The family of late legendary musician Sunny Okosun has announced plans to sustain and preserve his musical legacy for future generations.
A brother to the late icon, Mr. Iwa Okosun, disclosed this on Sunday at the “Make a Widow Smile for Christmas” programme organized by the Advocacy for Widows Empowerment Foundation (ADWEF) in Lagos. The event was held at Okosun’s church.
He said the family intends to remix some of the late singer’s musical works in 2026 as part of ongoing efforts to keep his influence alive.
Okosun noted that the family has continued to maintain the late musician’s artistic and spiritual contributions, including running his church and hosting an annual memorial event every May 23.
“The essence is to keep his memories and legacies alive. Yes, Okosun is late, but his legacy lives on,” he said.
“We, the family members, still keep everything about him alive. The music is still going on, the videos are still going on, and even his church is still very much in operation. His church, being the house of God, will never close down because his wife, children, brothers, sisters, family members and other church members still worship there.”
He added that many members of the family were groomed in music, making it easier to sustain the late icon’s legacy.
“My nephew, my niece and cousins all sing. I am also an artiste and I sing,” he said.
However, Okosun identified inadequate funding as a major challenge in maintaining the projects and initiatives left behind by the late musician.
“When one is alive and money is flowing, everybody wants to be attached to you; but the moment someone is gone, you don’t see any friends again,” he said.
Despite this, he expressed optimism that the family would continue to preserve the legacy of their brother and son.
Sunny Okosun, born in 1947, died in 2008 from health-related complications. He was renowned for pioneering African liberation music, blending Afrobeat, reggae and funk to form the “Ozzidi” sound, which championed pan-Africanism, freedom and social justice. He later became a gospel singer and founded his church, further deepening his impact on society.
