Biography
In March 1936, Osadebe was born in Atani, of the Ibo tribe, in Eastern Nigeria. The Ibo possess a vibrant cultural heritage often expressed in dances and songs about life and its complexities. This vibrancy is greatly captured in Osadebe's music. He comes from a line of native singers and dancers.
Mentored by trumpeter Zeal Onyia, Osadebe soon worked his way through a circuit of night clubs and dance halls in Lagos, South Western tip of Nigeria, far away from his home. His musical gift had blossomed in high school, in Onitsha Nigeria's commercial city, near Atani.
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In 1958, his first record was released to much acclaim and acceptance. It contained two songs, one of which was "Adamma", a tribute to a beautiful lady.
Since then, he has written over 500 songs, more than half of which have been released and circulated world-wide. Today, he enjoys the prime prestige of the doyen of highlife music in Africa. In some circles, he is even considered a cultural icon.
Biography text from Last.fm, available under CC BY-SA.