He changed his name for love of music

What you need to know:

  • In 1958, he recorded his most popular song, Someni Vijana, accompanied by vocalist David Amunga.
  • His love for music remained undiminished and he would often carry his guitar to venues like the Kaloleni Social Hall and perform some of his popular songs when requested.

He was among a group of influential guitarists who laid the foundation for popular music in the 1950s and early 1960s.

His style bore striking similarities to Congolese guitarist, Jean Bosco Mwenda, who was resident in Kenya from 1959 to 1960.

Born Ben Obolla in Karachuonyo in 1938, it is said he changed his name to Ben Blastus O’Bulawayo so that his strict parents, devout members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, would not know that he was a musician.

He started playing the guitar while a student at Kabete Technical High School in Nairobi and by the time he made his first recordings was regarded as one of the most refined musicians in the country.

In 1958, he recorded his most popular song, Someni Vijana, accompanied by vocalist David Amunga.

For many years, the song was used as a signature tune for educational programmes on both VOK radio and television.

He earned a scholarship to study at the University of Alaska through the airlifts organised by Tom Mboya for Kenyan students to various colleges in the US in the years before independence.

On his return to Kenya, O’Bulawayo was employed as marketing manager at East Africa Industries.

His love for music remained undiminished and he would often carry his guitar to venues like the Kaloleni Social Hall and perform some of his popular songs when requested.

After suffering a period of illness, he died in 1985.