By Rita Chioma

Onyeka Onwenu is 65 today! Born on the 31st of January, 1952, Onyeka is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, actress, journalist, politician, and X Factor series judge.

She is the youngest daughter of the Nigerian educationist and politician D.K Onwenu. Dubbed the “Elegant Stallion” by the Nigerian press, she is a former chairperson of the Imo State Council for Arts and Culture, and currently the Executive Director/chief executive officer of the National Centre for Women Development.

She’s respected as a living legend. However, apart from the fact that she sang “One Love” and “You and I will live as one,” what else do you know about her.

Below are 10 interesting things you should learn about her…

1. Her father was a politician, and he died in an autocrash when she was only four years old.

2. She was educated abroad, earning degrees at Wellesley College of Massachusetts and The New School for Social Research in New York, studying International Relations and Media Studies respectively.

3. She was nicknamed the The Elegant Stallion by the media, and the alias has stuck till date.

4. She was attached to the NTA during her NYSC program. During her time there, she wrote and presented an epic documentary for NTA/BBC titled “Nigeria, A Squandering of Riches”. The documentary garnered a lot of positive reviews especially from the international community.

5. Her music career began in 1981, and her first album came out in 1982. There have been about five more albums after that.

6. Onyeka Onwenu is also a proficient actress, having actively partaken in a number of movies alongside top local acts. She even won an award at the 2006 African Movie Academy Award as Best Actress in a Supporting Role.

7. Under the umbrella of PDP, the veteran has contested twice to be Chairman of the Local Government she hails from, Ideato North Local Government Area of Imo state. She lost at both attempts.

8. The songstress was once the Chairperson of Imo State Council for Arts and Culture, appointed by former governor Ikedi Ohakim. She was also a board member of NTA.

9. In 1988, she teamed up with King Sunny Ade in a track titled “Mada wolohun”  (Let Them Say). After the very positive response the song got, and in acquiescence to fans’ demand for more, she and the master of juju music did two more songs –  “Wait for Me” and “Choices.”

10. She cut her hair low when she was in school, and has never worn a weave or long hair after that. That was about three long decades ago!