The rise and rise of ohangla

Kanungo Kanungo, Kanungo Eteko, words, though understood by few in the country, are familiar to many of whom can barely utter a word in Luo.

This hit together with other ohangla songs like ‘Ndoa ya Machozi’, ‘Obama’ and ‘Mapenzi Kizungu Zungu’ have gone on to become huge hits and in the process popularised this music that was once associated with immorality perhaps it is due to this controversy that at one time ohangla was banned in various Nyanza regions for being too explicit.

But many argue that a lot has changed, it is now one of, if not the most popular music from Nyanza.

“The kind of message passed through these songs nowadays is so different. We as ohangla musicians have taken it upon ourselves to refine our language so that this music can be listened to by many if not all,” says Tony Nyadundo.

Perhaps it is one of the reasons that has seen artistes like Otieno Aloka, Tony Nyadundo, Onyango Alemo, Osogo Owinyo, Emma Jalamo and Lady Maureen continue to be popular, as well as reap huge sums of money, not just here in Kenya but also abroad.

“For now, ohangla musicians are ranked among artistes who get many performance invitations in the country,” says Nyadundo.

According to him in a month he can get as many as five high profile invitations, a fact that ensures he never runs out of cash.

“Two weeks ago I toured Dubai for a weekend show,” he adds.

Nyadundo says it is ohangla’s style of music that blends traditional instruments with modern sounds, that has given the music such a unique appeal to club and bar owners, who find it as a crowd puller.

Cingent Mogaka, manager at Kataro Club and Restaurant in Nairobi’s Doonholm estate says this music is loved by a huge percentage of revellers.

“We started off by inviting musicians who sang different kinds of music, but after giving it a try, we discovered that days when ohangla musicians were performing, customers turned up in large numbers.”

It is six years since they adopted this style and Mogaka says things have only been getting better.

George Okoth, manager of Jimlizer Hotel and Restaurant in Buru Buru estate, says due to the number of requests from fans they had to set a day for ohangla music.

It is this popularity that has seen a huge increase in the number of young upcoming artistes who think they can as well contribute to this music that was once associated with the old.

Charles Omondi Atito alias Ayoyi Machacha represents such artistes.

“Though I haven’t reached Tony Nyadundo’s level, I have already recorded seven hits which ensure that at least every week I have a show,” he says.

But as the number of ohangla upcoming musicians continue to increase, Nyadundo insists that there has to be a plan to ensure that the unique sound of ohangla is not lost, as a results of hunger for quick money.