LAGOS AUGUST 3RD (URHOBOTODAY)-Foremost Ijaw music icon, known for playing song promoting the Niger Delta struggle, King Robert Ebizimor dies an auto accident a day to his thanks giving service for successful amputation surgery.
Ebizimor died in a car crash in Warri, Delta State alongside his driver after a successful journey from Abuja.
Reacting to his death, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Worldwide described the death of the music icon as “end of a chapter in the Niger Delta struggle.”
In a statement by its spokesman, Eric Omare, IYC said it received the news of the demise of Ebizimor in the late hours of Thursday with shock and disbelief.
To the IYC and the entire Ijaw nation, the statement said the ddeath of King Ebizimor is a huge lost and it marks the end of a chapter of musical exploit in promoting the Niger-Delta struggle.
According to the IYC spokesman, King Ebizimor used his music to hugely promote Ijaw struggle and created awareness all over Ijaw nation especially those at the hinterland.
“He was one of the heroes of the Niger Delta struggle. The IYC commiserates with the entire Ebizimor family of Sagbama Local Government Area and the government and people of Bayelsa State on the death of the Ijaw icon.
“They should take solace in the fact that while King Ebizimor may have departed this world, the ideas he propagated during his lifetime would live forever,” the statement said.
A music analyst and critic, Ogbonna Amadi, who profiled the late musician during his 60th birthday, said King Robert Ebizimor’s popularity was felt through-out the country and across West Africa, espeically in Ghana.
“In the early 80s, Ebizimor and other gifted stars of Ijaw origin like Professor I. K. Belemu, Master Pereama Freetown, White Eagles, etc brought back highlife nick-named Owigiri in a different style and from dominating the instrumentation with vibrant guitars and exiting rhythms which were missing in the early 60s and 70s.
“As a born philosopher, his songs conjured images. They were like themes which give root to varying development and movement.
“The Agaibiri musical king created issues out of themes and provoked the thought of his audience to the point of inspiring and even mobilising them to action but the greatest weapon is his voice which he projected with happiness and enthusiasm,” Ogbona said.