•His last words
Widow of one of Nigeria’s and Africa’s greatest musicians Sonny Okosun has shared events of his last days on planet earth. Okosun died from complications from colon cancer May 24, 2008 at a hospital in the United states.
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Until his death, Okosun, with his band Ozziddi, churned out numerous albums and also produced several others including Onyeka Onwenu and Yvonne Maha and a host of others.
Let’s count the albums; Papas land, Fire in soweto, Mother and Child, Togetherness, Tire ni Oluwa, No More Wars, Holy War, etc ..etc
Okosun was one of the highest selling artistes of EMI, Nigeria noted as one of African musicians who helped liberate southern Africa through music.
FRED IWENJORA met up with Okosun’s widow Pastor (Princess) Florence Okosun at a memorial event in his honor held at his Lagos home. Pastor Florence Okosun is General Overseer of House of Prayer, the church founded by Sonny Okosun later in his life Here she speaks on how life has been without her love. She also talks about his last days.
17 years just passed just like that….how does it feel without Papa?
I want to start by appreciating God Almighty who has been with us and sustained us in the past 17 years of his passing. The past 17 years is like yesterday.
I have lived with the belief that he has travelled and will soon be back. I keep living in denial. The most important thing is that all through the 17 years, we are sustained by the good legacy he left behind for us his family. His fans not only in Nigeria, Africa and the world at large whom he touched with his love, his music and his message of love are what strengthen us and keep us going and we are not giving up. He still lives in us.
On a personal note, Sonny Okosun is still very much alive to me. He is forever in my heart and I will never, never forget the love we shared together.
You just spoke on the supernatural realm….On a physical level, you must be missing something big…
I miss his love which is number one. Everywhere Sonny Okosun went around the world, we never lacked communication. I never lacked that relationship and companionship. He treated me like a queen. He knew that I came from a royal family and never treated me differently.
To him I was a Princess so he spared nothing to treat me as one. He never gave up on me. His love for me never faded till the last day. I miss him so much. He lives on in my heart and all around me.
Was it music that brought you together?
Not so but it helped solidify our marriage. Our families were known to each other even before our marriage. I liked music but never sang for public. When I was younger, I sang in the choir and that was all. But when God called him to serve him, he became my ministry. I got devoted to help him anchor on his calling. I had to be there for him. I took care of his needs, interceded for him and stayed in the gap for him so that he would be able to function very well and better as a man of God.
His last days must have been tough….he was gravely ill….how did you navigate those tortuous last days?
Yes he was ill. I did not originally know the magnitude or gravity of his ailment until I was forced to join him in the US.
The last days were tough and emotionally demanding to say the least.
On the day of his passing on May 24, 2008, I was told that he had only few hours before he passed away in my arms.
His last command was that I should read Psalm 118, his favorite Psalm with him.
While I was reading it for him, he said he was thirsty and demanded for water. But the doctors said I should not give him water. With a touch of regret in his face, he asked me to continue to read Psalm 118. I went on and on until he slipped away.
Did you see his death it coming so soon?
I did but I lived in denial. Like they do abroad, I was informed that the situation was bad. On the day he walked into the hospital, a doctor called me for a briefing, adding that he had few hours of life and that we were losing him soon. Rest is history.
What about the children? Some wonder why none is involved in music.
I wonder as well. They are all doing well by God’s special grace.
The first daughter toyed with music earlier in life but later suspended that thought. She followed her love for other things. And she’s doing well. They all remain very fond of their father, they believe in him and still treasure him forever.
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