Nigerian Musician, Mad Melon Dies Of Tuberculosis

MICHAEL AKINOLA

Nigerian foremost musician and ‘Danfo Driver’ crooner, Omeofa Oghene, popularly known as Mad Melon, has passed away.

The musician was said to be battling with tuberculosis disease before he later passed on at Tolu Medical Centre Hospital in Ajegunle.

Omeofa Oghene, grew up in Ajegunle area of Lagos, where he was exposed to the conventional music of the Ajegunle youth called Galala music and indulged in it in his leisure time.

The late Mad Melon, with his partner, released ‘I am a Danfo Driver’ in 2003, which was such a big hit nationwide, that it became an anthem of sort and set on the neon tracks of the spotlight.

The song, ‘I Am a Danfo Driver, Suo’ was chosen along with Tuface Idibia’s song, African Queen, as the sound tracks for Phat Girlz, making them the first Nigerian artistes to have their tracks used as soundtracks in a Hollywood movie.

The duo later released another sophomore album titled ‘Danfo Travel: Success Story’ in 2005, which did well especially with the track Kpolongo, which led to their first European tour in October, 2006. They performed in Athens, Sweden, UK, Germany, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, and several other countries.