Walter Menya
29 March 2008
Nairobi — As campaigns for the December General Election got under way, so did new ohangla sensation Onyi Papa Jey increase his fame in Kisumu town and beyond with his debut album.
One of the tracks in the album, Raila ODM, in praise of ODM leader and Prime Minister-designate Raila Odinga, has made all the difference for the artiste who was hardly known to music lovers less than a year ago.
The single has stirred up political emotions experienced only during benga maestro Daniel Owino Misiani's heydays due to its lyrics and rhythm. In a style reminiscent of the late Misiani's political compositions, Raila ODM is full of figurative language and innuendos that extol Raila's leadership qualities and personality.
Although Onyi says he can compose a song in a little more than an hour, this track took him three years to compile and produce. "It took this long because I wanted to get everything right for my fans," says the 25-year-old musician.
During the campaigns, Raila ODM became the anthem, albeit unofficially, as poll hopefuls sought support through showing closeness to the Lang'ata MP through the song. And the football allegory common in Raila's political rallies only serves to spice up the song and to prove Onyi's prowess at creativity.
Disputed election
However, the events following the announcement of the disputed presidential election results threw the musician and the song into limbo. For about two months, even the few bars that had defied the unrest to remain open, could not play the song.
But with the recent signing of a peace deal, the song and the musician are back with a bang, replete with the enthusiasm they invoked before the elections.
Onyi Papa Jey's sensational hit song now rules the airwaves as well as passenger vehicles that play it at every opportunity as celebrations continue over the power-sharing pact, which many people in Nyanza view as victory for the region.
With Raila ODM, Onyi has silenced friend and foe who, for close to three years, have been yearning for political songs that Misiani gave them. Other tracks in the album include Heppy Nyar Lang'o, Daudi ja Migori and Ukubwa Shida.
His fans now rank him alongside ohangla greats such as brothers Tony and Jack Nyadundo as well as Ken Ouma Basement. Misiani must be resting in peace with the assurance that at last there is an able artiste in Onyi Papa Jey taking over as the undisputed king of political compositions. Raila ODM chronologically documents Raila's political journey since 2004, a year after Narc took over the reins of power.
"He (Raila) was the first person to stand up to oppose the pro-government draft constitution when all others would have easily accepted the same," Onyi says in defence of his praise for the politician.
The constitution referendum marked a turning point in the politics of this country, he says, and credits Raila with bringing down the Nyayo regime.
The song's gracious flow and the TV footage of a football match pitting Raila and President Kibaki as captains of two opposing teams have further endeared the song to music lovers.
As if the clout he is commanding through the airwaves is not enough, managers of entertainment spots in the lakeside town have been scrambling to get Papa Jey's signature to perform at their joints, hoping for immediate returns for their investments. The artiste attributes the album's success to the contents of the songs, which go down well with the old and the young.
But Onyi decries the way politicians have treated him since he released the album. "No-one has paid me to play the song in public as is required by law, yet some of them have now started to live lavish lives as MPs," he says. He is not the first musician to complain, nor is he going to be the last. He knows that if the Copyright Act was strictly enforced, he would join the millionaires club.
Onyi cautions upcoming musicians against using lewd lyrics, saying that it is time musicians scrutinised the contents of their songs before releasing them to the public. "I started composing the songs in the album in 2004 with the aim of giving my fans something to listen to with their families without spoiling the minds of youths," he says.
He adds that the hit song is also meant to unite the different tribes for a common cause and to inject a sense of democracy into society. "My song mentions all tribes in Kenya and their leaders, so nobody can say that I am promoting tribalism."
Onyi Papa Jey, whose real name is Bernard Onyango Ranginya, was born at Kiyembe, Suba district, in 1982. He started his music career while in primary school when he played the orutu, a traditional Luo stringed instrument, which remains his favourite today. He later dropped out of school to take up music full time, a decision he says his father still disapproves of.
A young musician
As a young musician, he joined the Nyadundos who were just breaking into the music scene, and remained with them for three years from 1999. "In that duration, I perfected my orutu playing skills," recalls Onyi who is also an adept drummer.
He quit the group in 2002 to join the Nyamolo traditional dancers to hone his dancing skills and also practise playing more traditional musical instruments. He later quit Nyamolo to link up with his newfound promoter, George Onditi in Eldoret.
But even here, it was one problem after another as he moved to various bands without much success. So in June 2003, he left for Remba, Tanzania, without an idea what he was going to do upon arrival. But while here, he founded the Super Suba and Koleko Newface band and recorded some songs. "I composed most of the songs in my current album while in Tanzania," he says. He also got married there and had his first-born daughter, and he has composed the song, Nyalang'o, in praise of his wife.
After three years of relative success in Tanzania, he hit the road back to Kenya and for a third stint, rejoined Nyamolo, which he later left to form his current Super Nyamolo International band. "I do not see myself leaving music for anything else," Onyi says. "It is my life and I want to do it until I die. I want to be remembered alongside other great people for my for music."
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I have not heard of Onyi Papa until I was doing research on Kenya dance for school project for my students. I find his music very soothing How can I buy his CD?