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By Tosin Ajirire
Veteran highlife musician and saxophonist, Orlando Julius Ekemode, is dead. He was 79.
His wife, Latoya Ekemode, confirmed his death on Friday in Lagos.
According to her, Orlando Julius passed on in his sleep on Thursday night. “Yes, my husband passed on late last night, there was no indication that death was coming, he was not ill, he only slept and died in his sleep,” she disclosed.
Orlando Julius was a prominent highlife musician, songwriter, saxophonist and bandleader. He was closely associated with Afrobeat music. At a time, there was a controversy between him and Fela Anikulapo-Kuti on who actually created Afrobeat. The deceased had several albums to his credit, including Disco Hi-Life, Ololufe, Love, Peace and Happiness, Dance Afrobeat and Ajo among others.
