Sunny Okosun hailed from the old Bendel State, now Edo State in southern Nigeria. He was from the Esan ethnic group. He named his band Ozziddi after a renowned Ijaw river god.
His first band, The Postmen, was formed in Enugu in 1965. In 1969 he joined Melody Maestros, a band led by Victor Uwaifo. From 1972 to 1974 he led a group known as Paperback Limited and then formed a new band, Ozziddi.
His 1977 song ‘Fire in Soweto’ became a major international hit. He was featured on the anti-apartheid album Sun City, and his song ‘Highlife’ was on the soundtrack of the 1986 film Something Wild.
