Remembering Okatch 18 years later

The benga genre has greatly contributed to the overall quality of Kenyan music over the years. And no one really changed how benga is perceived countrywide like Okatch Biggy.

At a time when benga sounded the same in the 1990s, Okatch dared to counter the conformists with a variation of the sound that instantly set him apart from the crowd.

Born in 1954 in Ujimbe, Siaya County as Elekia Mathayo Okatch, he first tried boxing at the age of 21 at the Railways Club in Kisumu, a move that saw him nicknamed Biggy because of his large body frame.

A decision to pursue music as a career came to Biggy in 1977 when he joined Kiwiro Jazz Band as a drummer. He later left to team up with Daniel Owino Misiani of Shirati Jazz Band, also as a drummer. 

In  1991, Biggy formed his own band, the Super Heka Heka, where he completely changed the Luo benga music by concentrating on singing about the women he loved, businessmen and the tribulations of his own life as a musician. This was in sharp contrast to other benga greats like George Ramogi, Collella Mazee and Owino Misiani, who sung about women who had broken their hearts and politics.

In his new approach of music as encapsulated in his five albums, Biggy’s approach of dengo, or praising women while factoring in lewd lines, won him many hearts of benga lovers who saw his approach as a break from the traditional tones of singing about politicians and industrious persons. 

Biggy’s kind of music drew admiration and dislike in equal measure: While his fans enjoyed his mental undressing of women in his bare-it-all and uncensored songs, other benga artistes like Owino Misiani considered his compositions as obscene and not fit to be listened to.

His new style of benga became a subject of research when an online musical journal, the Journal of Music Research in Africa, published a research paper by T. Michael Mboya examining Biggy’s works. It was titled ‘My voice is nowadays known; Okatch Biggy, benga and Luo identity in the 1990s.’

In the journal that studies music and social change in post-colonial Africa, the innovation that Biggy brought to benga music is highlighted. The article argues that through this style, and quite apart from the verbal content of the music, Biggy ensured that he communicated with and consulted his main audience, the Luo of the 1990s.

By placing Biggy’s music style in the socio-political context of its production, the article brings to light the reason for the popular acceptance of Biggy’s works by the Luo of the 1990s; that is, the value of the music in the solidarity of Luo nationhood at a period of increased search of communal identity in music.

In his band, Biggy depended on the good ability of his skilled guitarists like John Owiti on the solo guitar, Ouma Jasuba on the rhythm guitar and Adwera Okello on the bass guitar.

During his time, Biggy churned out five albums — Hellena Wang’e Dongo (1992), Dorina (1992), Nyathi Nyakach (1996), Okello Jabondo (1996) and Adhiambo Nyakobura (1997).

When Okatch Biggy succumbed to illness on December 18, 1997, his Super Heka Heka band members split to form their own bands, a twist that further gave rise to modern benga artistes like Oginga Wuod Awasi, Aluoch Jamaranda and Dolla Kabarry.

He changed the benga tune and forced fans to listen to a totally different message in his songs.