The 76 year old army captain and music icon became the fifth most prominent musician to have died this year following after Chief Osita Osadebe, Sunny Okosuns, Elder Steve Rhodes, Sammy needle and Oliver De’Coque.

He was rushed in to the General Hospital, Lagos by his first wife, Sade, at about 9pm after he suffered a stroke. It was his third attack and no one can tell exactly why this experience took the Kennery king away at about 11pm.. The highlife maestro had before now sought orthodox help in his hometown in Ifon, Ondo state when his failing health defied conventional medical expertise.    

Christened Stephen Oladipupo Olaore Owomoyela at birth in Oshogbo, Osun state, Captain Orlando Owoh who once worked as a bricklayer, truck pusher, house-help and a boxer in his growing years never allowed anything deter him from becoming the musician he had wanted to be since age twelve. Not even serving in the army during the civil war, where he was later discharged as a captain, was enough to halt his ambition.

He took up music against his father’s will in spite of  relentless admonition not to do so. The advice stemmed from his father; Jeremiah Owomoyela’s personal sad experiences as a musician.

Orlando’s actual journey to stardom began with his debut album in 1960 under Decca Records. The first album, ‘Oluwa Lo Ran Mi’, was quickly followed by a very successful ‘Alantere Ijo Oyege’, which actually announced his arrival on the music landscape.

He with his band ‘the Young Kenneries’- from where he became known as the Kennery King- embarked on a number of musical tours within and outside the shores of the country.

After one of his impressive performances during a musical tour in London in 1972, he was awarded an honorary doctorate degree in law by the University of London.

 The great high life maestro recorded over 45 albums during his lifetime changing his band name from ‘Young Kenneries’ to ‘African Kenneries’. Some of these albums include, Job Experience, Logba Logba, Kangaroo, Iyawo Olele, Money palaver, Tribute to Fela, Ganja I and II,  Money for Hand Back for Ground and Tribute to Fela among others.

It was not all rosy for the Kennery King as he suffered a prison experience during his lifetime. For writing fiery lyrics, the General Ibrahim Babangida led administration once ordered security agents to arrest and detain him at the famous Alagbon police station, where he was tortured and humiliated for eighteen months.

This was his punishment for releasing the controversial Dele Giwa album in which he condemned in no mince words the killing of the foremost journalist.

In one of the several interviews the Kennery king granted, he expressed a life-long desire to build a hotel where his fans can relax and be entertained. This dream may just be buried with the legend

After training the likes of King Sunny Ade,  and leaving behind several musical awards, chieftaincy titles, fame and many children, can one say it has been a fulfilling life for Kennery king?

In his reaction contained in a condolence letter he sent to the family of the fallen musician, Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola said “ The passage of Dr Orlando Owo as he was popularly known at this time has left a big vacuum which would be very difficult to fill”.

Ogun State Governor, Gbenga Daniel described Oralndo’s death as ‘unfortunate’. He spoke through the Chairman of Ijebu East local government area Hon Tunde Oladunjoye who visited the late musician’s Ipaja home to deliver Governor Daniel’s condolence message.

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