ENTERTAINMENT IN YANKEE:
NIGERIA’S Highlife Legend, SIR WARRIOR of Oriental Fame Resurrect in AMERICA…Son, AJUZIEOGU Obinna Reigns as ‘King of Nigerian Culture’
*Protege Sings ‘Elu-UWA’ evergreen tune, re-echoes Highlife memory
*Africans, Black Americans, Caribbeans shed tears, hail performance as heroic
* ‘Nigerian community in USA angry, blasts Imo state government for not immortalizing Christogonus Ezebuiro Obinna (Sir Warrior)’-INVESTIGATION
* Ajuzieogu, Ex-Baltimore Corrections officer discharged, acquitted of falsified sexual assault
BY GEORGE ELIJAH OTUMU/AMERICAN Foreign Bureau Chief
HIS MUSIC is purely a pulsating African rhythm, laced with guitars, drums, konga, while trumpet blows-on non-stop with interlude of medley of melody. It is easily to get inspired hearing this music that makes you energized from within. Many strongly believe CHRISTOPHER EZEBUIRO OBINNA, a.k.a., Dr (Sir Warrior) even though dead in 1999, his spirit is still alive, as he resurrects in his son, AJUZIEOGU Obinna who played his heart out on July 2, 2018 when invited by a select group of Igbo socio-cultural group in United States of America.
Ajuzieogu’s electrifying performance which brought tears to the eyes of some invited Africans, Black Americans, Caribbeans who naturally love the melody of the song and enjoyed the danceable music of ‘Elu-Uwa’ unanimously agreed that this Nigerian born Naturalized American deserved to be called the ‘King of Nigerian Culture’ in United States.
As this protege of Sir Warrior dished out various tunes of his late father from ‘Elu-Uwa’ to ‘Ozo Wu Iwem’, and other hit tunes, irrespective of color, language, background, ethnicity, everyone took to dancing floor, while few others kept shedding tears, identifying with rich Nigerian culture.
For Newton Clem, a black American sociologist, he told Naija Standard, “I may not know the meaning of the words of the Nigerian song. For sure, Nigeria is the fountain of African culture. I thoroughly enjoyed this Highlife music by Ajuzieogu. He is truly his late father’s protege.”
Ikenna Obi, a Nigerian geologist who witnessed the music performance confessed: “It is been a very long time I enjoyed Nigerian Highlife this way. Without doubt, this historic performance by Ajuzieogu should certainly make him the King of Nigerian Culture in America.”
Clara Wood, a native of Wisconsin who graced the event was literally short of words. Her words: “Long, I have been been hearing of Nigerian culture. At no time did I expect I will witness different instrument jamming same time in a well arranged ensemble and you hear a great voice coming through. I love this ‘Elu-Uwa’ song so much. Nigeria is blessed.”
Chinedu Offor was in tears for few seconds when asked for his remarks regarding the evergreen performance of Ajuzieogu, he exclaimed: “Sir Warrior is not dead. He’s alive in his son, as we all can attest to the resurrection of Sir Warrior. Ajuzieogu is a Protege of his father. When I heard him sing ‘Elu-UWA’ that evergreen tune, which re-echoes Highlife Nigerian memory, I have a strong hope that good things would happen in my life again. The music is nostalgic. It made me love Nigeria so much. You saw me shed tears. We all hail his performance as heroic.”
* ‘Nigerian community in USA angry, thumbs down Imo state government for not immortalizing Christogonus Ezebuiro Obinna’-INVESTIGATION
Meanwhile lots of Nigerians resident in Maryland, Texas, Chicago, Washington D.C., were so angry that Imo state governor has not deemed it fit to immortalize Sir Warrior as a Highlife Legend after he had won 12 platinum and 10 gold hits in his music career. Anayo Chukwuemeka, President of Igbo Union in Chicago, a native of Imo state lamented: “Imo state natives in United States are angry with Governor Rochas Okorocha’s administration and past governments in the state for never think it fit to immortalize Dr(Sir) Warrior bearing in mind how he has popularized Nigerian Highlife. In the 80’s in Africa, he was called the Ultimate Rising Star.”
Ajuzieogu, Ex-Baltimore Corrections officer discharged, acquitted of falsified sexual assault:
Ajuzieogu, famously called Ambrose Warrior Obinna had worked meritoriously earlier as Baltimore Corrections officer, where his exemplary attitude to work was outstanding. Somehow, there were sexual allegations which had nothing to do with him, but in ‘ a deep-conspiracy’ of sort, he found himself in a ‘set-up’ without his prior knowledge or involvement. Just like the manner the day breaks and darkness disappears, ‘like-a-park-of-card’ all the lies against Sir Warrior protege crashed, as he was cleared, discharged and acquitted of any wrong doing.
His justification was corroborated by America’s Fox News, which revealed that a Baltimore corrections officer accused of sexually assaulting an inmate has been acquitted of all charges. Ambrose Obinna-Warrior’s attorney, Hunter Pruette, told reporters a city jury acquitted the Baltimore Central Booking officer of 16 counts after a five-day trial.
The Baltimore state’s attorney’s office had announced in June that Obinna-Warrior was charged with misconduct in office, assault and multiple sex offenses in connection with alleged abuse on three occasions in November 2016.
Obinna-Warrior posted the $50,000 bond after being charged and was free during the five months that preceded the trial. Pruette says his client’s name and reputation were tarnished by the accusations. For the records, Obinna was employed by the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.
About Dr. (Sir) Warrior:
Christogonus Ezebuiro Obinna alias Dr. Sir Warrior was born in Umuhu Enyiogugu in Aboh Mbaise local government area of Imo State, Nigeria in 1947.
Early Life:
Growing up, Sir Warrior believed that God created him to be a musician and so he spent his entire life reaching for that which had been pre- ordained. When he was eleven, he joined a men’s choral group specializing in a music form known as Èsè and by the time he was 16, he had achieved fame for his voice and performance of Èsè music.
Career:
Sir Warrior was the leader of the Oriental Brothers International Band which ruled the Nigerian Highlife music scene for decades, modernizing the Highlife sound, giving it a sense of meaning, direction, and purpose, these he did by blending Congolese guitar picking and traditional Igbo rhythms. It was the first Nigerian Highlife boy band formed after the three years Nigeria – Biafra civil war and was made up originally and primarily by Godwin Kabaaka Opara, Ferdinand Dansatch Emeka Opara, Nathaniel Ejiogu, Hybrilious Akwilla Alaraibe, Prince Ichita and Christogonus Ezebuiro Obinna “Sir Warrior”. He registered the band in 1974 when he was 27 years old and in 1975, released an album ‘Nwa Ada Di Mma’ which established him as a master of music.
In 1978, his album “Nwanne Awu Enyi” went gold, selling more than 7.8 million copies.He introduced the Oyorima concept, which is an Igbo word that means a refined feeling of rhythmic movement and balance. Spicing up his songs with Igbo proverbs, he created a sound that was Igbo at the core but still universally accepted. Some say, Sir Warrior and his band helped to draw the Igbos out of the misery they felt after the war.
In his lifetime, he performed at various concerts in both the local and international scene and in appreciation of his style, fans referred to him as the Ultimate Star of Music.
Personal Life:
He was married to Chiamaka Obinna and they had five children. His two sons, Uche Obinnna and Ajuzieogu Obinna expressed interest in music but he encouraged them to get an education first insisting that education was the best legacy.
He has the Imo State Heartland FM dedicated to playing his tracks as a way of making sure his name lives on and in appreciation of his art.
Awards:
He had about 12 platinum and 10 gold hits in his career.
