It is grief that we have received the news of the passing away of a great Urhobo music icon, Sir Juju Debala of Aladja.

Sir Juju, you have done your part, left your mark and made us proud. Sail safely to the other side of the River as you enter the abode of the ancestors.
.
Obuile r'Ode, Akpo k'Edefa!


May his soul rest in peace.

Friday, the greatest shock of the century hit the Urhobo nation. One of its finest musical maestro paid homage to the ancestral world.

Sir Juju Debala as he was fondly called by all, was the very first Urhobo artiste to have performed in England in 1948.

SIR JUJU DEBALA: A BRIEF PROFILE (By Prof G.G. Darah & Peter Omoko)


Sir Juju Onojefe Debala is a complex of a miracle, an enigma and dilemma tale. He is similar to the tale of the handicapped child who grows up to be a genius and prodigy. Born blind, deaf and lame, he has emerged as one of the most eloquent and celebrated composer-singer-performers of Africa in the 20th century. Musicologists rank him along with Fela Anikulapo-Kuti of Nigeria and Miriam Makeba of South Africa. From 1965 to 2012, Sir Juju’s musical groups produced over 100 audio-tape cassettes and CDs. He has had more than 2,500 live performances on the average of 50 per year. The group has entertained at spectacular events in Lagos, Ibadan, Ile-Ife, Okitipupa, Port Harcourt, Benin, Ughelli, with hundreds of appearances in the Warri-Effurun metropolis and environs. The name “Juju” derived from the inauspicious conditions of his childhood. For several years he could neither stand up nor walk.


Baffled by this “spirit” child, his father, Ocheria Debala, took him one day in a boat from Aladja to Warri and dumped him at the feet of the great medicine man, Mokunghegbe of Iyara Quarters. On sighting the child, the notable Urhobo healer exclaimed: “OnanaEdjo” meaning “Juju” to express his sense of wonder. The Iyara herbal doctor cured the child of his ailments; he started to see, to talk and, at last, to walk. The name Juju stuck to him thereafter and for good. Sir Juju is the prodigy of his father, Debala, who was one of the first Urhobo musicians to travel to England in 1948 to produce the record, “Sokolobia”. Sir Juju formed his juvenile Adjuya group at the age 13 in 1963. He later joined with Udjabo Okololo, also of Aladja, to establish the “Fashione” genre of popular music for which they are known. Juju and Udjabo are the most elegant duets in contemporary Urhobo musical experience. Udjabo passed away in 1997. About 3,000 lines of the songs have been transcribed and translated. Among the bestseller albums are



Motumolo, Ededon, Indian, Ikoriko, Abamwa, Eduba, Bidofo, Enavwose, Mariere: the Midwest Nationalist, and Ubido: Epic of the Brave and Just. The romantic and love numbers of all time include No Apprentice in Enjoyment; Ogo Me Biko or Ode to a Stubborn In-Law; Rose: My Darling; and Margaret: My Sweet Heart. The sobriquet “Sir” was added to his name by Mr Bricks, the Managing Director of Philips West African Studios in Lagos to distinguish him from Yoruba juju musicians. The group also produced for Emi Studios, Electromat, Decca Studios, Palofon Studios all in Lagos and Iyanda Studio in Ibadan. Their notable contemporaries include Omokomoko Osokpa, Ogute Ottan, J.C. Ogbiniki, Johnson Adjan, OkpanArhibo, America Djalere, Lucky Okwe, Nathaniel Oruma, and Lady Rose Okiriguo.

http://pengician.com/2017/08/urhobo-musical-maestro-sir-juju-debala-passes-on-at-70/


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTJgOD5YJrI

A wonderful duet they made, Sir Juju and Udjabor. So much philosophy and beautiful melodies.
Sleep on, great men.

Cc
Fratermathy
Evestar200
Efewestern
Onosprince

I love the graveyard because it is our final resting place on earth. I keep wondering how each dead man lived his life. Somehow all these earthly pride dies with us. Both the shy and noisy are all under the ground. Please my people visit the graveyard once in a while and reflect on your existence. That is the best form of motivation. Anyone of us can die anytime, so dont think YOURSELF special

Still remember this guy, listen to some of his tracks, may his soul rest in peace.

lalasticlala
seun

I'm not an indomie génération but i dont know this dude

I dnt know him sha..

Cc napt2u
Cc Ishilove

Okkk o.all die na die

OK oo

Half of the people that will comment won't read that long write up.
BTW, I thought it was dybala

I have almost mistaken him for Sir Shins Peters...


RIP icon



You'll be missed.

RIP Great footballer ...

Ehya

Who's he & where's he from?

His juju has finally killed him

This thing wey kill juju strong kakarakaa

may his soul rest in peace

RIP Sir Juju

footballer ke?

I'm very sure you did not read the post

john4reala:
RIP Great footballer ...

kinggeecee:
I dnt know him sha..

EVEN ME TOO BUT RIP.

Rip icon. Funnily, I don't know him. I know Johnson adjan and okpan and that other dude omokomoko. Life Sha... No man is truly a pinacle of knowledge

RIP TO HIM

Listen to my new song dedicated to all Nigerian rappers at

https://my.notjustok.com/track/download/id/233002/


Listen to my dope rap freestyle at
https://my.notjustok.com/track/download/id/24670/

rip sir juju of ighwre qtrs,a man of honest, orator of d truth from d Brotugbare family,rest on papa.

Dont know him, abi he no blow well ni like Iyanya?

Sir juju RIP. we don't have musicians of his type anymore. Juju and Udjabo great duet urhobo nation will never forget.

Many men shall die,


Only few have live..


Sleep on Sir!

Sir Juju and Udjabo were legends in the rank of Emma and Lazarus of voice of the Cross.

Rip sir Juju

Remeber playing some of plate on my dad turntable..rip sir juju..ur music lives on

Ohhhh Aaron Ramsey scored a goal for Arsenal on Friday..... If you know wat I mean