.

According to findings by The Punch, several close associates and appointees of the governor confirmed that Adeleke is close to finalising the defection.

The development has unsettled the APC, prompting a protest against Adeleke on Friday. However, in a statement by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the governor denied having any such intention.

Speculation about Adeleke’s defection began in June after he paid a visit to President Bola Tinubu at his Bourdillon residence in Lagos.

The governor was accompanied by his brother, billionaire businessman Adedeji Adeleke, and his nephew, Afrobeats artist David Adeleke, also known as Davido.

News of the visit was made public in a post on X by Tinubu’s Special Assistant on Social Media, Dada Olusegun.

Although the purpose of the meeting was not disclosed, the release of photos showing Tinubu and his wife in a warm exchange with the Adelekes triggered tension in both the Osun PDP and APC camps.

The rumour gained renewed attention this week following a series of cryptic posts by some of Adeleke’s aides on social media.

Close associates confirm move, APC ticket offer

Insiders in the governor’s cabinet, including a commissioner and two special advisers, told our correspondents that Adeleke had concluded plans to join the APC.

The commissioner, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said Adeleke had briefed some of his allies in his cabinet and the House of Assembly about his defection plan.

“Mr Governor will join the APC, but the official declaration will not be now. His planned defection is a result of political threats, the Federal Government withheld local government funds, and there are emerging threats to the businesses of his billionaire brother, Dr Deji Adeleke. So, there are many things at stake,” he said.

A senior official of the APC in the state also confirmed that the governor was consulting with APC leaders, but said his fate hangs on Tinubu’s move.

“Adeleke has been consulting many APC leaders. He has employed some mercenaries to lobby the President. But Baba Bisi Akande and Oyetola have not consented to his defection. The President will need to convince them before the governor will declare his defection,” the APC official said on Thursday.

In a symbolic move, the Osun PDP Director of Media and Information, Oladele Bamiji, who is also a Senior Special Assistant to Adeleke, posted “On Your Mandate!” on his Facebook timeline around 5 pm on Thursday.

The slogan is synonymous with Tinubu, having originated from his loyalists in Lagos State.

Bamiji’s post triggered reactions from other Facebook users, including APC members kicking against the move.

One of the governor’s special advisers, who also spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said the governor’s apparent uncertainty over the validity of his second-term ticket in the face of the PDP crisis might have triggered his proposed defection.

“INEC has released the timetable for the 2026 governorship election, and the PDP primary is coming up in September. Who is going to sign Adeleke’s nomination form amid the ongoing crisis in the PDP?

“We are all afraid that whatever happens in the PDP regarding the Osun election may be subject to litigation, which may invalidate the governor’s nomination and victory. That is why the governor wants to leave,” the aide said.

Also subtly confirming the move, another SSA to Adeleke, Olalekan Badmus, tweeted on his X handle on Friday: “After we all agreed to this, the next question is where?

“Governor Adeleke is currently consulting and evaluating all options on the table, including the peculiarities of all current political parties. Reports of imminent arrival at a particular party are at best speculative.”

Amid growing confirmation from the governor’s close associates, The Punch gathered that Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, and members of the President’s immediate family reportedly facilitated Adeleke’s move to the APC.

Adeleke remains in PDP – Spokesman

Reacting to the defection rumour, the spokesperson for the Osun State Government, Rasheed, said Adeleke remained in the PDP and was not considering joining the APC.

In a statement on Thursday, Rasheed quoted Adeleke as saying, “I assure the good people of Osun that I remain part and parcel of the PDP family. I am not defecting to any party.”

He said the governor reaffirmed his commitment to the implementation of his administration’s five-point agenda and urged the public to disregard what he described as “fake news,” while assuring continued delivery of good governance and democratic dividends.

Also reacting, the National Secretary of the APC, Ajibola Basiru, said the party’s national secretariat was unaware of any defection plan by the Osun governor.

In an interview (with Saturday Punch), Basiru said, “The only thing I can say is that I’m not aware of Adeleke’s so-called planned defection as the National Secretary of the party. All other things are hypothetical for now. I cannot be reacting based on social media frenzy!”

Similarly, the spokesperson for the Osun APC, Kola Olabisi, said the party leadership in the state had no knowledge of any move by Adeleke to join their ranks.

“It is still in the realm of speculation. The leadership of the APC in Osun, led by Sooko Tajudeen Lawal, is not aware of the governor’s defection plan,” he said.

When asked whether the party would welcome Adeleke, Olabisi replied, “Only the leadership of the party will speak on that.”

Panic in APC, PDP camps

Despite official denials, there is palpable tension among members of both the APC and PDP in Osun State.

It was gathered that the development has unsettled many APC members, particularly loyalists of former Governor Gboyega Oyetola, who fear that Adeleke’s entry into the APC could jeopardise the chances of their governorship aspirant, Bola Oyebamiji.

On the PDP side, some members have also expressed concern that the party may suffer significant setbacks if Adeleke defects, as the Adeleke dynasty is regarded as the party’s primary financier in Osun State.

It was noted that several APC members took to social media, especially Facebook, to express displeasure over the alleged plan.

A former Special Adviser to ex-Governor Oyetola on Education, Alhaji Jamiu Olawumi, wrote on his Facebook timeline on Thursday, “The Adeleke Challenge! If, as a governor, you have delivered, is it not shameful trying to run away from your own party?”

Another Oyetola loyalist, Adedeji Adebayo, also took to Facebook to criticise APC National Secretary, Basiru, for saying that President Tinubu would determine the APC’s governorship candidate in 2027, rather than speaking out against Adeleke’s rumoured defection.

He wrote, “The Adelekes’ agents in the APC are celebrating, granting media interviews about the phantom defection of the so-called ‘omo-gba-feeder’. Yes, the same omo-gba-feeder. They don’t care if it goes to a dullard since it’s not coming to them. That is the kind of wanton politics they play. Meanwhile, it is what it is: phantom defection. If Obente defects to APC, perhaps it is the APC AISU Chapter.”

‘No automatic ticket for gov’

On Friday, some Osun APC members staged a peaceful protest at the party’s state secretariat in Osogbo, insisting that if Adeleke defects, he should not be given an automatic governorship ticket.

Led by a member of the APC, Taofeek Afolabi, the protesters, mostly youths, said it would be unfair to hand the incumbent governor the party’s ticket without a contest.

“We are members of the All Progressives Congress, and we are here this morning to register our concern over the rumoured defection of Governor Ademola Adeleke to the APC. We are not saying he should not join our party. Adeleke joining the APC will boost our party. He is the current governor, and having him with us will strengthen the party,” Afolabi said.

“However, what we don’t want is the party giving Governor Adeleke an automatic ticket. If he wants to re-contest, he should express interest and contest the gubernatorial ticket with other aspirants.

“There are people who have shown interest in the race already, and we don’t want him to be handed the ticket without a proper contest. That is the only thing we are against. We have no issue with him joining our party,” he added.

PDP, APC chieftains divided

Saturday PUNCH gathered that members of both the PDP and APC remain divided over the governor’s reported defection plan.

While a section of the PDP reportedly supports the move, others have rejected it, insisting they would not follow the governor into another party.

A former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Diran Odeyemi, said realignment was part of politics and that there was nothing wrong with adjusting strategies to win elections.

“Politics is dynamic. It’s not like mathematics, where you get a fixed answer to an equation. It’s about permutation here and there. It’s a game that is played according to situations and circumstances, but with the sole purpose of winning,” Odeyemi said.

“Realignment is key in politics, more so because it is a game of interest. There is nothing wrong with redefining a strategy if it is aimed at winning any contest. As for us in the PDP, Governor Ademola Adeleke’s second term is sacrosanct; the way and manner to go about it is secondary.”

Meanwhile, a chieftain of the APC in Osun and an aide to ex-Governor Oyetola, Jamiu Olawumi, maintained that while party membership is a right, acceptance is not automatic.

“Politics and joining a political party are fundamental human rights. Joining a party is a free entry and free exit. However, in some situations, you cannot just join a political party because there are certain criteria for fresh members. If you’re not fit for it, we might not welcome your overtures,” he said.

Olawumi also dismissed the defection report as speculation.

“The highest hierarchy of the party has not spoken about the defection. Everybody is just reacting to rumours — we’ve had both confirmations and denials. This shouldn’t be given serious attention by serious people. In the APC, we are serious people, and we don’t dwell on this kind of unserious speculation. Let it remain in the realm of rumour,” he added.

We’re not worried—APC aspirants

Some governorship hopefuls in the Osun APC has said the defection rumour is not giving them sleepless nights.

One of them, Dotun Babayemi, said the development did not come as a surprise and would not affect his ambition.

Speaking through his spokesperson, Kayode Oladeji, Babayemi stated that Adeleke’s defection would, in fact, be an addition to the APC.

“We are not worried about Governor Ademola Adeleke or anybody coming into our great party, APC. We all know that democracy is a game of numbers. This means it is becoming clear that our party is poised to win in 2026, and President Tinubu’s victory in the 2027 elections shall be resounding,” he said.

“In the same vein, his joining our party cannot jeopardise my chances. My confidence is based on the amazing support and love being shown to me within and outside the APC, across the state, by both the old and the young.

“As to whether it is right for the governor to dump the PDP for the APC, I am not sure that is the real question — because we don’t know what is chasing him from the PDP,” he added.

Similarly, another governorship hopeful, Akin Ogunbiyi, said he was not surprised by Adeleke’s reported defection plan, declaring that the party would win the next governorship election in the state.

“I am not worried that the current governor is struggling to come to the APC. He is a serving governor, and he can come to the APC. Our party is a winning team, and we can all see what is happening at the federal level — what our father, the President, is doing.

“So, I am not surprised that not only in Osun State, but even across other states, people are declaring for the APC because it is a progressive party,” Ogunbiyi said.

PDP senators to dump party

Meanwhile, Saturday PUNCH has gathered that two PDP senators from Osun State, Adenigba Fadahunsi (Osun East) and Olubiyi Ajagunla (Osun Central), have concluded plans to leave the party.

According to aides, both lawmakers met with President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa about a month ago, where the decision regarding their defection was finalised.

One of Ajagunla’s top aides, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “Ajagunla will leave the PDP soon, there is no doubt about that. The Adeleke dynasty is not treating him well, and our town, Ila-Orangun, has not benefited from the current administration in terms of infrastructure development.

“People know that Ajagunla has left the PDP; he just hasn’t announced his defection officially,” the aide said.

 

Credit: The Punch

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