Father 'U' Turn Dies At 36

Father 'U' Turn Dies At 36
Femi Sylvester Mayomi popularly known as Father
'U' Turn is dead. The singer who was very popular
in the 90’s for hit singles like ‘yetunde’ died this
morning at Okokomaiko in a car accident, a music
promoter says. But his friend, another musician
says, he died due to kidney complications. I know
the singer has been trying to make a big comeback
before his sudden death. Whatever took him away,
we say, may his soul rest in peace. He is survived
by his siblings, wife and five children.
Update: Another person just confirmed to me that
he has been sick for the past 3 weeks before
passing away this morning, but refused to say if he
had a kidney problem or not.
Find a press statement on him below.
One of Nigeria's most popular 90s musicians
Olufemi Mayomi, aka Father U Turn, is dead.
The dancehall artiste who rose from poverty as an
orphan, to build a successful and inspiring career
as a songwriter, recording artiste, TV presenter
and performer, passed on in Lagos today, following
a brief illness.
He was 36 years old.
The late U Turn was from Kabba-Bunu in Kogi
State where he first tried his hands on
entertainment, working as a radio and TV
presenter.
He had a brief stint at NTA in Lagos, after
relocating here, before signing a deal with Ultima
Records which released his early albums.
He was a little boy, with braids and a charming
personality. And his signature intro 'Apoola
Berekete' was far beyond his stature. But he got
the industry's attention and got a leg in the door
before long. After years of club tours and free gigs,
he got his first break when he was signed to one of
the biggest record labels of the time, Ultima
Records.
Ultima engaged Nelson Brown to work on his first
album which proved to be a huge success.
The hits 'African Culture' and 'Shakara' threw him
into national limelight, instantly putting him in the
league of bonafide ghetto stars like Daddy
Showkey and Daddy Fresh.
He espoused Okokomaiko where he resided, with
many songs dedicated to the Lagos outskirt.
His second album 'Padlock Ur Mouth' produced the
smash hit 'Yetunde' a collaboration with Pasuma
Wonder.
With dozens of awards confirming his exploits,
including multiple decoration by Awards for Musical
Excellence in Nigeria (AMEN), Youths Awards for
Excellence in Music (YAFEM), amongst many
others, U Turn lead a generation of alternative
dancehall cats by the hands. And in Okokomaiko
where he spent the last two decades of his life, he
was like a king. His success encouraged many
children in the area to embrace music, and he
supported many of them.
Although his later years were troubled by label
issues with Bayowa Music, and career challenges
that came with unsuccessful albums, Father U
Turn remained dedicated to his art - recording
endlessly and refusing to let go of his passion and
dedication to reggae/dancehall. He also
vehemently refused to relocate from Okokomaiko,
despite constant pleas from friends and family.
He died in a hospital around Okokomaiko today,
after suffering a liver related illness. A family
member confirmed he had been in and out of
hospital for many weeks. He had been on
admission at the last hospital for 10 days before he
passed on.
He is survived by his siblings, wife Ajimoh and five
children.