By Omowunmi Adewuyi
Nigerian singer, songwriter and actress, Onyeka Onwenu was born 31 January 1952.
She hails from Imo State, but was raised in Port Harcourt. She is the youngest daughter of Nigerian educationist and politician, Mr Onwenu.
Onyeka 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. 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 NTA employee, Onwenu made an impact as a newsreader and reporter. In 1984, she wrote and presented the internationally acclaimed BBC/NTA documentary Nigeria: “A Squandering of Riches”.
She began her music career in 1981 while still working with the NTA. She released the album “For the Love of You”, a pop album which featured an orchestral cover of Johnny Nash’s “Hold Me Tight”, and her second album “Endless Life” produced by Sonny Okosun.
Originally a secular artiste, Onwenu made the transition to gospel music in the 90s, and most of her songs are self-penned.
She continued to write and sing about issues such as health, peace and mutual coexistence, respect for women rights, and the plight of children. Onwenu also collaborated with veteran jùjú artiste, Sunny Ade on the track “Madawolohun (Let Them Say)”.
Onwenu’s first movie role was as Joke, a childless woman who adopts an abandoned baby.
She has since featured in numerous Nollywood movies, and in 2006 she won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance in the movie “Widow’s Cot”. She was also nominated that same year for Africa Movie Academy Award for “Best Actress in a Leading Role” in the movie “Rising Moon”.
Onwenu notably keeps her personal life private, and often refused to disclose private information regarding her ex-husband.
Onwenu is the mother of two children Tijani and Abraham.
