Nelly Uchendu
Nelly Uzonna Edith Uchendu, MON (1950 12 April 2005), was a Nigerian singer, composer and actress. Revered for modernising traditional Igbo folk music, Uchendu rose to prominence upon the release of her 1976 song "Love Nwantinti" which earned her the "Lady with the Golden Voice" sobriquet. She released 6 LP recordings during her career.
Nelly Uchendu
- Name
- Nelly Uchendu
- Birth Name
- Nelly Uzonna Edith Uchendu
- Birthplace
- Umuchu, Aguata, Anambra State, Nigeria
- Died
- 2005
- Place of death
- Enugu State, Nigeria
- Born
- 1950 · Umuchu.
- Nationality
- Nigeria
- Occupation
- singer · composer · musician
- Languages
- English
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Documentary summary
Nelly Uzonna Edith Uchendu, MON (1950 12 April 2005), was a Nigerian singer, composer and actress. Revered for modernising traditional Igbo folk music, Uchendu rose to prominence upon the release of her 1976 song "Love Nwantinti" which earned her the "Lady with the Golden Voice" sobriquet. She released 6 LP recordings during her career.
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Nelly Uchendu (1950–2005) was a composer, musician and singer, of Nigerian nationality. The composer was born in Umuchu and died in Enugu State. Languages used include English.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 01 October 2026
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wikidata · Q27016690 · wikipedia · Nelly Uchendu
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Nelly Uchendu • Birth Name — Nelly Uzonna Edith Uchendu • Birthplace — Umuchu, Aguata, Anambra State, Nigeria • Died — 2005 • Place of death — Enugu State, Nigeria
Life and career
Life and career
She was born in 1950 in Osete, Umuchu, Anambra State, Eastern Nigeria. Uchendu started singing at an early age. She later joined Professor Sonny Oti's music group under which she flourished using her vocals. In 1976, her music career shot to limelight following the release of the Homzy Sounds-produced classic titled "Love Nwantiti" off her debut LP composition Love Nwantiti; before she went on to release "Waka", "Aka Bu Eze" and "Mama Hausa" which further established her in the Nigeria music industry. Her career saw her record in several genres of music including Igbo highlife, pop and gospel music. Uchendu's career also saw her perform outside Nigeria, most notably performing in London, England alongside Sir Warrior and his Oriental Brothers during the 1980s.
Acting
Acting
In 1986, Uchendu guest-starred as Ikemefuna's mother in NTA Network's televised version of Things Fall Apart in which she sang "Ikemefuna's Song", and played Tony's mother in the 1994 Nollywood movie Nneka the Pretty Serpent, another singing role. Uchendu also provided female vocals for the musical scene in the 1993 Igbo movie Taboo.
Personal life
Personal life
Nelly Uchendu was married to Obika Ikpeze.
Recognition
Recognition
In recognition of her contributions to music in Nigeria, Uchendu received the national honour of Member of the Order of the Niger by former Nigerian president Shehu Shagari in 1980.
Death
Death
She died on 12 April 2005 in a hospital in Enugu State, Nigeria, reportedly from cancer. She was aged 55.
Identity
Identity
Nelly Uchendu is recorded with the occupation recording artist. Recorded as singer, composer and musician.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1950
Nelly Uchendu was born in 1950.
2005
Nelly Uchendu died on 12 April 2005.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Umuchu.
Birth place
Enugu State.
Death place
Discography
• Love Nwantiti (1976) • Aka Bu Eze (1977) • Mama Awusa (1978) • I Believe (1979) • Ogadili Gi Nma (1982) • Make a New Nigeria (1988) • Ezigbo Dim (1982) • Nye ya ekele (1995) • Nna cheta m (1995) • Onye Oma Zoro • Omalengwo • Onye Oma Theresa • Ezigbo Dim • Akwa Alili • Na Nga Meji Eru Nwa • Yeghe Yeghe • I Can Hear Your Song • Show Me • Can't Part From You • You Made Me Love You • Wakabout • Green Eagles Special • Nwa Bialu Ije • Oma Bu Nwunyem • Cheta Tikue Jehovah • Kpokube Olisa • Ada Eze • Onye Nwulu Ozuluike
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Nelly Uchendu”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q27016690: Nelly Uchendu
General reference · Wikidata
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Patience Saduwa. Nelly Uchendu Made a Fool of Again!. The Guardian. 30 July 2000.
- 2.Sonala Olumhense. Happy Married Life, Nigeria! By Sonala Olumhense. Sahara Reporters. 21 March 2015.
- 3.Chittaranjan Das. Folklores of Mankind. Institute of Oriental and Orissan Studies. 1993.
- 4.Tell Communications Limited. Tell. 2005.
- 5.Love Nwantiti (feat. Mike Obianwu) by Nelly Uchendu. 2013-12-19.
- 6.Springer. Copyright Perspectives: Past, Present and Prospect. 105–. 23 May 2015. 978-3-319-15913-3.
- 7.naijamusiclist.com. Nelly Uchendu: Biography. The Sun Newspaper.
- 8.Oji Onoko. Glimpses of Our Stars: An Intimate Encounter with Leading Nigerian Artistes. All Media International Limited. 1999.
- 9.M. Keith Booker. The Chinua Achebe Encyclopedia. Greenwood Publishing Group. 257–. 2003. 978-0-325-07063-6.
- 10.Nelly Uchendu. IMDb.
- 11.Media, Soundwela. Nelly Uchendu Biography, Career And Songs. soundwela.net. 2024-02-23.
- 12.Africa Journal Limited. Africa Woman. 1980.
- 13.Uzo Chikere. Nigeria: Female Artistes Urge Govt to Participate in Nelly Uchendu's Burial. Daily Champion. allAfrica. 23 April 2005.
- 14.Love Nwantiti: Nelly Uchendu joins ancestors. Online Nigeria. 28 May 2005.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessauthority record
General reference
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
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