"LIFE WITHOUT CHRIST IS NO LIFE"-OBIWON

His career began as a rapper when he hooked up with Da Thorobreds of the Street Hop fame that had the likes of Illbliss, Elajoe and B-Elect. However, he soon parted ways with them and dropped his debut album, Overture, a hip-hop r n’ b album which earned him rave reviews and a music award in 2006.

By 2008, the singer/banker had risen to be one of Nigeria’s hottest R n’ B singers when suddenly he dropped out of the radar and the singing and dancing act known as Obiora Nwokolobia-Agu (Obiwon) soon faded into the background amid reports that he had become born again.

Superbassnaija caught up with Obiwon recently in Lagos and he opened up on his what he’s been up to

“I got born again. I am still doing hip hop and R n b; it’s the content that has changed. I now do gospel music. I discovered where life is and realized that life without Christ is no life. That was in 2008,” Obiwon said.

QUESTIONS AND MORE QUESTIONS

Recounting his spiritual journey he said it all began after he hit fame and stardom. While he had all he wanted and was staring at a bright future, he had deep questions gnawing at his heart and he needed answers. These were questions about his music, what God really wanted from him and the emptiness he felt inside despite achieving so much in just a few years.

“I actually had an encounter with Christ along the way. Being in the industry and excelling and enjoying so much fame was great but there was emptiness inside me. I was not fulfilled. I think the fame and all that stuff got me asking questions about life and how I wanted to end up.

“I wasn’t seeing many of the icons I looked up to even internationally ending up well. The whole thing became so scary. Basically I knew something just wasn’t right. I realized that God had given me the talent and could possibly be the best I could be without having to like fall for many vices that I was seeing within the industry.”

TEMPTED

“There was a lot of temptation and there was a lot of sin.  And I say that to the shame of the Devil and to the glory of God. Along the way I knew that the path I was threading was wrong. Many people will call it enjoyment but I thank God for making me see that it was leading me to destruction and not to the light,” confesses Obiwon.

Eventually he had to give Christ a chance to take charge of his life and that was his turning point as it ushered in a new era in his life.

“I was asking myself many questions and was worried. Along the line I said to myself, ‘let me surrender all to God and see how it will be.’ In the process I got born again. I had encounters with Christ and I started my relationship with God.”

He says that though there wasn’t really anything terrible about his music and lyrics but as he grew in The Lord, he realised that he was created to glorify God with his music and that made him quit secular music all together.

LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

Obiwon disclosed that it was love at first sight the day he met his wife. Incidentally, he met his better half in those difficult years when he was searching for God and asking many questions about life and his purpose on Earth.

“God made sure that she was born again as she encouraged me along that line. Three days after I met her I told her I wanted to marry her. She laughed it off but I felt I had met the women of my dreams. She said I would have to wait a couple of years but soon we both got convinced it was the right thing to do.”

FATHERHOOD

The graduate of Agric Extensions from University of Nsuka (UNN), who is now the proud father of a baby girl has this to say about fatherhood: “I have a lovely daughter and its great being married. My wife has been a great support. I wonder what I will do without her. Fatherhood has made me a calmer and a more responsible person. Each time I take a look at my daughter I realize how much God has blessed me,” he concluded.