‘No beer in Heaven’ monster hit-maker Atongo Zimba has paid glowing tribute to legendary late Highlife musician, Onipa Nua.
Onipa Nua was a Haussa Singer who learned to play the ‘Kalimba’ or Ghanaian thumb piano as a Child, after becoming blind at the age of two.
His travels across the African continent brought him his stage name, Onipa Nua: translated ‘The People’s Brother’ while in Kumasi .
He eventually settled in Accra in the mid-60s. There he worked as a street musician, occasionally appearing at social functions,where his three-octave vocal range proved adaptable to many tempos and styles.
In 1980, he was discovered by promoter Faisal Helwani ,who subsequently placed his career on a professional footing Onipa Nua’s first European performance in Paris ,France ,came in 1990.
Though his only releases so far have been on cassette ,and exclusively for the domestic market.The African street performer turned singer/songwriter sadly, died (in 1990) shortly after being discovered.
However, while performing as a guest artiste on Citi TV’s BreakfastDaily , Atongo Zimba paid a glowing tribute to the legendary late blind musician by performing his hit song ‘Onipa Nny3’.
It was refreshing to see the legendary Kologo musician perform Onipa Nua’s song to the delight of viewers.
Atongo Zimba is well-known for his monster hit song ‘No beer in Heaven’. He is regarded as one of the most toured Ghanaian musicians of all time.
Watch how Atongo performed the song below
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