Popular showbiz guru and one-time manager of P-Square duo, Bayo Odusami, will be buried on Friday, August 28.
The famous entertainment impressario who was fondly known as Howie T died on Saturday August 8, 2020 after battling stroke for two years.
In the funeral arrangements made available to TCN by the organising committee on behalf of the Odusami family, the remains of the 53-year-old former Disc Jockey, Record Label owner and music promoter will be laid to rest on Friday at Ikoyi Cemetry, after a church service at the Vaults and Gardens Chapel in Ikoyi, at 11am.
Before then, a Night of Tributes and Eulogy of Songs being organised in conjunction with the deceased family by the January 9th Collective (J9C), a social club where Odusami once served as the Deputy Captain, will hold via zoom at 5pm on Wednesday August 26.
With about 30 years of impactful contributions to the entertainment and showbiss industry in Lagos especially and Nigeria in general, Odusami was well loved and admired by many people.
As a full-time disc jockey in the early 1990s, he was the darling of revellers at Enter the Dragon club (Western House, Lagos, at Sunrise night club (Victoria island, Lagos), Club Towers (Victoria Island, Lagos) and later became General Manager at Pyramid Niteclub in VI Lagos, which was owned by former beauty queen and top actress Ibinabo Fiberesima.
With eyes for talent discovery, Howie-T was credited for discovering and nurturing to recognition the music duo, PSquare. He funded and released the group’s first album titled ‘Last Nite’ through his Timbuk2 record label in 2003.
With his ex-partner, Dipo Abdul, Howie T ran Kiss Events and later floated Baseline Records, through which he groomed a new act, Seaon (Omo Ibadan) and also signed on Skales. Through Baseline Records and with support from his long-time ally and successful entrepreneur, Mr. Segun Adebutu, he conceptualized a thriving indigenous music conglomerate whose impact was felt across Africa and all over the black diaspora.
Although he eventually succumbed to the debilitating ailment that first struck him in May 2018, his slightly more than two years of incarceration proved that Howie T was a man of the people who received love, attention and support from his wife, Tunrayo, his friends and associates and members of his J9C club.
Not surprisingly, tributes have continued to pour in for the amiable father of two young daughters who lived his life with restless devotion to the entertainment and creative industry.
For Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, Founder of the African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), Howie was a true friend and legendary supporter of the arts. ” We shared the journey of P-square after you discovered them through Timbuk2 Records, our joint company. Rest easy, Howie T, man with a good heart.”
Popular singer, Peter Okoye of the P-square fame, also expressed moving words on his social media handles. “There are certain people in life that your story or journey is incomplete without. Howie T is one of such people. I honestly believed you’d pull through but I’m thankful I got to spend some time with you recently, reliving some of the early days and talking about what the future holds. Thank you for believing and being there for us. Thank you for the tremendous contributions to my career and Nigeria’s entertainment industry,” he wrote.
For music promoter and President of Dragon Africa, Obi Asika, Howie T ” was fundamental to the story and growth of Nigeria’s pop culture and its influence for over 30 years.”
Similarly, Tony (One Week) Muanagor, musician and now politician, said Howie T was “probably the most popular Stage Manager for live music concerts in Nigeria, perhaps only comparable to Eddy Lawani.
“Howie T was always the guy standing at the top of the stage after my name was announced by the MC. Then as I climbed on stage, he would pat my back and scream into my ears ‘Tony, finish them make we go’.”
One of Howie T’s close friends and former Lagos State Commissioner for Culture Arts and Tourism, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, said the deceased was a great friend, a good neighbour and a passionate co-traveller in the showbiz and creative world.
“We were friends for close to 30 years since his days as a DJ in the early 1990s and I was a young reporter covering entertainment and the arts. We became close and rolled together.
“He loved the good life, cared for his family and was very ambitious and meticulous about his outlook and plans in life, decade after decade.
“His death is a big blow and a lesson to all his friends. But he left a legacy and will be greatly missed. May he find eternal rest,” Ayorinde said.
