From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
For more than three decades, legendary highlife singer, Chief Oliver Sunday Akanite popularly called Oliver De Coque, bestrode the music industry like a colossus.
With his band, Ogene Super Sound of Africa, Oliver, who hailed from Ezinifite, Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State, blended modern and traditional Igbo music to form a unique mix of highlife sound. To his credit, he had 73 albums including hits like Otimkpu, People’s Club of Nigeria, and Mbiri Ka Mbiri among others.
During his lifetime, Oliver De Coque had many friends and associates. But one man stood out. He is Ogbuefi Ray Ifeme, a culture enthusiast cum communication expert, who also doubles as the official biographer of the iconic musician, who passed away on June 28, 2008 in Lagos.
Ifeme and Akanite had met and became friends in the Biafran Army. Though, Ifeme joined the army before…
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