Veteran Highlife Star, Orlando Julius, Dies At 79

Nigerian saxophonist, singer, and bandleader, Orlando Julius Ekemode has reportedly died with the cause of his death still unknown.

The news of Orlando’s death was announced by the Managing Director of Evergreen Music, Bimbo Esho in the early hours of Friday.

Esho noted that the late singer’s wife announced the death of the highlife musician to her.

“Bimbo, Daddy has passed on. This was the message I stumbled on waking up at exactly 3am to peruse my WhatsApp page. It was a message sent to me by Orlando Julius’ beautiful and supportive wife Lady Latoya.

“Orlando Julius, a native of Ijebu Ijesha, succumbed to the cold hands of death and breathed his last few hours ago at the age of 79.

“We shall miss one of Nigeria’s fathers of Afro/Highlife Music, a gentleman, and a fine Saxophonist.

“May daddy Orlando Julius’ soul journey well. To the entire Ekemode family, may God give you the fortitude to bear this irreplaceable loss,” Bimbo Esho posted.

The band leader, was a native of Ijebu Ijesha, and started his music career at a young age, having been taught by his mother who was a music teacher.

According to Wikipedia, he went to St. Peter’s Anglican School in Ikole and played in the school band.

In 1957, after dropping out of school and the death of his father, he left for Ibadan to pursue a career as a musician. He worked at a bakery while playing the drums or flute with juju and konkoma bands.

There was no music school in the area at the time, so the premier, Obafemi Awolowo, created one in his political party’s secretariat.

He, however, came to the limelight in the 60s when Eddie Okonta invited him to join his band. Before then, he had been tutored by Highlife musician Jazz Romero.

With Okonta’s band, Julius performed in many gigs and opened for the American trumpeter and vocalist Louis Armstrong.

Subsequently, he would play with other bands, including Hugh Masakela, and opened for other high-profile international acts. Julius also opened for the iconic American musician James Brown.

He released his first hit ‘Jagua Nana’ in 1965 and went on to tour West Africa. Julius formed the Ashiko movement and taught people his style of music although he did not stay in this position for long.
After spending some time in the United States, he returned to Nigeria in 1984.

He quickly began recording tracks for the album Dance Afro-Beat, leading him to put together the 18-person Nigerian All-Stars band.