AFRICAN SUPERSTAR DEAD AT 61. By Chinyere Obinna. O.

The King of Ozziddizm is dead at 61. Sonny Okosuns was a leading Nigerian superstar with several gold records to his credit. He was a multi-talented artist with the ability to transcend many musical genres and yet retained his own originality. Sonny Okosuns originated a catchy mix of western pop skillfully melded with African Highlife and coined it Ozziddizm. His hits were catchy, feel-good creations that later segued into politically charged statements that drew attention to aparthied and comparison to such musical greats as Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Bob Marley, Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye. He burnt a searing career path that began in the sixties when he formed his first band and peaked in the 1980's when he gave up the trappings of superstardom for Jesus. Sonny Okosuns created an international stir when he walked away from his music and became known as Evangelist Okosuns. But his musical star resurrected and shone even brighter when he parlayed his talents into gospel hits that drew worldwide attention.

Sonny Okosun's life was even more colorful. He met his wife when she was still in school. After she continually rebuffed his advances, he convinced her that he was a Prince who would be crowned at the age of 3o. After they married and had several children, she wanted to know when he would be crowned Prince and he finally revealed that he had told her the story to get her attention. Sonny died in Washington D.C on Saturday May 24th 2008 after a protracted battle with colon cancer.

Some of his greatest hits included, Papa's Land, Fire in Soweto, Save our Soul, African Soldier, The Superstar, The crown, Togetherness, Mother and Child, Jesus Christ the Superstar, Holy War, Third World, and the Gospels of Sonny Okosuns, Ozziddizm