Google took to its space, on Wednesday, to eulogise one of Africa’s prolific recording artistes and Igbo-born high life musician, Oliver De Coque.
Google made Coque’s Doodle image to mark his 74th posthumous birthday.
Oliver Sunday Akanite, popularly called Chief “Oliver De Coque,” crowned “High life King of Africa,”, is widely revered as one of the famous recording artistes in the continent.
Oliver De Coque, was born this day in 1947, in the small town of Ezinifite in the Old Eastern Nigeria. He took up the guitar as a teenager, studied the traditional Igbo music of the region and Congolese soukos.
Subsequently, in 1970, at a performance by the popular Sunday Agaga and his Lucky Star band, Akanite convinced Sunny to let him stand in as their guitarist. He was hired on the spot, providing a massive boost to his young career.
He was a skilled player of the Nigeria game Okwe. Akanite became known as “Oliver De Ka Okwe,” which he later adapted into his stage name, Oliver De Coque.
Soon after he released his debut album messiah messiah in 1977, Coque had recorded about 93 albums.
His dance inspiring ‘Ogene’ style of Nigerian high life, which blends modern high life and traditional Igbo music, has produced such as, “people club of Nigeria,” “Nempi social club,” “Biri Ka m biri,” “Ana Enwe,” “Nnuku Mmanwu,” and “Identity,”.
Oliver De Coque died in June 20, 2008, at a hospital in Gbagada, Lagos.
Ijeoma Njoku reporting, Obinwannem News
