Nigeria’s Legendary highlife musician, Oliver De Coque has been honoured with Google Doodle on his 74th posthumous birthday.
Widely respected as one of Africa’s most prolific recording artists and also known as Sunday Akanite, King Dr Oliver De Coque was crowned ‘Highlife King of Africa.’
Born on the 14th of April 1947 at Ezinite in South Eastern Nigeria, he began his music career at a young age, learning musical instruments, especially the guitar.
De Coque studied the Igbo music and Congolese soukous and crafted his genre with a combination of both. His art combines the energetic Igbo dance steps with Congolese-infused guitar sounds.
His dance-inspiring ‘Ogene’ style of Nigerian highlife blends modern highlife and traditional Igbo music.
Among his many hit songs are ‘People’s Club of Nigeria,’ Nempi Social Club,’ ‘Biri kambiri,’ ‘Ana Enwe Obodo,’ ‘Nnukwu Mmanwu,’ and ‘Funny Funny Identity.’
‘Funny Funny Identity’ remained on Radio Nigeria 2 (RN2)’s top ten throughout the better part of 1981.
Known for his dexterity with the guitar, Oliver De Coque had his first solo release in 1976 and doled out many more hit songs in quick succession, gaining popularity at home and abroad.
In recognition of his irresistible music and successes, he was awarded an honorary doctorate degree in music by the University of New Orleans in 1994.
De Coque died on the 20th of June, 2008 at the age of 61.
Β πΎππππ π πΌπππππππ@maazi_chinedu “Chief Oliver Sunday Akanite popularly known as Oliver De Coque (1947-2008)”