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Quick Facts
Born
1936
1936
From
Nigeria
Nigeria
Journey
Born in Atani, Anambra State, Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe was a renowned Nigerian musician whose career spanned over 40 years. Deeply influenced by his Igbo heritage, his musical development began with choir and band performances during his school days in Onitsha, laying the groundwork for his influential career as a songwriter, record producer, and iconic bandleader.
Osadebe began his professional career in Lagos during the late 1950s, performing with established ensembles including the Empire Rhythm Orchestra, the Stephen Amache Band and the Central Dance Band. Mentored by trumpeter Zeal Onyia, he developed a distinctive approach to highlife that incorporated Igbo musical traditions with elements of calypso, rumba, samba, bolero, jazz and waltz. In 1964, he established his own group, Sound Makers International, which became the principal vehicle for his recordings and performances.
As a composer, Osadebe wrote more than 500 songs, many addressing love, social relationships, personal conduct, hardship, and everyday experiences. His lyrics frequently drew on Igbo proverbs and philosophical observations, giving his music a strong cultural and narrative identity. He performed primarily in Igbo, with English and Nigerian Pidgin also appearing in his repertoire. His songwriting and band leadership helped establish him as a major figure in Nigerian highlife.
His defining commercial success came with "Osondi Owendi," released in 1984. Named after an Igbo proverb meaning that what one person values may be disliked by another, the recording became one of Nigeria's most celebrated highlife releases and firmly established Osadebe among the country's leading popular musicians. His 1981 album "Onu Kwulonjo" had earlier earned a gold disc.
Osadebe later expanded his international audience through touring and recordings in the United States. His 1996 album "Kedu America," recorded in Connecticut during his American tour, introduced re-recorded material and new performances to a wider international audience.
Affectionately called the “Doctor of Hypertension,” Osadebe was celebrated for music that offered reflection, entertainment and emotional relief. He died in Waterbury, Connecticut, on 11 May 2007, aged 71. His extensive catalogue remains an important reference point in Nigerian and Igbo highlife, preserving a musical legacy rooted in cultural identity, composition and social commentary.