What many people don’t know is that before his discovery by …. Port Harcourt based outfit, he had distingushed himself singing in many churchs. After the discovery, he went on to become one of the best back up singers in Nigeria singing for the likes of the late Sunny Okosuns then, Uche Ibeto, the Jigida woman, Sunny Ade, then finally Onyeka Onwenu, went on tour with them before taking his destiny in his hands as a solo artiste on CBS/Sony Music.
Omoge, debut album released in 1980s/1990s was one of the rave of the moment: it was one of the biggest sounds to come out of Nigeria in that era. Okri became an instance success, though, not unexpected for those abreast of his musical trajectory.
And just when he was about walking out of his contract with Sony Music, divine fortune smiled on him; Benson and Hedges Music came his way through Biodun Shobanjo of Insight Communications who saw his performance at the then NiteShift Coliseum and pointed him to the Benson and Hedges officials on talent hunt, and the rest, as they say, became history.
His meeting with Benson and Hedges postponed his parting of ways with Sony Music, abeit temporay, and gave birth to Rhumba Dance, (whose demotape was produced by the late Mike Appo in his …). Rhuma dance was his sophmore album released by Benson Hedges. The original idea by Benson and Hedges was to do …. but unknown to them, Rhumba became the bigger fish and they went for it.
