Popular Nigerian Singer, Ikesima, Band Members Dies In Motor Accident

By Simeon OSAJIE

Sad news hits the entertainment industry as a popular Nigerian singer Ikesima Brown, better known as ‘Niger Delta Queen’ of Highlife Music, was reported dead alongside with her crew members.

It was reported that Ikesima died in a ghastly motor accident with her six other band members of Ijaw music legend, Chief Barrister Smooth, after their bus on a high rammed into a petrol tanker in Abuja/Lokoja highway and Kwale community in Delta State, and they died at the spot. The deadly auto crash happened on Sunday, June 11, while the band members were going for a show from Warri to Abuja.

According to reports, the ill-fated vehicle conveying the popular band were booked by a state government to perform at the swearing-in reception of National Assembly members in Abuja on Tuesday, but sadly they met their untimely death on the way.

An eyewitness while narrating how the painful ghastly accident took place, it was further disclosed that the band members boarded a train from Warri to Kogi and were on their way to Abuja when the Toyota Siena car in which was conveying them had a collision with a tanker loaded with fuel which was also on high speed smashed them at the spot.

The names of the band members involved in the accident include; Chief Joseph Ekeremieye, Ikesima Brown, Ebis Awiki, Tuku, and others.

However, Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, ina new statement released by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, on Monday, expressed deep sadness over the collision accidents that occurred claiming the lives of no few than 10 ljaw indigenes. Diri described the sad incident as a Black Sunday for Bayelsa and the jaw nation, adding that the state has been mourning over the sad news.

He said, “In one of the crashes along the Kogi-Abuja road, six band members of a popular Ijaw musician, Barrister Smooth, died while the other accident along the Kwale-Asaba highway in Delta State claimed four supporters of the Bayelsa Queens Football Club.

“On behalf of the government and people of Bayelsa State, I extend our deepest sympathies to the families of the deceased. I also commiserate with the leader of the band, Barrister Smooth.

“These are very unfortunate and sad incidents that claimed the lives of our active youths.

“It is a great loss to our state and the jaw nation as young talents and bread winners following their passion had suddenly departed.

“I pray that the Lord consoles the families for the painful loss that they have suffered. I also pray for quick healing and recovery for those that were injured.”