Nigerian Icon Onyeka Onwenu Dies at 72

Nigerian singer and actress Onyeka Onwenu, an icon in Africa's most populous nation, has passed away at 72. Known for her multifaceted talent in music, film, and journalism, Onwenu gained prominence with her documentary 'Nigeria: A Squandering of Riches.' Her career included significant contributions to politics and the arts.

Nigerian singer and actress Onyeka Onwenu, considered a cultural icon in Africa's most populous nation, has died at age 72, according to media reports.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu called her a "versatile and extremely gifted artiste who applied herself to the whole gamut of artistic enterprise and expression, bringing joy and laughter to many." Onwenu's career spanned music, film, journalism and politics.

Nicknamed "the elegant stallion" in a media profile—a label that stuck—Onwenu came to prominence in the early 1980s with her television documentary, "Nigeria: A Squandering of Riches," which she wrote and presented while working for Nigeria's state television. The documentary explored citizens' growing frustrations with the civilian government shortly before the 1983 coup and became a definitive documentation of Nigeria's post-independence economy and politics.

In the same decade, she began to record albums as a singer, and for years her soulful voice continued to be a radio staple, especially singles like "One Love," "You and I" and her duet with Sunny Ade, pioneer of the Juju genre.