10 Facts About OJB Every Music Lover Must Know

As legendary producer and musician, OJB Jezreel sadly passed on Tuesday morning following a relapse of a kidney condition, INFORMATION NIGERIA brings you 10 interesting facts about him.

In 2013, OJB Jezreel suffered from a severe kidney failure which caused him to seek support from friends, family and fans. Over N20m was raised from donations from fans, celebrities and government officials.

2. His wife Mabel ‘Mama J’ Okungbowa was his kidney donor at the Colombia Asian Hospital in India where he had gone for a transplant.

3. He dropped his Civil Engineering certificate to chase music and that put a big strain on his relationship with his parents. They backed away from him, hoping that he would make him change his mind, but he said it made him go further.

4.He produced Tuface’s first album Grass to Grace including the widely celebrated  ‘African Queen‘.

5. The Delta State born entertainer was one of the founding fathers contemporary Nigerian music and pop culture.

6. Although he is originally from Delta, he grew up in a very rich family in Lagos.

7. He started out as a DJ because back then it was much easier to survive as a DJ, but says he always loved beats and sounds.

8. According to him, Jazzman Olofin is his only friend.

9. And to everyone he says,  you should always keep it simple and humble, not because you are stupid or slow, but because in the end that’s all that counts.

10. He has three wives and eight kids and the eldest, a boy is a graduate of Unilag.

In an interview with the NET shortly after his kidney transplant at an Indian hospital, he said:

It certainly feels good to be back and to still be aliveNow that the surgery has been successful, the next mission is trying to maintain the kidney so that it doesn’t relapse. The doctors prescribe that I chill and relax for six months, but I can’t afford to do that when I have a family to take care of. I have to get back to work.

‘I think the help anyone can render me at this time is to give me jobs to do. I don’t want to just sit down and be idle. This production thing has always been my passion and so I need to get back to it.’

RIP OJB