Activist, journalist, politician, and singer extraordinaire! We join the host of Africa to sound the bells in honour of one of Nigeria’s finest talents, former Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of National Centre for Women Development and Chairperson of Imo State Council for Arts and Culture and former X Factor series judge, Onyeka Onwenu!
The renowned singer from Imo state, known for multiple classics such as; Iyogogo, Ekwe, One Love, You and I, Bia Nulu amongst others, was born the youngest daughter of Nigerian educationist and politician D. K. Onwenu. Her father died in an auto crash just a week before he was appointed Minister of Education.
She began her music career began in 1981 with the release of ‘For the Love of You’ and ‘Endless Life’, produced by Sunny Okosun in 1982, and has since established herself as one of Africa’s most revered singers.
Onwenu before music worked in the media at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) where she served as a newsreader and reporter.
Onwenu possesses 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.[10] She worked for the United Nations as a tour guide before returning to Nigeria in 1980 to complete her mandatory one-year national service with the NTA.
As an actress, she has starred in movies such as Widows Cot, Half of a Yellow Sun, and Lion Heart
She has been honored with several awards such as the African Movie Academy Award, Nigerian Woman of Distinction Award, ECOFEPA, AMOIZE awards in the USA and Japan, among others.
Happy Birthday, Queen!
