Biography
One of the most successful bands in Nigeria during the 1970s, the Oriental Brothers have continued to record as a variety of splintered off bands. These have included Dr. Sir Warrior His Oriental Brothers International, Prince Ichita the Great Oriental Brothers International Band, and the Oriental Brothers International. While each of these groups had their distinct sound, they shared the original band's passion for blending Congolese guitar picking and traditional Igbo rhythms. At a time of great struggle due to the Biafran War, the Oriental Brothers offered a rare light of hope. According to Nigerian magazine -Kwenu, the Oriental Brothers played a very important spiritual role in keeping many Ndiigbo sane. They were the pride of a people traumatized by a war so vicious.
The original Oriental Brothers were formed by Godwin Kabaka Opara with his brothers Ferdinand Dan Satch Emeka Opara, Christogonous Ezebuiro "Warrior" Obinna, and Kabaka Opara, along with Nathaniel "Mangala" Ejiogu, Hybrilious Dkwilla' Alaraibe, and Prince Ichita. Ejiogu died shortly before the band's success. The first split within the group occurred in 1977 when founding members F. Dan Satch Opara and Prince Ichita left to start their own bands under the Oriental Brothers moniker. While Opara's group recorded six albums between 1977 and 1984, Ichita's band, featuring original Oriental Brothers member Hybrilious "Akwilla" Alaraibe, recorded two albums before Ichita's death in the early '80s. Akwilla went on to join Dr. Sir Warrior's group, remaining until Warrior's death in 1999. The three Opara brothers reunited to record two albums: Anyi Abiala Ozo in 1987 and Oriental Ge Ebi in 1996.
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