BIOGRAPHY OF KING BENJI IGBADUMHE, THE MUSICAL ICON
Great Men are usually Men with extraordinary degrees of determination and God’s guidance and favour. They do common things uncommonly well. They are those who set out to achieve a goal with high tenacity of purpose and unmitigated commitment. Whatever they find themselves doing, they Excel .
In every generation, there are Men that divinity bequenth to Society to Champion various courses to humanity. These Men are rare Gems and the Community they are born are proud of them. One of such Men is King Benji Igbadumhe, the Band Leader of Okeke Sounds International.
King Benji Igbadumhe was born on the 5th of March, 1955 at Ogbona in the Present day Etsako Central LGA of Edo state to the families of Mr. Louis Asimhegbe Igbadumhe and Mrs. Magdalene Igbadumhe (née Odogbo).
He started his primary school at St. John’s Primary, Ogbona in 1960 and later left for Lagos to stay with his uncle Mr. Julius Igbadumhe, and eventually finished at Ibadan in 1968. He proceeded to Ansar Undeen Grammar School Agbede from 1969, but dropped out in 1971 as the grandmother who was sponsoring him could no longer cope financially. His father too could not help as the elder brother, Antony was already in secondary school in Fugar. In fact, the father had earlier told them, there was no way he could train him and Tony at the same time.
He went to his cousin, Sunny Odogbo Iyiodo) to learn music. Under Iyiodo, he learnt the rudiments of the Music from 1972 to 1973 after which he joined General Bolivia’s band and he rose to become the band manager. He toured the whole nation with Gen. Bolivia and also learnt music administration but sometimes in 1978 there was misunderstanding and he left and joined Niger Cat Construction Company.
In 1979 he went to Kaduna to meet with Mr. Joseph Irekpita who eventually bought him musical equipment that was launched in March, 1980 and began his musical carrier with his Okeke Sound band.
Few years later, he found himself out of Music due to some disagreement with Mr. Williams Irekpita but as fate would have it, he met Mr. B J Sam Tsedi who gave him money to buy new musical equipment but the money was not enough and Chief Odidi helped him to guarantee a bank loan with which he bought musical instruments to relaunch his career.
King Benji Igbadumhe who has no regret in life as he has over 100 albums to his name but has a soft spot for IYEREABOPOMHE, ACROSS THE NATION, ATSAKPAMEGHE, ITSANOTSANOR & IYEIYA
King Benji loves Music, perhaps, it is because music runs in his family but did not go into music because of the financial reward or fame. Somehow, his natural love for music has brought him fame, took him to all the major cities in the United States of America and Europe and in every sense of the word, he sees himself as fulfilled and cannot ceased to be grateful to God for everything, if for nothing else, he can pay his bills and take care of his immediate and extended family and other people.
King Benji Igbadumhe is sentimentally attached to his town of Ogbona and sees a glorious future for Ogbona.
He is the Golden Tower of Afemai Music. He is the band Leader of Okeke Sounds International and one of the leading lights of Ogbona Community. He is happily married and blessed with Children.