Joy Onuorah

Nigerian Saxophonist and sing-songwriter, Julius Ekemode, better known as Orlando Julius, will be laid to rest on May 28 in his hometown, Ijebu Ijesha in Osun state.

Julius died on April 14 at the age of 79.

The MD of Evergreen Musical Company, Bimbo Esho, who revealed this to NAN during an interview in Lagos on Sunday, said there will be a Christian wake at Oke Agboja, Ijebu Ijesha in Osun on May 27.

“The funeral service will hold on Saturday, May 28 at St. Matthew Church, Ijebu Ijesha,” the MD said.

“This is according to the notification the family made available to me today.”

Julius who was also a singer, bandleader, and songwriter closely associated with Afrobeat music, was born in 1943 in Ikole, Ekiti state and took interest in music as a child when dazzled many with his potential as a member of his school’s band.

Some of his musical albums were ‘Disco Hi-Life’, ‘Ololufe’, ‘Love, Peace, and Happiness’, and ‘Dance Afrobeat’.

The singer who was one of the early pioneers of Afrobeats and released several hit songs during his career including ‘A Dara’, was said to have dropped out of school and left Ekiti for Ibadan, Oyo state to pursue his music career.