Sonny Okosun

Sonny Okosun (January 1, 1947 in Enugu, Nigeria – May 24, 2008 in Washington DC) was a musician from Nigeria, from the old Bendel State, now Edo State in southern Nigeria. He was from the Esan ethnic group. He named his band Ozziddi after a renowned Ijaw river god. His surname is sometimes spelled Okosuns and his first name Sunny. He was one of the leading Nigerian musicians from the late 1970s to mid 1980s.

His first band, The Postmen, was formed in Enugu in 1965. In 1969 he joined Melody Maestros, a band led by Victor Uwaifo. From 1972 to 1974 he led a group known as Paperback Limited and then formed a new band, Ozziddi. From then on, he released several albums either with Ozziddi or solo.

His 1977 song "Fire in Soweto" became a major international hit. He was featured on the anti-apartheid album Sun City, and his song "Highlife" was on the soundtrack of the 1986 film Something Wild. His mainstream success started to fade in the late 1980s, but he continued his career as a gospel musician under the name Evangelist Sonny Okosun.