Popular Nigerian Juju Musician Dies Hours After 83rd Birthday

By: Olufemi Orunsola 

Nigerian popular Juju Barely few hours after celebrating his 83rd birthday, an octogenarian musician, Ismaila Bello, popularly called Ahuja Bello, has passed on at the age of 83.

OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News gathered that Ahuja Bello reportedly died less than 24 hours after celebrating his 83 birthday with members of his family.

The son of the deceased artiste, Adetunji Bello, confirmed the development on Monday through his official social media handle.

Born Ismaila Dele Bello on August 24, 1942, in Iseyin, Oyo State, Ahuja Bello carved out a name for himself as a celebrated Juju singer, guitarist, and band leader during the 1970s and 1980s.

Before venturing fully into music, Bello worked as an electronic technician. In 1976, however, he pursued his passion by founding Ahuja Bello and His Golden Eagles Band, a group that would go on to dominate the Juju music scene.

He was widely admired for his vibrant stage presence and evergreen hits such as Awa ti Danfo and Ariya ti de. In 1979, he travelled to London to record Ahuja in London, an experience that brought him into contact with global stars, including reggae legend, Bob Marley.

However, his music career suffered a significant tragic disruption when he had an accident on July 24, 1982, just weeks before his 40th birthday.

Although he was not in the limelight of juju mudic thereafter, his legacy remained intact, securing him a revered place in Nigeria’s rich musical landscape.