His best-known hit was the 1984 single "Osondi Owendi", which established him as a leader in the highlife genre and was one of Nigeria's most popular records ever.

[3] Osadebe was born on March 17, 1936, in the Igbo town of Atani, the city on the eastern bank of the Niger River in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State, Southeastern Nigeria.

It was in his high school years in Onitsha, a major commercial city near Atani, that Osadebe grew interested in music.

[2] Osadebe started his career singing at nightclubs in Lagos State in the southwestern region of Nigeria, with Trumpeter Zeal Onyia as his mentor.

[2] After turning 50 in 1986, Osadebe started to give priority to fatherhood and gave more of his time to his son Obiora and his other children from his wives.