How I branded Onyeka Onwenu as ‘Elegant Stallion’

Nigerians continue to mourn the loss of a beloved creative talent, Onyeka Onwenu, who died on July 30 after performing at a friend’s birthday party in Lagos. Rather than focusing on her passing, I’d like to share a personal reflection on how I came to brand her as the “Elegant Stallion.”

In the 1980s, Onyeka was Nigeria’s beloved music diva and broadcaster. Her success in music and pop culture paved the way for her entry into movies when Nollywood exploded in the 1990s. Her iconic nickname, “Elegant Stallion,” was born out of entertainment journalism and became a brand she proudly identified with until her death.

Sometimes in 1987, a young Zimbabwean music promoter, Steve Chigorimbo, arrived in Nigeria for music business. He came from Harare and recruited famous Nigerian musicians for a southern Africa tour, billed as Music Against Apartheid.

I had the privilege of covering the Music Against Apartheid tour in southern Africa, featuring Onyeka, the late Sonny Okosuns, and Christie Essien-Igbokwe. As the Entertainment Editor of The According, I was invited to be the MC for the sold-out concert at the Rufaro Stadium in Harare, Zimbabwe. The night before a stadium sold-out concert, Steve urged me to be the MC.

Earlier, the tour had taken the groups to Lusaka, Kitwe and Kabwe, major cities of Zambia. The first major performance in Zimbabwe was at the Rufaro Stadium. By the afternoon of the concert date, Rufaro Stadium was packed with excited concertgoers, including university students.

The mood was intense. When Onyeka walked onto the stage, she was poised, elegant and magnificent. She approached the microphone confidently; her band slowly began to belt out rhythms from her latest dance release then, Winnie Mandela, one of the tracks from the Dancing In The Sun album.

She walked onto the stage, seduced the microphone, and held it tightly as she smiled at the crowd. Then she steadily began to caress the microphone. As she began to sing, the toned back muscles of her legs cushioned, her neck vein vocals popped and pushed the smooth chocolate skins onto radiance.

The night before the concert, I met a young Zimbabwean woman named Zolfor West, who would later inspire the nickname “Elegant Stallion.” After an unforgettable one-night stand together, she called me her “stallion,” symbolising power and strength from our previous night’s happy-ending rendezvous.

The next evening, as I watched Onyeka perform on stage, I was struck by her poise, elegance, and magnificence. I wanted to capture her essence in my review, so I drew inspiration from my encounter with Zolfor. I wrote: “Onyeka has matured from a saint to a sinner, from a pretender to a real performer. Here comes our Elegant Stallion.”

That description stuck, and thanks to entertainment journalism, Onwenu became synonymous with the “Elegant Stallion” brand. Today, we remember her as an iconic, hot, sexy, brilliant broadcaster, singer, and entertainer who left unforgettable moments in our lives.

I was a young bohemian entertainment reporter with The According. You were a charming songstress who blew our minds with your beauty and talents. You were an electrifying singer, an engaging storyteller, a broadcaster and a great actress.

Both of us were stubborn, single young career-focused people. We came to impact our world. You wanted me to write what you liked about you. I wanted to be just as objective as journalism ethics dictated.

Between our stubbornness, we felt deep admiration and appreciation for our creative minds. Thence we fought at every opportunity our presence privileged us. I also remember my goofs, silliness and young arrogance.

I was mischievous, unyielding, and excited by the privilege to report, write and document the happenings in Nigeria’s complex entertainment business. We engaged each other whenever our paths crossed: you were famous and legendary. We both happened to our generation, simultaneously.

Onyeka, you were a decade and three years older. We had a similar disposition. You were brave, brilliant, beautiful and fearless.

As time ticked fast, we learnt from each other that through those years, we truly adored each other’s creative brilliance.

Onwenu has galloped into eternal sunset. Go well, my elegant stallion.

• Azuka Jebose authored this piece