At 80, Sukuma Bin Ongaro says God's work is his biggest stage yet

For more than six decades, the unmistakable sound of Sukuma Bin Ongaro has echoed through Kenyan homes, buses, village markets and radio stations.

His guitar once narrated stories of love, heartbreak, humour and everyday life. Today, it carries a different message, one of faith, redemption and hope.

At 80, the legendary Luhya musician says his busiest years are not behind him. Instead, they are unfolding in the service of God.

There is an old saying that every great journey eventually comes full circle.

For Wilson Omutere Ongaro, better known to generations of Kenyans as Sukuma Bin Ongaro, that circle has taken him from smoky beer halls and bustling dance venues to church pulpits, gospel crusades and revival meetings.

It is a journey few could have predicted.

For nearly five decades, Sukuma was one of the defining voices of Luhya Benga music, producing songs that became staples across western Kenya and beyond. His guitar spoke a language ordinary people understood, while his storytelling made him one of the country's most beloved musicians.

In 2010, after decades in secular music, the veteran singer made a life-changing decision. He got saved.

Since then, he has devoted his talent to preaching through music, a decision he says he has never regretted.

"The demand for my work today is even greater as a gospel singer than when I concentrated on secular music," he says with a smile. "The demand this time is overwhelming."

While many artistes fear their popularity may fade after switching to gospel music, Sukuma says the opposite has happened.

The veteran musician laughs as he admits his calendar has never been fuller. Rarely does he spend seven consecutive nights at his home in Kakamega County. His ministry frequently takes him from one church gathering to another, with invitations pouring in from across the country.

"Rarely do I sleep at home for an entire week since I turned to gospel music. There is a lot of work pressure, but I manage because of God's grace."

For a man now in his eighties, the schedule would exhaust many younger performers. Sukuma, however, believes his strength comes from a higher power.

"It is God's will," he says simply.

Long before gospel ministry became his calling, Sukuma had already secured his place in Kenya's musical history.

Born Wilson Omutere Ongaro in 1946 in Kakamega County, he grew up in hardship after his father's death left his mother to raise eight children alone. Forced to leave school because of financial difficulties, he helped support the family while nurturing his passion for music.

Inspired by veteran musicians David Amunga and Isaiah Mwinamo, the young Ongaro began making homemade guitars from discarded materials at just 13 years old. Though the instruments were crude, his dreams were not.

Three years later, in 1962, he travelled to Nairobi in search of opportunity, a move that would define his career.

Working alongside his mentor David Amunga, he recorded his first song, Ongaro Alikufa, a deeply personal composition inspired by his father's death. The excitement, however, was short-lived after he discovered that the copyright had been retained by Amunga.

Following a difficult start in the industry, Sukuma adopted his stage name, meaning "push" in Kiswahili, a reflection of his energetic guitar style.

His popularity soared throughout the 1960s and 1970s as his music gained widespread airplay and attracted recording companies and concert promoters. Hits including Ndatsia Mombasa, Wacha Waseme, Kazi ya Msumeno Imenishinda, Kila Siku Suku, Oluchendo Lwe Mwalo, Amajini Keshirandu, Jirani Kuno, Malaba Border and Nerea Utaolewa Lini? cemented his status as the undisputed king of Luhya Benga.

His secular music captured everyday experiences through themes of migration, relationships and social issues, earning him widespread popularity.

Yet Sukuma says true fulfilment came after embracing gospel music.

"As a gospel artiste, I have witnessed many miracles. I have met important people and it has become easier to knock on their doors. I have also been welcomed into places I never imagined and earned great respect."

He says that respect comes not from fame but from using music to spread God's message.

Since his conversion in 2010, Sukuma has focused entirely on ministry, releasing gospel music and ruling out any return to secular performances.

His upcoming seven-track album includes Kitambulisho Cha Mungu, Yesu Alipatikana and Mungu Amekutafuta Umpate Kwake, with more songs expected to be released soon.

Unlike earlier generations of musicians who relied on vinyl records, cassette tapes and CDs, Sukuma has embraced the digital era, recognising that audiences now consume music differently.

His ministry has already taken him to Busia, Kisumu, Kakamega and Mombasa.

But Sukuma insists geography is no barrier to spreading the gospel.

"Serving the Lord through music has no boundaries. I am ready to minister anywhere in Kenya or East Africa whenever I receive an invitation."

He also recalls missing out on a planned performance in the United States after industry rivalry and popularity politics got in the way, though he remains optimistic that more opportunities will come.

Music continues to run through the Ongaro family.

The father of 12 children, four of whom have since died, says two of his sons have followed him into music, one pursuing secular music and the other gospel. According to Sukuma, the biggest difference between generations is technology, with digital platforms completely transforming how artistes create, market and distribute their work.

Despite spending decades in the industry, he says musicians continue to grapple with familiar challenges, including royalties, stiff competition, changing marketing demands and the need to remain visible online.

"These challenges affect both secular and gospel musicians. What matters is how you navigate them."

It is advice earned through experience rather than theory.

Few Kenyan musicians have witnessed as many changes in the industry as Sukuma Bin Ongaro. He has lived through the eras of live bands, vinyl records, radio dominance, cassette tapes, compact discs, television, YouTube and now streaming platforms.

Today, in the twilight of a remarkable career, he continues pushing a different message, one of faith, redemption and hope.

While his classic Benga hits still stir nostalgia among longtime fans, the octogenarian says his greatest satisfaction no longer comes from applause, but from seeing lives transformed through gospel music.