ADIEU SONNY OKOSUNS

With the possible exception of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti and King Sunny Ade,I doubt if there is any musician that has made more contributions to the spread of Nigerian music across the world than the late Sonny Okosuns.He was a creative artiste per excellence.Like Majek Fashek who came many years later,Okosuns started with a passion for reggae music,and made an immediate impact with a song called 'rain' in the 1970s.He however did not rest on the success of that effort,but tasked his creative endowments to the limit;the result being oziddizm - an infectious blend of African riffs on Jamaican roots reggae.

Interestingly,oziddizm was created at the same time that Fela was cooking afrobeat,which meant an inevitable (but healthy) rivalry of sorts .I recall in the latter years when we used to do Lekki Sunsplash (actually I used to assist Olumide Esho's boys led by the indefatigable Dapo Adelegan),Okosuns once challenged Fela to an open contest to determine who was more popular (don't ask me if abame eda accepted the challenge)!

It is a pity that many youths under 25 may not even faintly understand the extent of Okosuns accomplishments as a musician.But let it suffice to say that in his heydays,which ran between the early 70s and 80s,the guy was not only a massive seller in Nigeria,but in the entire African continent.He was singularly outstanding in writing potent songs against the apartheid scourge that ravaged virtually the entire southern part of the continent .If Billboard magazine had a presence in Nigeria,they would have had ample figures to prove that 'fire in soweto' was the biggest hit out of the Afican continent for many years.

On stage,Sunny Okosuns was blazing hot, while his concerts were usually of international quality.In fact his unigue charisma attracted some of the world's greatest reggae icons to Nigeria,with his home then in the ghetto area of Lagos a favorite abode:I'm talking here of the likes of Jimmy Cliff and Peter Tosh!

The volcanic emergence of Kris Okotie and later Majek Fashek somehow took the focus off oziddizm for a period of time,eventhough many aficionados would more readily point to the elimination of apartheid as the turning point in Sonny Okosuns' career.They may have a point.

Those distractions merely served to bring out the versatility in the artiste.In the 80s,he scored big with a yoruba dancefloor thriller "t'ire ni Oluwa',while during the tempestous Nigerian political impasse he lent his voice with 'which way Nigeria' and other strong political statements.

But by far Sonny Okosuns greatest accomplishment was his acceptance of Jesus Christ into his life.He discarded the 'gospel' of oziddizm for the true Gospel of Christ,and he did not have to wait until Heaven for his reward: His 'Songs Of Praise' became one of the highest selling Gospel records ever recorded in the history of that genre in Nigeria.He followed up by establishing a Church to propagate the Gospel.

Little wonder then that when,for many years, the gossip mill went agog with speculation on his frail-looking physique,the guy simply waived all the insinuations aside,continuing with his life ever- filled with life,zest and fulfilment.

The music industry will miss Sonny Okosuns big time.But we should take solace in the undeniable fact that he lived a fulfilled life and left his mark on the sands of time.As he journeys to the ultimate Papa's Land,I wish his gentle soul a peaceful rest in the bossom of The Lord.