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'''Celestine Ukwu''' (1940 – 7 May 1977)<ref name="AMG">{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/celestine-ukwu-mn0000762562|title=Celestine Ukwu Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More|website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=16 October 2021}}</ref> was ana Nigerian [[Igbo highlife]] musician during the 1960s and 1970s, best known for his hit songs "Ije Enu", "Igede" and "Money Palava". Described as a "prolific and outstanding composer" by music critic [[Benson Idonije]] of Radio Nigeria Two, Ukwu's works hashave been featured on various [[world music]] [[compilation album|compilations]] including ''[[The Rough Guide to Highlife (2003 album)|The Rough Guide to Highlife]]'' and ''[[The Rough Guide to Psychedelic Africa]]''.
==Life==
Ukwu was born in [[Enugu]], Nigeriathe capital city of [[Enugu State]], southeastern [[Nigeria]] to music-oriented parents. His father was a local performer of the igede, ikpa and ode genres of Igbo music while his mother was lead singer in a women's musical group. At a young age, he began learning how to read music and play the [[harmonium]] with the help of his uncle. Upon completing his primary school education, he went to teacher training school for two years but dropped out to pursue music as a career. He went on to join [[Mike Ejeagha]]'s group Paradise Rhythm Orchestra in 1962 at Enugu as a vocalist and maraca player before he left to join Mr. Picolo's band who were touring the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]] at the time.<ref name="Collins1985">{{cite book|author=John Collins|title=Musicmakers of West Africa|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yIHfybGz5HoC&pg=PA51|year=1985|publisher=Lynne Rienner Publishers|isbn=978-0-89410-075-8|pages=51–}}</ref> He returned to Nigeria to form his own band known as Celestine Ukwu & His Music Royals of Nigeria in 1966 which was later disbanded in 1967 following the outbreak of the [[Nigerian Civil War]], before releasing a song at the outbreak of the war titled 'Hail Biafra'. After the war, Ukwu formed another group, Celestine Ukwu & His Philosophers National; with whom he released several albums, including ''Igede Fantasia'' which did well commercially.<ref name="Ogbechie2012">{{cite book|author=Mike Uriel Ogbechie|title=ECLIPSE AT NOONDAY: Biafra, DIARIES OF UNWRITTEN STORIES|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xRdRAAAAQBAJ&pg=PT29|date=12 January 2012|publisher=Xlibris Corporation|isbn=978-1-4691-3809-1|page=29}}</ref>{{Self-published inline|certain=yes|date=December 2017}}
== Personal Life ==
Celestine Ukwu married Josephine Uzoyibo Ukwu and was blessed with a daughter Cynthia born seven months after his demise<ref>{{Cite news |title=Celestine Ukwu’s only child speaks on a father she never met |url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2024/03/celestine-ukwus-only-child-speaks-on-a-father-she-never-met/ |work=Vanguard News}}</ref>
==Artistry==
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==Death==
He died in an auto-crash on 7 May 1977.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/08/43-years-after-celestine-ukwus-guitarist-opens-up-on-him/|title=43 years after, Celestine Ukwu’s guitarist opens up on him|date=3 August 2019|website=Vanguardngr.com|access-date=16 October 2021}}</ref>
==Discography==
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==See also==
* [[List of Igbo people]]
* [[:Category:Igbo musicians]]
* [[:Category: 20th-century Nigerian singers]]
* [[:Category: 20th-century Nigerian male singers]]
* [[List of Igbo people]]
* [[List of Nigerian musicians]]
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==Bibliography==
*{{cite book|author1=Richard C. Okafor|author2=Celestine Ukwu|title=The life and works of Celestine Ukwu Okoye Nzube|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SC0UAQAAIAAJ|year=1999|publisher=New Generation Books|isbn=978-978-2900-39-5}}
==References==
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