In a
recent interview with Punch, Obiora Nwokolobia-Agu, popularly known as Obiwon
tells why he ditched R&B for gospel music.
Excerpts;
Why did you transit from R&B to
gospel?
After
recording some successes on my first album, I found myself right in the thick
of a celebrity/ fame lifestyle. I wasn’t yet a practising Christian but I found
myself often pondering if I could possibly end up well or ever lead a good life
with the way things were going. Secondly, studying the personal lives of a
couple of music icons, who were my role models at the time, was scary because
they all had terrible endings. Also,
things hadn’t exactly gone as planned in my career despite some successes. All
these drove me to seek God and answers. Eventually, I gave my life to Christ
and became born again. For me, it was first, a step of faith, as the answer to
the kind of life I desired while pursuing an entertainment career.
Initially,
I intended to carry on as a pop/R&B artiste, who is guided along by his faith.
However, the closer I walked in the faith, the more I encountered Christ, and
the clearer it was to me that He particularly desired to use my career and
talent for the propagation of His gospel. I struggled a little because I had
already made some gains as a secular artiste, but I did give in and I’m very
glad I did.
How has the journey been since then?
It’s
been a little more than five years ago. My second album, “The Rebirth”, was
gospel although the success of the love song in it, “Obi Mu O”, almost eclipsed
that fact. It was also the album that basically carried my transition and its
effects, the process of trying to gain acceptance within the Christian
community. I even had to leave my management team then and basically go at it
by myself. However, like I always say, this wasn’t a business decision. It was
about answering a call, and I’m glad I’ve received grace and inner strength to
pull through.
It was not something you were prepared
for?
I
was totally not prepared for it. Due to my background, I initially used to
imagine I will get to do one thing or the other sometime for my faith along the
line of my career, but totally not like this. I discovered my passion for music
through the pop songs I heard around me as a child. If I started early enough I
would have been serving and preparing from years back…
Were you not scared of witnessing a drop
in your fan base and do you think they have coped well with this change?
Yes,
I was and that was exactly at the heart of my initial struggle. Surely,
everyone will not understand it. I still get snide remarks about what informed
my decision, but it’s all funny to me. It’s been more than five years now and I
know where I’m going. It’s part of my mission to let old followers know what
happened to me and how real it is, as well as anyone else who will come across
the music. I’m trusting God to do the convincing with the music.
Do you miss the kind of music you used
to do?
Honestly,
I think I sound better and make better music now than then. I think there’s
been a whole lot of change in my musical skills, understanding and overall
presentation. I believe that very little of it is by personal efforts. In
addition to the ease that comes by inspiration, I’m also more conscious of the
quality of music I put out now. It’s part of my mission to change the
stereotypes associated especially with Nigerian gospel music, within the
resources available to me and God being my helper.
What’s the most fulfilling aspect of
this new genre of music you have chosen?
Seeing
lives changed, souls blessed and saved, certainly is most fulfilling. There’s
no greater pleasure than being in God’s presence. This genre is all about the
true essence of life and reaching out through it, is like saying, ‘look what I
found, come experience it too. Take a step of faith and you too can discover
the true essence of life and begin to walk in it.’
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