Throwback/Historical
Jide Obi: Where Is This ’80s Nigerian Pop Sensation?
Jide Obi was a major force in the Nigerian music scene in the 1980s. He was a pioneer in Afro-funk and soul and sang modern pop gospel, which is also known as pop/blues.
The singer and lawyer was known for hits like “Front Page News” and “Kill Me with Love.”
Born to a Nigerian barrister based in England in 1962, Jide studied law at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Enugu.
It was at UNN, he met and became friends with Chris Okotie, a singer whose success inspired Jide’s foray into mainstream music.
Following Okotie’s success, in the early 1980s Obi released his debut album “Front Page News” under the Tabansi Records label. In the album, he had hits that included Kill Me With Love, and Front Page News.
He made numerous performances on Nigerian radio and television that commanded the Nigerian music industry in a mad frenzy.
In November 1981, his record label, Tabansi Records, gave him his first gold disc award at the National Theatre , Surulere. Two years later, he toured Eastern Nigeria with Sierra Leone’s Bunny Mack, backed mostly by the Comrades of Enugu, Nigeria.
In 1984, Obi composed the theme tune to the NTA children’s show Tales By Moonlight.
Jide Obi was also an activist who was vocal in his criticism of the government. He was part of a movement devoted to change and opposing inequality in Nigeria.
The singer is known to give press interviews critical of aspects of religion. The most notable instance occurred in 1989 and 1990, when he declared religion as frequently a victimising factor. The story made the cover of Nigerian billionaire M. K. O. Abiola’s National Concord magazine.
Despite his success in the music scene, he vanished from the public eye, releasing his last known single, “I’m Leaving Tonight,” hinting at personal struggles.
In the song, the singer poured out sheer emotion that hinted he’ll be “going far away” and that no one should “knock on his door”. For a long time, little or nothing has been head of this vastly talented crooner.
In recent years, Jide Obi has been seen living in both Britain and the United States, though he is a recluse seldom seen in public, adding to the mystery surrounding his life.