Orlando Owoh tells the story of how he married his first wife. Taken from the video "Life History of Dr. Orlando Owoh part 2"
Interviewer: When ORLANDO married the first wife. Who is the woman and what is her experience
like?
Orlando Owoh: “When I was about marrying my first wife
ever, it was when I first travelled to play in my home town from LAGOS. I saw a light in complexion girl. I called her and told her I am ORLANDO OWOH
and son of this same town. This was the
period of NTNC and ACTION GROUP. Say
1950 or so. We spoke and we got
going. Everybody in the area became our
friends. So I told my boys I was going
home with that lady. Unknown to me that
where I took her was close to her home.
In actual fact, I disvirgined her.
That was how blood started gushing.
I got confused and I didn’t know what to do. The guy who took me to the house where I had
fun with the girl was a chief’s son.
They call the father OJOMO. We
packed all the blood stained clothes.
Her people must not hear about this.
Her father was third to the king of our town. Eventually the lady’s junior sister came and
saw her. She was surprised and confused
seeing her sister in that state. She ran
straight home to report the incident to her parents. And as they were coming, I had to escape
through the backyard. I couldn’t wait
again. At the same time it’s also my
home time. But the lady told me to
go. And that was how we left the
town.
Interviewer: IFON town?
Owoh:
Yes. We got back to OWO. Meanwhile some people had come before me to
report the incident at OWO. Unknown to
me that that girl’s father was the chief priest of IFON. As I heard the message given in OWOH and they
made it known to me that I can’t escape it.
I took to my heel, back to LAGOS.
I stopped at IBADAN. They also
came to meet me in IBADAN. I didn’t know
that the actual house I use as a meeting point for myself and the same girl in
IBADAN.
Int:
So they brought the same girl to Ibadan?
OO:
Yes. She didn’t even know that
our meeting place belongs to one of her uncles.
The uncle was mad that it was in his abode they impregnated the
girl. So her uncle told the other family
not to worry that he will get me. What
pained them most was that as powerful as this girl’s father is somebody can
just come from no where and do such to his daughter and go scotfree. So it was really baffling him. That was when I knew I was in for it. Unknown
to me that a spiritual mark has been put on me.
Int:
Were you still going for plays during this period?
OO: (smiles) I was playing in parites. I’ve got no other job… So, they sent for me that they should go and
bring me. You know what I did? I ran to the Area command for
recruitment. When I got there in the
army recruitment ground it was as if they were expecting me. They just pointed and picked me. They sat me down and shaved my hair. And I was thrown into a land rover and they
took me away. That is how I joined the
army.
Int:
So you didn’t actually know anybody at Area Command?
OO:
The officer in charge of recruitment is my sister’s husband. He didn’t know me and I didn’t know him
then. But he just pointed at me and
picked me.
Int:
So your joining the army was involuntary.
OO:
I intentionally wanted to run away.
So if they can come and meet me at the warfront, let them come.
Int:
Has civil war started then?
OO:
Yes.
Int:
When you were thrown into the Land Rover, where did they take you?
OO:
That was ABEOKUTA.
Int:
From IBADAN to ABEOKUTA.
OO:
I was taken to training school straight.
In ABOKUTA.
Int:
What’s the name of the place they took you in ABEOKUTA?
OO:
LAFENWA. I was in training for 6
months.
Int:
What sort of training were you given within the 6 months?
OO:
Drilling, word of command, weapons training, e.t.c.
Int:
And you didn’t show any traces that you were good in music at all?
OO:
That was what God used to bless me.
(pats his chest) We used to sing
during the drilling. And some of them
already know me that I sing. They will
say “ORLANDO sing for us.” Then I sang
two of my songs. Then they ask me where
I get the songs from. That is how I was
picked, and I joined the military band.
Int:
Military band…
OO: Military band.
I was in 2nd Division.
My Army number, my Force
number is 14864. (repeats)
14864. These five numbers. (waves his hand and laughs) Let us thank GOD.
Int:
Glory be to God.
OO:
2nd Division. Under
colonel ADENIRAN. He’s from OGBOMOSO.
Int:
What was your rank in the army?
OO:
I didn’t even have any rank. I
had “private MORIDELE”
Int:
Private MORIDELE? (laughs) What year did you join them? And what year did you retire?
OO:
(looks up and remembers)
1963.
Int:
So you met your manager while in the Army.
OO:
(laughs) I took him away from the
Army.
Int:
You joined the Army in 1963, what year did you retire?
OO: I
spent just about 4 years with them.
Int:
That is 63.. 64, 65, 66, 67.
1967? But the war just started in
1967
OO:
Yes.
Int:
That means you didn’t really experience the war in the Army.
OO:
(Says something untranslated
Int:
Could you remember one of the songs you sing in the war front then? You may remember one of the songs. You composed them.
OO:
I even used some in some of my albums.
Int:
How did you sing it?
OO: (laughs
then sings)
Int:
What language was that?
OO:
It’s HAUSA language.
Int:
Do you speak HAUSA language or was it just at the warfront?
OO:
If you are in the Army, you must understand HAUSA by force. (chuckles)
You will definitely speak HAUSA if you join the Army.
Int:
So what about the girl who made you ran into the Army? Did you marry her eventually or what?
OO:
They brought the girl to me carrying my pregnancy.
Int:
So what you did then became pregnancy?
OO:
I swear. That child is in AMERICA
till now. He’s my first born.
Int:
How did you settle everything eventually?
OO:
When I joined the Army I went to see her father.
Int:
You were already a soldier?
OO:
Yah.
Int:
So you were no more afraid.
OO:
He was scared when he saw me.
Then I begged him for what I did.
That I am sorry.
Int:
And that is how you became his son-in-law?
OO:
Yes.
Int:
That means the lady gave birth to your first born?
OO:
The child is in AMERICA now.
Int:
What is the child’s name?
OO:
ORIMPIPE OSOMOYELA
Int:
A male?
OO:
Yes.
.