Singer, bandleader and multi-instrumentalist Orlando Julius Ekemode is dead.
He was 79 years old.
Managing director of Evergreen Musical Company Bimbo Esho announced the death in a Facebook post on Friday morning.
Ms. Esho said she was informed of the musician’s death by his wife Latoya Ekemode.
Parts of the Facebook post read: “Bimbo Daddy Has Passed On…
“This was the message I stumbled on waking up at exactly 3am to peruse my WhatsApp page. It was a message sent in to me by Orlando Julius’ beautiful and supportive wife Lady Latoya.”
Esho added that the musician died “a few hours ago” but did not clarify if it was on Thursday or Friday.
Born in Ikole in Ekiti State, Orlando Julius was a native of Ijebu-Ijesha in Osun State.
He was a contemporary of the late Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, even claiming that it was because of him that the latter learnt to play the saxophone.
Orlando relocated to the United States of America in 1974 where he met his Chicago-born wife through Ambrose Campbell.
The couple returned to Nigeria in the late 90s, settling in Lagos before moving to Ilesa.
OJ, as he was fondly called, celebrated 60 years on stage in 2021.
