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In Memory of Rogana Ottah, the Legendary Ndokwa Musician


IN MEMORY OF ROGANA OTTAH, THE LEGENDARY NDOKWA MUSICIAN

At the early stage of his musicianship, they called him a rascal and a drunk for choosing music, but in the advanced stage of his musicianship, the wealthy, the educated, small and big, started to pursue him to perform for them. The beginning was difficult for him. Anyone may claim that it was so for most musicians of his period but his case was different.

Reacting to Pen Master, his music enthusiast, Fada Enweji wrote:

"Yeah! I remember Rogana (Ottah). It was not easy initially for him to gather instruments to fulfil his ambition. The Ndokwa people never believed in him until he came to Lagos almost in tattered cloths. He came straight to me in our office at off Allen Avenue and demanded seeing Emma Nwose alias Emma Galaxy or showcase. After spending three days in Lagos, Galaxy eventually raised N400,000.00 for him and Chief Jude Okonmah alias Omeogor gave him N150,000.00. I was able to make a small contribution for his transport back to Delta. Hence, he dedicated most of his songs mentioning Galaxy and Omogor. I think one Okolocha also played some role". 

"Galaxy, Omogor, Rogana are all gone today. May their souls rest in perfect peace. Just like yesterday".

Incidentally, he never forgot this but mentioned it continually in his tracks.

His particular genre gives happiness. There seems no Ukwuani musician whose melody provokes sweetness as much as Rogana Ottah, the man that understood the guitar like his left hand and commanded it to speak his own language. Hence, he seems the greatest of all Ndokwa musicians by Pen Master's rating.

Mr Lawrence Egwali, a follower of this musician has praised the expertise in the Ndokwa linguistics of the musician, stating that:

"Rogana Ottah's music renditions were packages of great philosophical, historical, folklore and mastery of Ukwuani language usage expertise".

No matter your condition, he provokes the happiness in you because he was himself a happy man. For him, "nti dike na sor ajo okwu" and in fact, ugo Chukwu nye onye ka nma". "Wetuo obi yi!", "Gbaje na osor ndu adia gwu Ike". Lover of words. He knows no ethnic bounds so eventually, he praised my own kinsman, Chief Daddi Okeleke as "Onye Igbuzor" and also fellow Ndokwa musician, Queen Azaka.

An acknowledger of mothers, "nne nmadu bu ogwu ishie", composer and singer of hit tracks - "Onye Iwe Ugba", "Njom Nede", "Osa Nanu Njo", "Ego Ni Nwa", "Ekwa Alili Anaa" and lots more.

Sadly, many years after his death, our Ndokwa people have not documented much of him for preservation. Much of what he culturally gave to the people is yet rewarded to remember him in future.
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