Popular Benga musician Princess Jully, whose real name was Lilian Auma Aoka, has passed away at the age of 51.
The renowned singer, famous for her hit song Dunia Mbaya, died on Saturday evening after being admitted to the Migori County Referral Hospital for the last two months.
According to information shared by her son, Bradley Oguda, Princess Jully has been in and out of a coma, but had recently showed signs of improvement.
“Mamana (my mother) Princess Jully is no more. It’s unbearably hard for me,” Bradley wrote on Facebook, mourning his mother.
Who was Princess Jully? Rise to fame.
Princess Jully rose to fame with her Benga songs, particularly the hit Dunia Mbaya, a cautionary song inspired by the lives of her friends who tragically passed away due to their lifestyle choices.
She was the third wife to the late Jully Okumu, the leader of the Jolly Boys Band, and she carried the legacy of her late husband and the band forward, despite facing numerous setbacks that forced her to leave the city in 2010.
She was also known for other hits such as Malo Malo and Akuru, which cemented her status as the undisputed queen of Benga.
After a long break from the music scene, Princess Jully made a comeback in 2020, driven by a strong desire to keep her star shining big in the entertainment scene.
Taking a break away from the limelight
After her husband’s death in 1997, she returned to her husband’s home in Nyatike Sub-County, Migori, in 2010, leaving behind the high life she once enjoyed in the city.
She settled in Bondo Nyironge, where she pursued a more modest lifestyle, engaging in gold mining, cattle rearing, and tobacco farming to support herself. Despite these setbacks, her passion for music never waned.
She often shared memories about her earlier performances, recalling how she would have vivid dreams of music and even struggle to sleep until she sang or played the guitar
Legacy in Benga Music
Princess Jully was a cherished figure whose soulful voice and lyrics touched the hearts of her many fans. The Jolly Boys Band, which stood by her through difficult times, now mourns the loss of its leader.
While her death marks the end of an era in the Benga music scene, her legacy lives on through her music and the many fans she inspired over the years. Her fans and friends are expected to throng into Migori to celebrate a fallen musical icon whose voice will be forever remembered.
