Osito Japuonj: Omondi Long Lilo's Epic Praise to His Mentor

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The late Omondi Omondi Long' Lilo tells the story of his humble beginnings, and the man who rescued him. Orphaned at a tender age, Omondi has struggled with, and through life. He has dropped out of school to take on all odd jobs that a young man of his age could do to survive. He begins as a herds-boy whistling after people's cows and living in their homes. Omondi is as well a hunter, a skill that would later win him the love of his life, Gorety. Sometimes he has to weed people's farms to adjust his life.

 

Apimonu kaka awuok chien
(Let me tell you the story of my past)
 
Omondi apimonu kaka adongo chien
(Omondi let me tell the story of my past)

Awuod gi Adhiambo nene achandora ga
(I, brother to Adhiambo, I lived a troubled life)

To kata mana doyo nadoyo ne ji
(I even used to weed people's farms)

Kata mana moto namoto ne ji
(I even used to fetch firewood for money.

He comes into contact with the life of the lake and converts into a fisherman in Waseda. The life of a fisherman is not all about catching and eating fish. It is hard and and using people's boats, you risk leaving without a penny. But if you find yourself with relatively more cash and fish, you are the target of all forms of debauchery that lakeside life comes with.
An kata rimba naywayo ndi
(I even used to be fisherman)


An kata omena naluwo ndi
(I used to fish omena)
 
But the story of his life changes when his uncle ,Osito who is already an established musician with a fan base in the whole of Luo nation, identifies a talent in him. He absorbed him as his protégé in his Nabi Kings Band where Omondi's husky voice and skillful composition of praises became valuable assets for what would grow to be one of the most prolific Benga academies.
 
Omiyo nera nikonyo ya
(So you my uncle you helped me)
An igola imiyo aweyo lupo
(You empowered me and helped me leave fishing)
Rateng' ogola imiyo aweyo kata kwath
(Rateng' you empowered and helped me from being a herds-boy)
An igola ma ang'eyora
(You empowered till I became famous)

Nabi Kings Academy

Many Benga musicians trace their roots from Osito Kale's Nabi Kings. Linet Aluoch Pamba, the sassy Luo Benga queen that later married the late D.O Misiani, has her young days here. Osito laments about her departure so heartily in one of his compositions . Ouma Jalamo, who later joined together with Kamaliza Majengo to keep the Benga wires alive, was here. Opiyo Bilongo of the Book of Love fame had his early days here. Ogina Koko Nam min Aore (Ogina Koko the lake the mother of Rivers) worked with Nabi Kings before pursuing a career in comedy. And Benard Odhiambo, known to his fans as Odhiambo Tusker, would join later and has since grown to be a Benga luminary.

Jomikonyo ti nenore
Osito jomikonyo ti nenore
Opiyo Bilongo ere ne wawer go
Ericko chogo ne wawer go
Kata Aluoch Pamba neni igolonwa
Odhiambo Tusker ere ne wawer go
To kata Ogina ere ne wawer go

The history of band breakups not only in Benga are characterized by chaos, noise and mess. But Osito Kale (Ja Mabinju, Wuod Toyotta, Osito Kasam) has trained many and does not let them leave in bad blood. Like a Luo father prides himself in golo yawuote oko, Osito allowed Omondi Long' Lilo to beat his home. This song is therefore a return. It is a rare gem especially for a man who had separated ways with his mentor and teacher to form his own band, Migwena Kings. A case of a student going back to his teacher.


Osito Japuonj
Osito the Teacher

Omondi spares his strength of composing praises for men with and without names for his teacher. Omondi has made names for common people. Okoth Mang'ang'a Pilot, who is a truck driver, has a name from his voice. Gega son of Wajango, Were son of Ogao, Chiambe Otoyo and Awiti Jalamo were just common men who got their names from his creativity.

Osito's Unknown Private Life

But Osito is not a new man to the people. He is the Benga Maestro of the Year and a Long Life Benga Artiste award winner. With over three decades in the industry by the time Omondi was releasing his song and having won the Benga Extravaganza in 2000, Long' Lilo knew he did not have to follow the usual biographical script that Luo Ohangla artists have picked today. So he decides to celebrate the man's little-known facts. He is a farmer. He is an environmentalist and only his trees bring rain in Asembo. He is a family man. He is a philanthropist.

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