Onyeka Onwenu to publish memoir on Nigeria Independence Day

29 sep 2020 - 15:49

Accomplished musician, actress and activist Onyeka Onwenu will release a memoir titled My Father’s Daughter on 1 October to coincide with the 60th anniversary of Independence Day in Nigeria.

Onyeka Onwenu's My Father’s Daughter will be published on 1 October.

The book, which will be published by Expand Press, is a tell-all account of Onwenu’s life and career in the limelight.

"In the autobiography, Onwenu’s formative contact with feminism and how her father’s life heavily influenced her decision to join politics is deftly explored," the publisher said. "Onwenu’s political philosophy cannot be divorced from the exemplary foundation laid by her father, Dixon Kanu 'DK' Onwenu, who cared deeply about the development of Nigeria when politics was not a means to amass wealth.”

The book also explores "the communal lifestyle of the Igbo as well as how family core values are intricately woven into personal ethics."

Elsewhere in the autobiography, Onwenu relates the impact that the Biafran civil war had on her as a teenager and how her family dealt with life during tough times. Onwenu also touches on her personal adult life and how she naviagated marriage as a public figure.

Born in 1952, Onwenu’s musical career began in 1981 while she was working with the Nigerian Television Authority. Although her choice of music was secular at first, she began making gospel music in the '90s.

Apart from music, the former X Factor Nigeria judge is a celebrated actress, having starred in a host of Nollywood films, earning her a number of awards for her performances including a 2006 African Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.

As an activist, Onwenu has used her platform to champion various causes, including campaigning for the payment of royalties to Nigerian creatives, sensitisation around HIV/AIDS, and highlighting the plight of the poor. As a politician, Onwenu, a member of the People’s Democratic Party, has served as chairperson of the Imo State Council for Arts and Culture and as the CEO of the National Centre for Women Development.

My Father’s Daughter, which will display the singer’s “blunt refusal to be seen as the weaker counterpart” and impart "vital lessons young people can draw from", is available for pre-order here.