- LASU Celeberates Highlife Legend Orlando Owoh with Colloquium, Cultural Display
- Appoints Adepoju, Onilogbo as Cultural Ambassadors
- “Dr. Orlando Owoh was a man of many parts whose music transcended generations and borders,” Azeez said
The Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, on Thursday celebrated the enduring legacy of late highlife maestro Chief Oladipupo Owomoyela, popularly known as Dr. Orlando Owoh, with a colloquium and cultural display in collaboration with his global fan club.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the event, organised by the School of Creativity, Culture and Tourism, also saw the conferment of Ambassadorial Fellow titles on two distinguished Nigerians; Chief Mutiu Adepoju, renowned football administrator and former international player, and Dr. Adebusola Onilogbo-Odedina, cultural advocate and Director of Administration and Human Resources at the Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture.
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Speaking at the occasion, Prof. Tunji Azeez, Dean of the school, said the celebration aimed to reflect on the late musician’s contributions to Nigeria’s cultural heritage and creativity.
“Dr. Orlando Owoh was a man of many parts whose music transcended generations and borders,” Azeez said, commending the late musician’s children; Orimipe, Kunle, and Daisi for carrying on his artistic legacy.
Delivering a lecture titled “Reflecting the Contribution of Dr. Orlando Owoh,” Prof. Isaac Yekini-Ajenifuja, a music scholar at LASU, traced Owoh’s journey from theatre and military service to his full-time music career.
He described Owoh’s unique ‘Kennery’ style of highlife as deeply rooted in Yoruba folklore, personal experiences, and biblical wisdom, noting that his over 45 albums reflected creativity and cultural pride.
Prof. Yekini-Ajenifuja urged governments and stakeholders, particularly in the South-West, to establish a museum in honour of Orlando Owoh, saying it would serve as both a cultural legacy and tourism attraction that could generate employment and boost the economy.
Speaking on the sidelines, Mr. Orimipe Olatunbosun Owoh, the late musician’s first son and president of his global fan group, thanked LASU for the honour, saying it would motivate the family to continue preserving their father’s legacy.
“This recognition shows that our father’s impact endures. We’ll work to ensure a museum is built to immortalise him,” Orimipe said.
Also reacting, Chief Mutiu Adepoju expressed delight over his investiture as a cultural ambassador, describing it as proof that his contributions to national development through sports were appreciated.
“This honour humbles me. It shows that creativity in sports and culture can go hand in hand, and I’ll continue to promote both,” Adepoju added.
Dr. Orlando Owoh, who pioneered the Kennery sound and influenced generations of Nigerian musicians, passed away in 2008 at the age of 76.
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