Chasing my dreams

Dreams are only dreams until you seize the opportunities of reality.

I have always wanted to be an entertainer. I wasn't really sure which line to go as I had many interests: music (songwriting especially), dance, creative writing, acting (though the fear of stammering wouldn't let me give acting much thought).


Well, for the love of music, I've tried to seize every opportunity to make songs. After medical school in Enugu, Nigeria, I partnered with 2 very talented friends to make an album. We called ourselves D.M.B, acronym for The Mixed Beed. We sold a few CDs though the quality was really poor and we got separated in a short while. I think 'twas mainly because we never had a vision of where we were going as a group. We were just 3 passionate singers excited to explore our talents. I had jumped at the opportunity to experience recording songs without much thought because one of us had already written all the songs and we had a readily available studio. So after then, with my new experience of recording music, I recorded my first single Adjust produced by Mr. Moi. Then I did Try featuring my colleague in medicine and music, NC and produced by Grandmix. It came out really good. I performed it twice at Association of Resident Doctors dinner and Nigerian Medical Association dinner in Enugu, Nigeria, though the performances were nothing to write home about.


Then I did another song which was never completed by my producer, then Paulo produced by Typikl. That was how I spent the most of my Housemanship money making music.

During my National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Lagos state 2014/15, I joined the Music Community Development Service group. As our project, we produced a song to promote peace during the Presidential elections titled Living in peace, which I wrote with Wale Wall and Bryan. Then I did Superman produced by Cikk0 which I released 2nd January this year.

So I had my first stage performance in the UK on the 1st of April at the University of Nottingham Nigerian Society annual entertainment and award night Wazobia. When I was invited by the president of the association to perform, I saw it as an opportunity to sharpen my talent but I developed cold feet as the day drew nearer. I had tried to push it off my mind with school and work until I saw my name on the flier one day and I knew it was a done deal. It was too late to chicken out. 

I had so many things to be worried about— the fact that my last song performance 'Try' was a disaster or so I thought. And did I even have time to rehearse as I wanted to have dancers and I had only 1 week? Where would I even get dancers? How much crowd was I to expect? Would they have a good sound system? Plus my Advanced Statistics exam was in the same week of the show. I could only pray to God for help and wisdom. The D day came as all dreaded days do. I performed my song Superman and it was a great success. All I heard after were compliments like, "that was fantastic", "you guys did great", "wow! you can dance", e.t.c. To God be the glory. I appreciate Gloria and Lois, my great dancers who believed in me. Also, many thanks to Kindels for the choreography.

About dance, my earliest memory of dance was in nursery/primary school when I was to lead a cultural dance group, then I danced on stage during social nights in secondary school, then in 5th year medical school I joined a church dance group, then during NYSC I attended DanceDeal Academy. While in Lagos for NYSC, I also began to act stage dramas with Snapshot Productions, the drama group of Covenant Christian centre. So every where I go, I seize opportunities to exercise my gifts. Church has been a very good platform for this as each time I change location and therefore join a new church, I join the choir. There's nothing as liberating as when I'm in a music studio getting a beat for my song, or dancing on stage or reading comments on my blog post. God has helped me overcome many fears and go for my passion. But I could still be quite confused a lot of times.


I have very big dreams for entertainment that I can't even imagine how to achieve. But I'll keep exercising my gift one opportunity at a time while enjoying the process. Are you confused about what path to take? Just take up one opportunity at a time, every chance you get to exercise that gift. 

©Radiant~ April 2017

To watch the video of the performance, click here.
Btw, I'm sorry my posts have not been quite frequent since I came to the UK. Trying to balance school and fun. Have a blessed day.

Life through Entertainment

I am really concerned about the message of pre-marital sex being normal that runs through all our movies. It's like Christians are such a minority group when it comes to our beliefs represented in the media. But on Sunday's, churches are full. So is it that we only claim our Christianity in church and not let it affect our lives in the world? Every movie paints guys as polygamous and relationships as when a man has started sleeping with a lady. This is our entertainment and it's having a stealth effect on us, changing mindsets, forming subconscious beliefs and expectations, moulding behaviours. Help us O Lord of salvation!

Christian believers need to speak out. We need to be more conspicuous. We are under-represented in entertainment. Nobody shows you the lady who is 30 and a virgin because of her faith. Nobody shows you the 35 yr old bachelor who has not slept with a woman because of his faith. Our lifestyle is so under-represented and we claim to be many. Growing congregations, yet our light is almost snuffed out in the world of entertainment. If what we hear in church and do amongst brethren is not reflected in our lives in the world, then we are only deceiving ourselves. I am not saying movies should only depict ideal scenarios. I am saying the typical believer should be represented. Nowadays our movies try to represent minority groups including LGBT, yet the millions of Christian believers are not represented or at most misrepresented. Any portrayal of Christianity in entertainment is in the bad light or for comedy.

Anyway, we do not expect the world to represent us truly as Christians because Bible says the things of the flesh are in constant conflict with the things of the Spirit. So the onus lies on us Christian believers to represent ourselves. We need to let that 16yr old girl know that there are many with the same beliefs as her who have not succumbed to the pressure of premarital sex. We need to let the 24yr old boy know that there are many like him whose bodies are on fire for sexual passion but who have been able to exercise self control till they are married. We need to let the lady who has made a mistake know that she doesn't need to keep sinning just because she's already been deflowered. We need to let them know that sex doesn't have to define a relationship.

People need entertainment. But more importantly people need the life of Christ. Believers wake up. Let's give life through entertainment.

Radiant ~ April 2017