It’s exactly four years since the legendary musician and saxophonist, Orlando Julius Ekemode, passed away from planet earth.
The 78 yea-year-old who died in 2022 peacefully in Ilesa, Osun State and contributed immensely to the music industry and to the Afrobeat and Afro high life genre has passed down a worthy legacy, having impacted several musicians who are still alive and some who have passed.
Sir O.J as he is fondly called left family, proteges and different generation of fans who still vibe to his evergreen songs like Ololufe, Jagua Nana, Aa mura, Behind.
His widow, Latoya Aduke, speaking about life after four years of losing her heartthrob, says life brings a mixed feeling as she is still heartbroken and just soldiering on and doing all to protect the legacy of Orlando Julius.
”I’m still so broken 💔 I didn’t realize it.
I’m still looking for comfort for a broken heart. It feels like Orlando Julius’ spirit is still here but I am still missing him seriously, our life together, the trips abroad and within and our music chemistry- everything is not the same,” says Latoya Aduke a native of Chicago, United States.
”I miss Orlando but I am left with good memories of him and knowing OJ is a Man of God gives me comfort and strength,” she added.
Orlando Julius had his first hits with 1965’s “Jagua Nana” and the 1966 album Super Afro Soul. In the 1970s, Julius moved to the United States, forming a band with Hugh Masekela and later working as a session musician before returning to Nigeria in 1984. A series of reissues in the 2000s and 2010s led to international touring and a collaboration with The Heliocentrics which reached the Billboard World Albums chart. The musician continued to sing, travelled with his better half, Latoya and band and continued to perform till old age.
There are plans to produce a documentary of Orlando Julius on his life and legacy. Also the Orlando Julius Afro House Hi’Life (OJAHH), a 360 degrees training and production outfit based in Ijebu-Ijesa, Osun State is almost ready to be launched according to sources.
Latoya who was part of the Parliament Funkadelic Festival in Tallahassee Florida organised by famous musician, George Clinton, says that being part of music festival held last weekend was surreal.
Speaking on Orlando Julius, she says,
”He lived, loved and shared his life, Inspired a new generation. Orlando Julius lives on and I and my team ‘ll do all to protect his legacy”.
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