NGOZI Okoh, the wife of the President, Christian Association of Nigeria, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, is a renowned musicologist and gospel music minister. She shares with LUMINOUS JANNAMIKE, an insight into her life’s journey from grass to grace which features over three decades of experience in music ministry as well as passion for God and humanity, amongst others.
Background
I was born to the family of late Mr and Mrs Andrew and Janet Obadike from Oraukwu in Anambra state. I am the last of the six children my parents had, but I am married to Archbishop Daniel Okoh who is from Rivers state.
Education
I grew up in Onitsha where my parents tried all they could to send me to school. I had my nursery school education at Bishop Crowther Memorial (school) in Onitsha. I also attended All Saints Primary School formerly known as Premiere School Onitsha, established by the Anglican Church in 1925. For my secondary school education, I attended All Girls’ Secondary School, formerly known as Anglican Girls’ Secondary School, Onitsha. Afterwards, I proceeded to Nwafor Orizu College of Education where I studied Music and graduated with a Distinction as one of the best in my class. Before that time, I was admitted into a private university to read Accountancy, but lost the admission because my father was sick and my parents couldn’t afford the exorbitant fees. My father had suffered stroke when I was still in primary school. So, the burden of catering for the entire family fell solely on my mother’s shoulders. I trained, fed and supported myself through school because it was a whole lot for my mother. I had to get money from my outings to pay for my school fees. It wasn’t easy for me.
Music
I was born into a family that loves music. Before my father fell sick, he was a great composer and musician. He was the former music director of the Diocese on the Niger of the Anglican Church. I inherited the gift of singing from my parents. I started singing from home. Everyone came to know me as a singer in Church. I also did a lot of backups for many popular musicians on the platform of ‘Rogers All Stars’. They are so many too numerous to mention.
When I first became conscious of my music gift and started singing at home, my siblings would ask me to stop singing at home because they felt I was making ‘noise’ until one day when a guest visited us at home and heard my voice. The person told me I could sing and then took me to our vicar in church, Reverend Canon Emeka Obi, from Delta state, who heard my voice and was also impressed. He encouraged me to start singing in church and give me my first opportunity to minister during the offering presentation, and that was my starting point though my siblings still felt at that time that I was too young and my voice was not very strong for music. I was in primary five. So, I have been singing for over three decades now. To God be the glory. Also, because of my talent, I got connected to a lot of music promoters back then. I also met on Mr Hillary Ubozor who heard my voice and described it as ‘too powerful’. He encouraged me to study music after my secondary school as well. In fact, when I started singing and going out, I became the breadwinner the family. It was tough in the early 90’s for a young girl to leave home and go singing. No parent would allowed you. So, it wasn’t easy for my parents to allow me go singing out until they found somebody who would also be taking care of me and making sure that I am not, you know, misled. In a band, you could find me as the only girl singing with seven band mates who are all men. You know what it means when parents see their daughter in that kind of environment. So there’s one thing that always bothered them. That is why they don’t allow me to go singing all the time. Also, because I was brought up in a Christian home, it wasn’t just that easy to perform at all the events we were invited to. But after I got married, my husband and his family gave me 100% support albeit with some level of restrictions. It’s not that my husband does not allow me to go out singing. Why I used the word ‘restriction’ is that we don’t do things on our own because we want to do it. We do things according to the direction of the Holy Spirit. I can go anywhere to sing but I must have to inquire from the Lord. My husband is in full support of my music. I sing in the church. I’m still in the choir and the band, despite my position as the leader of the Women and Children’s department of my church.
Creative Inspiration
I receive some of my songs in the dream, during prayer and sometimes when I am taking my shower in the bathroom.
Life Lessons
Life has taught me to be faithful and focused, especially when I am on the right track and doing something for Christ. It has also taught me not to chase the wind or follow the crowd. I started singing before most of these popular gospel musicians of today, Well, life’s taught me that there is time for everything and you don’t need to force yourself to be where God has not placed you. So, I don’t envy anyone whose music is flying today.
Role Models
Some of the people that put me on the path to success in music include one Lady Okonkwo, Mr Chuma Chukwuka, Prof. Alvan Ikoku Nwamara, Prof. Agatha Nwekwe and Uncle Hillary Ubozor who taught me to learn to love good secular music and how to make them, because music is a universal language without barriers. There are quite a few others, but God is my number spiritual mentor.
Current Project
My latest song is titled, ‘Ezi Chim o’, Before that song, I had released other songs. I did my first concert in 2019. I received the song when I was having my midnight’s prayer. There’s was a program we had at hand, and I was praying towards it. Everybody in my family knows about my normal midnight prayers. So, on that particular night, as I was praying, this song came. I started hearing the horn line of the song. So, I continued praying. In the middle of my prayers. I started hearing the sound very clearly. So I kept quiet because each time God is speaking to me, I know and I’ll keep quiet to hear what he’s saying. I heard ‘Ezi Chim o’. It was more like the angels were singing in my ears? So, I caught that song clearly and divinely from heaven. I grabbed my phone to record it. Afterwards, the song disappeared and then I continued in my prayer. I couldn’t remember the song again until the next morning when I played it back on my phone. I think this is the time we need this song because God is really fighting secret battles for us as individuals and as a nation. As a mere mortal, there are things you can’t see.
Nigeria’s First All Female Choir
The first All Female Choir is something that we started in our church – Christ Holy Church International. What led us to that is that we realised that many people see belonging to choir as a youth thing, especially for the girls. By the time they get married, we realised many of them including the very good and talented ones gradually stopped attending rehearsals and participating in the choir. So, we thought there should be a way of still bringing them together to make music and sing to the Lord. What we did was to engage them, beginning from the women’s fellowship. We started organising internal competitions for the ‘All Female Choirs’ in our denomination. Today, these women who formed the first all female choir in Nigeria have gone international, participating in global competitions and winning awards.
Other Interests
I would have been an award winning cook, if I was not doing music or leading the women and children department in my church. I would have also owned a restaurant by now. I am a great cook. I love cooking. I don’t like just anyone cooking for me. It is my hobby. I know when cooking is nice and I will tell you.
Regrets
Regrets? I have no regrets in life. God has really blessed me. I owe him much.
Fashion
I am not a fashionista, but I love simple but classic outfits. My sister sews my clothes. I don’t really like flamboyance or moving with the trends in fashion. Almost everything I put on, fits me perfectly. So, I don’t put all my life in fashion. It is not a do-or-die for me.
Relaxation
The kitchen is my relaxation spot. I really find joy in cooking. I don’t like when children say they didn’t enjoy the food that was cooked in the house. Again, I can relax in my sitting room just watching TV with my children depending on my mood.