By Ayomide Otitoju
Tijani Onwenu, son of late Nigerian music icon Onyeka Onwenu, has paid tribute to his mother on the first anniversary of her death.
In an Instagram post on Wednesday, he wrote: “A year ago, today. RIP mum. July 30, 2024.”
Onyeka Onwenu, fondly known as the “Elegant Stallion,” passed away on July 30, 2024, after collapsing at an event in Lagos shortly after a live performance. She was rushed to the hospital but did not survive.
Her funeral was held on August 30, 2024, in a private ceremony at Ebony Vaults and Gardens, Ikoyi, with a service at the Fountain of Life Church in Ilupeju. The modest send-off reflected her 2021 wish for a dignified burial.
Onwenu was a trailblazing artist, journalist, actress, and public servant. Born in Obosi, Anambra State, in 1952, she rose to national prominence in the 1980s with socially conscious music hits like One Love and You and I.
She also starred in films such as Half of a Yellow Sun and Lionheart, and was active in advocacy, especially for women’s rights. She served as Director-General of the National Centre for Women Development and was a recipient of the national honour, Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR).