MUSIC-SIERRA LEONE: Gone But Not Forgotten

By Lansana Fofana Reprint | | Print |

Lansana Fofana

FREETOWN, Jun 23 1998 (IPS) - Music fans have been mourning the death this month of Onike MaCauley a pioneer female singer in Sierra Leone who became a symbol for feminine action.

Onike, 51, succumbed to cancer and was buried June 19 in this capital city. But her voice continues to flow from night clubs, state radio and television and even from public transport vehicles as citzens mourned their heroine who kept her illness a closely- guarded secret.

“I will miss her so much,” says Mustapha Attilla, a blind solo artist who had performed with Onike on several occasions. “She was talented, energetic and very original. Many budding female artists took their cue from Onike and she had come to symbolise a strong feminist voice.”

The songtress, had five albums to her credit, and was working on another one that will be released posthumously in July, according to Super Sounds, her producers. Many of her fans were surprised by her age, which she always described as a “state secret”.

Onike’s death, says musician Ahmed Janka Nabay, ” is a great loss to the music industry, both in Sierra Leone and the sub- region”. She had performed in such cities as Banjul (The Gambia), Conakry (Guinea), Accra (Ghana), Lagos (Nigeria) and Monrovia (Liberia).

The legendary musician also will be remembered for the use of her talent for humanitarian causes. She organised a series of peace concerts and fund-raising performances, spanning over a decade.

One of her most popular tunes, “Leh We Love Weself” (Let Us Love One Another) called on the rebels of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) and the Sierra Leonean government to put aside their differences and to work for the development of the nation.

Barely a week before her death, Onike was putting the finishing touches to arrangements for a planned concert billed ‘Back to Democracy’, to be held later this year at the National Stadium.

Onike was a former Sub-Inspector in the Sierra Leone Police Force, and got her musical start as the lead vocalist for the police band.

During the March festivities to celebrate the return of President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah’s government, Onike was one of the key entertainers. At that time, she said in an interview: “I have been in this game (entertainment) for over two decades and I intend to die as a performing artist.

“You can count the number of female artists around and I believe we (female artists) cannot afford to sit by and watch the industry being dominated by the menfolk.”

Onike will continue to live on through the budding female artists who imitate her style of blending Rythmn and Blues with the indigenous Sierra Leonean beat. Fatmata Conteh, a 16-year-old musician who is working on her debut album told IPS: “She (Onike) was my idol, mentor and friend. I spoke and worked with her several times and she encouraged me to push on with my first album, which is due soon.

“In fact, she produced the album and so I give her all the credit for that brillant support,” Conteh added.

The Sierra Leone Association of Musicians and Performing Artists also will enshrine the singer’s contribution to the arts through a momument to be built in her honour.