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Onyeka Onwenu was not just a singer, but also a movie star, broadcaster and activist. The Nigerian legend died on the 30th of July 2024 after performing at an event in Lagos
She made a debut on the TV screen as a journalist with NTA which she capped with her 1984 internationally acclaimed BBC/NTA documentary ‘Nigeria: A Squandering of Riches’. The documentary showcased corruption as well as the Niger Delta agitation for resource control.
She won in broadcasting, as well as in music. But she is also beloved for her role in movies, having featured in more films than any musician in her generation. Credits include Conspiracy, The Tyrant, Different World, The Trinity, Nightmare, and Widow’s Cot which won her the African Movie Academy Award (AMAA) for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in 2006. There’s also Rising Moon which earned her an AMAA nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role in 2006 as well as ‘Half of A Yellow Sun’ in 2014, Lionheart in 2018 and Muna in 2019.
The release of her memoir ‘My Father’s Daughter’ on October 1, 2020, raised questions about which actress she would best play in a biopic.
When Thenetng talked with her about her memoir, Onyeka Onwenu said any talented actress is capable of playing her in a movie.
“Any talented Actress can get the job done,” the 70-year-old singer told Thenetng . “I have been in the public arena for a while now. They know me.”
Many fans and pundits believe the release of her memoir will finally put an end to the long wait for an Onyeka Onwenu biopic and the singer herself said there are enough stories in the book to make movies.
“My Father’s Daughter is a book of stories, there are many movies in it,” Onwenu said.
– This story was first published on October 8, 2020.
