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‘Dunia Mbaya’ singer Princess Jully bows out
Benga Queen Lillian Auma Aoka, popularly known as Princess Jully of the Dunia Mbaya fame, has died.
Princess Jully’s son Mr Walter Oguda confirmed that the popular musician died at 4pm on Saturday October 12 at the Migori County Referral Hospital where she had been admitted for the past two months.
Oguda told Nation.Africa on phone that his mother suffered multiple organ failure.
For the better part of August, her sons took to social media asking friends and fans of Princess Jully to pray for her after it emerged that she was in the High Dependency Unit at the Migori Hospital.
“She has been sick and was at Migori Hospital. First it was kidney failure then later the heart failed despite showing signs of getting better earlier in the week. Today her condition just deteriorated at around 11am and unfortunately Mama left us at 4 pm,” said Mr Oguda.
For Mr Oguda, who is also the Director of Migori Governor Ochillo Ayacko’s Press Unit, the family has lost a loving mother who, despite not achieving a high level of education, ensured her children acquired education.
“We have lost somebody who is irreplaceable and a great woman of valour. She has always been a fighter. Even with the illness, she fought gallantly and was even about to be discharged but we do not know what happened,” said Mr Oguda.
When it comes to music, Mr Oguda describes his mother as a genius who sang from the heart and could record without referring to any material.
“Unlike other artists who carry phones or write lyrics on books or pieces of paper, my mother was gifted and could leave home, record without referring anywhere and she could release hits,” said Mr Oguda.
Princess Jully who was the last born in a family of nine, grew up in a remote village called Macalder in South Nyanza.
She also stayed in Nairobi where she performed together with her husband, Prince Jully, but as a backup singer.
They landed a contract with clubs within Kayole, Dandora, Huruma Estates as well as Kisumu and Mombasa where they entertained Benga fans.
After her husband died in 1997, she took over his band and propelled it to national fame following the footsteps of one of her icons, Congolese singer Mbilia Bel.
Mr Oguda appreciates the fact that his mother played a big role in breaking the stigma against those living with HIV/AIDS through her hit song Dunia Mbaya.
“My mother was an icon who spoke out about AIDS when it was at its peak and the stigma was up there and nobody could dare talk about it. She turned into a crusader sensitising the community on the need to take care and protect themselves,” said Mr Oguda.
He stated that Princess Jully could go to funerals and other public forums advising those living with the virus to continue taking drugs without defaulting to prolong their lives.
As opposed to most Benga musicians who want to live lavishly, Mr Oguda said Princess July insisted that his band members must save some of their earnings so that they could build a decent house for themselves.
She was also outspoken on music where she gave free advice to upcoming musicians who were facing many challenges and at some point clashed between themselves.
Her dream has always been to redefine the Luo traditional music by bringing back the traditional instruments.
In the year 2020 and at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, in a passionate appeal, the Benga queen took to Facebook to offer sound advice to the younger musicians.
Her message to those who had taken the mantle from them was to cease fire and preach unity among Luo artists.
This followed weeks, maybe months of push and pull between the artists on social media, that angered the song bird who asked the younger generation not to look down upon the pioneers.
“When my husband Jully was singing he respected his elders, he never abused any of his peers or elders. What the young Luo musicians are doing is sickening,” Princess Jully said then.
She added: “You are spoiling the good name of music which we worked so hard to put on the international stage. Many people depend on our songs to offer solace and comfort, but when we spoil it using such acts, it is disappointing.”
The songbird was referring to an Ohangla artiste who, on various social media platforms, insulted his colleagues.
Princess Jully also warned younger artistes against living recklessly when they got money through performances.
Princess Jully was also a member of the Divas of the Nile group, along with Suzanna Owiyo, the late Achieng Abura, and Mercy Myra.
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