King Achilla Rufino Orru Apaa-idomo
Aug. 17, 1959-February 4, 2013
King Achilla Rufino Orru Apaa-idomo was a Uganda-born blind musician whose primary instrument was the lukembé. His ethnic background was Karamojong. Orru came to Canada as a refugee in 1989. While studying international development at Dalhousie University in Halifax, he started a band, Baana Afrique, which he reformed with local musicians when he moved to Toronto after graduation in 1995. In Toronto, Achilla Orru was also well known as a TTC subway musician, often playing at Bloor-Yonge subway station. His 2004 album Dho-Mach (Sacred Gift) was nominated for the 2005 Juno Award for World Music Album of the Year. He died on February 4, 2013 at the age of 53.