Mother of music star, Uwale Okoro popularly known as Essence, has died.
Mrs Melodia Pearl Atonye Okoro died on Monday at a Lagos hospital after a brief illness.
The former Kennis Music star whose songs include the popular ‘Facebook Love’, a collaboration with former Kennis Music label colleague, Jaywon, confirmed the sad news in a telephone chat this evening.
The late Melodia Pearl Atonye Okoro, nee Kemmer, was born in Aba the present Abia State on the 28th day of November 1937.
She hailed from Nembe, Brass in Bayelsa State.
Her father, late Victor Kemmer was a teacher and school Principal and as thus was posted to many schools across Nigeria and as such Melodia who had a keen ear for languages picked up the different languages of the states her father was posted.
She was fluent in Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, Efik, Bini, Urhobo, Itsekiri and English.
She toed the line of her father and became a teacher herself. She was the 3rd born of six children and she herself birthed 7 children with her husband of 57 years Elder John Molebi Okoro.
She was in her later years a Banker and worked for years in the now defunct Commercial Bank Credite Lyonnais (CBCLN), now part of the Access Bank group.
Until her death, she was an Evangelist and Preacher of the word and also a Deliverance Minister who ministered in many countries across Africa.
She passed on at the ripe old age of 82 leaving behind her 86 year old Husband, 7 Children of which Musician Essence is the 7th child, 12 grandchildren, numerous nephews and nieces, friends and loved ones.
She will be sorely missed
