If you dont know who she is, here is her most popular song below. Super talented lady!

It was double celebration in the family of popular saxophonist, Mike Aremu yesterday. As Nigeria marked its 52nd Independence Anniversary, the musician celebrated the arrival of his first child – a bouncing baby boy.

The child was delivered in the UK and Aremu was absolutely overjoyed. “We give God the praise for the arrival of our baby boy today… Baby, mother and myself are doing perfectly well. Praise be Jehovah God!”

The gospel artiste got married in 2011, in a private wedding in England.

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I should have made a comment about Nigeria’s Independence day celebration yesterday, but unfortunately, I was unavailable. Now that I am back,  I am still not convinced that there is anything to celebrate. If you feel differently though, here is a song from Tiwa Savage that you might enjoy:

Helen Ukpabio

Ace singer, movie producer and Minister of God, Apostle Helen Ukpabio has added another feather to her cap with the release of two sensational albums, “Superlative Jesus”and Not They Thought.”

The singer who formally joined the music industry in 1999, after the release of her hit track “Jesus My Friend”said that her music comes as an inspiration.

Ukpabio disclosed that she draws inspiration whenever she is praying or preparing for seminar.

Unveiling the albums to the press, during the week in Lagos, the Akwa- Ibom born General Overseer of Liberty Gospel Church who has four albums to her credit, said her music is used as a medium to spreading the gospel of salvation.

“When I release this album, superlative Jesus in USA, though it was not complete then, people were praising me for a wonderful job. I don’t just wake up and start writing songs. I always get the inspiration whenever I am preparing for a seminar or crusade. In other to avoid piracy, the albums can be found in all liberty gospel church branches nationwide.”she said.

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For gospel music sensation, Kefee Obareki, the dark days are over. A few years ago, her marriage ran into stormy waters. Kefee parted ways with her manager cum husband, Alec Godwin, and the whole drama became the talk

Kefee

-of-the-town. Now, the happy days are here again as God has put laughter back into Kefee’s mouth. With her marriage to new husband, Teddy Esosa of Star FM, and a brand new album on the way, Kefee seems to be the happiest woman in the world. She shares her life story with The Entertainer. Excerpts:

What was your growing up like?

My childhood was filled with lots of fun. I had lots of cousins around and I played around a lot. I was that curious child that would always want to find out new things. I always loved to climb trees, I wanted to know how the clock ticked, I wanted to know how the television worked.

Were you a tomboy?

Not really. I just wanted to do what my brothers were doing.

Was your growing up all rosy?

I didn’t grow up with a silver spoon in my mouth. When I was born, my dad was still working and going to school. My mum was also working. My family was an average family and we were just okay. But we were not poor. Sometimes, things might be difficult but we always had food. I always wanted to give to people even as a child but I didn’t have so much. My dad would say ‘give what you have’. We used to have a shop where we sold rice, feed for chicken, because my dad was into poultry. He loved animals and so we always had food. I wasn’t born with a silver spoon because we were an average family.

Were you a daddy’s girl?

Yes, I was. My dad used to call me ‘ticket’ and some people still do till today. The last time I went to Delta State some people called me by that nickname. My dad used to call me ticket because he would say I was his ticket to this world. It’s because I am his first daughter. I was very close to my dad. He used to carry me on his shoulder and would always take me out. He made me really happy and we are still close. I am close to my mum too but she was a disciplinarian then. Although, my dad also disciplined us, for my mum you should know that if you flout her laws you would be punished instantly. My mum was there when I started singing. She taught me how to sing because she was in the Anglican Church choir then and they used to go for competition. My mum loved competitions and she was always going for one or the other. She always loved wining. Mum taught me how to comport myself in front of the crowd whenever I went for a debate or symposium. Now that I am married, we are still close. And she taught me how to cook too.

What’s Kefee up to right now?

Right now, my focus is on my album because it has been a while I released anything after Kokoroko and Sapele Water. It is going to be interesting because I have a lot of surprises for my fans. Of course, I opened a kitchen in February. I love cooking just as I have passion for music.

What should we expect in your new album?

My fans should be expecting exciting stuff and serious collaboration. I just want to keep it under wraps for now till its ready. I am planning a release concert for the album and I am planning to have a girl band. So, right now, we are auditioning girls for musical instruments. It will really be exciting.

Did music find you or you found music?

Well, for me, it was both ways because I found myself singing. I just knew I could sing.

At the point you decided to take up music as a profession, did your parents object to it?

They did because I was in University of Benin then and so they wanted me to stay focused on my studies. They also had issues with the people I was working with then. They had their own reasons but all I could see was that these people were ready to go with me to the studio, they were ready to fly with me and were ready to sing with me so I thought to myself why not. At that point, I wasn’t ready to give it all up even though I knew I was disappointing my parents then, I decided to continue. Eventually, they were happy with me when I came out with the Branama album. When I did the album launch, they came and were impressed with me. Today, everybody is happy with me.

You sing gospel?

Yes.

Gospel artistes in those days seemed to be conservative but now they all look glamorous. Don’t you think worldliness is creeping into gospel?

First and foremost, we are in the world. So what is worldliness? We go out and transact different businesses. We go to the market and meet people we don’t even know and buy things from people we don’t know. I just found out that some people just like to take things very seriously. Christianity is the easiest life anybody can live. All you need is to be yourself and be good to your neighbour. We know that we have different people with different beliefs but if we can respect ourselves and love one another, then we will be at peace with each other. I carry Jesus, I love Jesus, I know Jesus and I believe in him but I don’t have the power to change you if you are not a Christian because nobody forced me. I live my life for Him and not for other people. So if you listen to my music, you will know what I believe in and how I live my life. And when I depart from that, you will know what I stood for and the kind of life I lived. I am not going to bother to change things but I will always do the right thing because what is right to some people might not be right to other people. I am a free spirited person and so will not like to lose sleep over some things. I love God. That is what matters most.

Most gospel singers would say that they were called. Were you also called?

(Laughs) I am not that type of regular gospel artiste because those people sing in the church. I am a kind of person with the kind of music I do. I can sing in any African festival in the world. I have been to a couple of festivals. I can sing at a wedding and I can sing anywhere. I didn’t hear any call that said ‘Kefee, my daughter, you have to sing.’ And I won’t lie. I was not called but I just had a passion and I felt I had something good to offer. People love to hear me sing. I just came back from Port Harcourt and the event was massive. The people there were singing my songs word for word.

How is married life now after your first experience?

Well, I am married now and it has been good. It has been great and fabulous.

If you were to compare your first marriage with the new one, what would you say?

Well, my new marriage is a testimony. But I am not willing to share it with anyone now.

What has life taught you?

Life has taught me to be very patient and follow my heart. It has taught me never to displease myself in order to please or impress people because you can never please them enough.

After your marriage broke up, what was life like?

Sorry, I don’t want to talk about that now.

Are you still friends with your ex-husband?

I don’t want to talk about that.

What was your most embarrassing moment?

That would be in 2008. That’s the area I said I am not going to touch but I am going to share this because I know that people expect so much from people like me, especially when they are Christians. But sometimes people can fail because they are human. In 2008, a particular pastor invited me for a programme and we agreed on payment terms. But when it was time for the event, he sent someone to call me and the person called and said ‘have you seen the papers today?’ And that was it.

Was it because of what happened to your first marriage?

They saw some stories in the newspapers and they were not happy about it. I said if my destiny depended on this, then my own for don finish. Why I am saying this? It is because back then the fliers were everywhere and they were expecting me at the programme. But the pastor stopped calling me directly and asked another person to call me. They didn’t even ask me how I was coping. Other pastors and bishops were calling to ask me how I was faring at that time. They had already made payment and I was ready for the programme but they stopped me from coming. It was really hurting and embarrassing. Eventually, God helped me, Kokoroko came out and became popular. So, I have learnt never to expect too much from people, no matter who they are.

What kept you going through those tough times?

Like I said, I don’t give up easily. I know I could sing and I felt bad with all the things they said about me. I knew that the things they said about me then were all lies. So, I thought to myself: ‘why should I base my life on that?’ And I knew it was only a phase that would play out eventually. But before then, I will not just sit down and watch. I would do what I have to do and I did just that because I knew that no matter what, the truth would come out. God has His ways of doing things that man cannot explain.

Is Kefee happy now?

Yes, I am happily happy.

How did you meet your husband?

I already told you that it is a testimony I am not willing to share. My husband has always been there, you know. We are together now and we are happy. I am not ready to go further than that because I have realized that people who share their secrets find it difficult to keep themselves together. So, I don’t want that kind of stress with this one at all. I want to enjoy my life.

What advice do you have for those who look up to you?

People who look up to me should be very patient in life because patience is a virtue. Sometimes we want something and we want it now. That is why some people go into all sorts of things to make it. It is better to wait because when it is your time, it’s your time. There is nothing anyone can do to change it. Also, they should learn to give what they are doing 100 per cent attention.

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A lot of people do not know Bisade Ologunde, aka Lagbaja, grew up in an academic environment. With his first album released 19 years ago, the artiste cum cultural icon says that he is set to launch out his own genre of music called Africano. OVWE MEDEME caught up with him at the Design Workshop Series, a workshop series held monthly to boost the interest of students of University of Lagos in the arts. He talked about Africano, the Africano Manchine concept, life behind the mask and a host of other issues

WHAT was your experience relating with the young people?

My biggest audience has always been people who can think and an academic community is the place where you find that. In fact, they didn’t even ask some of the things I was expecting to hear today, very tough questions. In the academics, it is all about your mind. It was a beautiful experience. I loved it, although it took me quite a while before I was able to make it. We have been on it for a couple of months now but eventually I made it. I had a good time and I know that a few folks here will go back home with greater respect for the African culture.

Did you take anything from them?

Of course I did. For example, I would say I was pleasantly surprised that they understood more Yoruba than I expected, because it means that our culture is not dying out as fast as I thought. Still, this issue of religion, I can see again from here today that we need to do something about opening people’s mind not to have a conflict between their culture and their religion. If you look at the bible and things that happened, for example, if you look at what happened to the Israelites in Egypt and some of the things they had to do on some particular days, you will see that their culture was part of even their normal spiritual life.

We should be careful not to throw our culture down the drain out of fear of what we really don’t know the truth about. I am not saying that we should follow one babalawo. Find what you believe and know why you believe it. I could see all that from some of the questions they asked me. Also, I could also see a proof of how much young people are into the American culture. Nothing is bad about that, but we can learn from different cultures but at the same time, that doesn’t mean you should abandon your own culture. Use the best of what you have. I got all that from the interaction I had with them.

There are insinuations that people who are into preserving African culture tend not to believe in God. What is your take on that?

That is a very important question but again, it is your choice. Religion is between yourself and God. When I take off my mask, I must confess to you, I go to Church. I worship. I won’t tell you the Church o. I tell people not to be afraid of my mask. It has nothing to do with the occult. It is a symbol. Don’t think that I must go to perform one ritual before I can put this on. I have said it repeatedly that my mask is a symbol of the facelessness of the common man. When it comes to deep spiritual issues, it is up to me to define how I want to go.

As a Christian, what peculiar clash do you face between your faith and the push for upholding culture?

The major challenge is people’s prejudice, the fear of what they don’t know. I am putting on a mask and they think that makes me an Egungun. In the last three or four years, mask parties have become popular. People should get used to the fact that everybody can put on a mask. It doesn’t have to be occult. Also, there is deception. People don’t ask questions. They need to ask questions from their pastors and their spiritual leaders who preach to them only about prosperity and not about life after here. What is the most important thing in our Christian lives? Is it the money we make here or our salvation? All we hear today is prosperity. That is 419.

Who would you regard as your role model?

My role models are numerous, and they have grown in number over the years. It starts with my own parents. My parents have been biggest influence in my life. I will leak a secret to you. I grew up in a university environment. I was therefore raised in our culture.

We have heard a lot about Lagbaja, but who is the person behind the mask?

The guy behind the mask is a quiet guy somewhere else. All I talk about is Lagbaja.

When did the concept behind the mask first hit you?

It first hit me about five years before my first album. I actually made my first costume in 1985 but it was kept under my bed because I still didn’t have the courage to do what I had in mind. The whole idea came first of all from trying to tell a story with my image, the message of the story being the mask itself, even if I never sing. I am saying that the mask is a symbol of the facelessness of the so-called common man. That was how the whole idea came. I was a little worried being a Christian how people will term me. I am not an Egungun. It is just the prejudice that we have that we appreciate masks as masquerade. Once I had that concept with the message, I had to decide the means. I have met a lot of people who think I invented Lagbaja as a word. I find it very amusing. It shows how much we are losing our language and our culture. They don’t know that Lagbaja is not my invention. It is a Yoruba word that existed before I was ever born. It means somebody, nobody, anybody or everybody. Just the way you say Tom, Dick and Harry. Since my mask is a symbol of the common man’s facelessness, the name Lagbaja naturally just fell in place.

You have been putting the mask on for about 20 years. Does it have any side effect?

It doesn’t. The only thing is that it is not comfortable, especially when performing in the afternoon, outdoors. Apart from that, there is no side effect.

Are you married?

Yes, to my saxophone.

So, when will you get married to a human?

Without the mask, e be like say the bobo don marry o, but with the mask, he is always married to his saxophone.

If you had not been a musician, what would you have been doing?

Maybe I would have been a teacher because believe me, it is probably one of the most important jobs. As we speak here today, it is thanks to one teacher who did something for both of us. It might look like a small job, but it is major and I love interacting with people. When I know something, I am able to communicate it and I help others to achieve it. Apart from that, I might have worked in advertising or marketing.
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A new gospel music reality show tagged The Rising of the Star has been unveiled in Lagos.

The show organised by DPsalms Entertainment – with the backing of Multichoice and multimedia IT firm, eTranzact – has N2m and a recording contract set aside for the first prize winner.

According to the Executive Director, DPsalms Entertainment, Ikechukwu Nwachukwu, 15 finalists are expected to emerge from different regions across the nation before a winner is selected.

On the idea behind the show, Nwachukwu said, “We want to create a platform for new gospel artistes to be discovered, trained groomed and nutured into outstanding stars by developing honesty, trust-worthiness, spirit-filled, self-development and commitment to God which is our core values.”

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