Internet giant, Google, has honoured highlife legend, Oliver De Coque with a doodle, which is a drawing of the man with his musical instruments splashed around the dialogue box of the search engine.
De coque died at age 61 on June 20, 2008 from sudden cardiac arrest.
De Coque, whose birth name is Oliver Sunday Akanite, was one of Africa’s most prolific recording artists, with at least 93 albums to his name.
He inspired many other artists who have been blending modern high life with traditional Igbo music.
According to Wikipedia, De Coque was aged 11, when he was taught to play the guitar by Piccolo, a Congolese guitarist living in Nigeria.
The biography website states: “Serving an apprenticeship with juju stars Sunny Agaga and Jacob Oluwale, he was a star by his late teens. Oliver is also considered as the most flamboyant Igbo musician. Attracting international attention with a London performance in 1973, he played on Prince Nico Mbarga’s album Sweet Mother four years later.
“Coque was often backed by his brother Eugene’s Igede International Band. Oliver’s sons Edu de Coque, Safin de Coque and Solar de Coque are also musicians.”
