I’m blind, but I have vision, says visually-impaired gospel singer

Visually impaired at age four, Uchechukwu Kings says the only time he regrets being blind is when people pity him and offer him money like a beggar. 

The Imo State-born gospel singer, at an event in Lagos recently, where he sang and played the keyboard flawlessly, said exploitation from various quarters almost frustrated him, however, his trust in God has kept him on the musical path to make people happy.

“I was born 40 years ago in Lagos,” he said. “When my mother discovered that I had problems with my vision at the age of four, she was heartbroken. She couldn’t raise me all by herself, so she took me to her mother. I never had a proper education, but I discovered that I loved music. One day, I begged my grandmother to buy me a keyboard, which didn’t come until years later. I started playing without an instructor. I felt the hand of God in my life, so I decided it was going to be gospel all the way. I believed God used His angel to teach me music, so the only way to show appreciation was to play to His glory. I am married to the best Edo woman in the world and we are blessed with three wonderful kids. I teach people how to play the keyboard and most times they wonder if I am actually blind,” he said.

The Idiato South-born singer said at age 10 he had mastered the keyboard and started playing in his church. 

“Today, to the glory of God, I perform at weddings and church events. Presently, I am working on my new song, which is a medley. I also do jingles,” he said.

Kings said he was faced with a lot of challenges, as some of his close friends exploited his condition to make money off him: “Just because I am blind doesn’t mean you should pity me and give me money. I am happy when I earn money. It makes me feel like a human being. Some have used this avenue to exploit me. Like I always say, if you cheat me, can you cheat God?"

“During the first-term campaign of Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, I did some jingles and later people started congratulating me for a job well done. They said they heard my jingles and that they know I must have made a fortune. I was so surprised that I had to call my agent, who told me that nothing came out of it, that I was being lied to. I also did something for Delta State government and it was still the same old story.  Sometimes, I find it difficult to raise money for studio sessions. But I thank God that there are still some who work with me with the fear of God,” he said.

The singer is neither losing sleep nor faith, as, according to him: “God has always been my inspiration. Because I have absolute faith in Him, even when cheated, I am blessed. Just because a man lacks the use of his eyes doesn’t mean he lacks vision. I am blind with a vision, a vision to be the best in life.

2019: Igbo world body insists on restructuring, devolution of powers

LISTING 11 points political agenda for political leaders contesting for positions in 2019 elections, the Igbo World Assembly (IWA) has insisted on the implementation of restructuring, regionalisation, and devolution of powers for a better political system in the country.

Ajegunle: Sorrow, tears and blood, as criminal gangs unleash chaos on Lagos community

THEIR ages range between 15 and 27. To them, though tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood they stand. But their brotherhood is unedifying, absolutely devoid of the slightest tinge of nobility. It is a brotherhood solely committed to one purpose: the evil desire to commit crime and continually spread sorrow, tears and blood all over Ajegunle community.

From the One Million and One Boys, to the One Million Boys to Lebe Boys, they now operate without a name, robbing, maiming, raping and killing on the go.

In groups of 20, 50 and sometimes up to 100, these criminals move like soldier ants, destroying all in their path. In broad daylight, they dare even death. To them, fear is nonexistent.

This is what the people of Ajeromi-Ifelodun area of Lagos go through every day. Many lives have been lost, and property worth millions of naira destroyed in weeks.

Videos of their atrocities now trend on social media, as they go about robbing innocent people, vandalising vehicles and inflicting injuries on any who dared to challenge them.

From the streets of Layinka to Aiyetoro, Kehinde, Boundary Road, Ogbewankwo, Okoya, Oduduwa, Sanusi, Bolaji, Oluwa, Tolu, Wilmer, Raliatu, Ojo Road, Babani, Ago Hausa and so on, they operate with impunity.

In the beginning

In the 1970s and 80s, various gangs held sway in Ajeromi/Ifelodun. The types of weapons they wielded were usually cutlasses, knives, broken bottles and their fists. At the time, they were known in the community as Alaye Boys. They operated at secondary school inter-house sports, dispossessing students of valuables and committing rape. Some of the gang leaders usually acted alone. Names like Mete and Ebikeme, who terrorised Old Ojo Road and Ogbewankwo, respectively, Iron Body, Angola and Small Monday held Olodi Apapa to ransom, while Yellow Obi operated everywhere. They brought a new kind of terror to the community. At the end, they were all subdued. Many of them were killed by the police.

After them came boys who were more territorial. Areas like Tolu, Alakoto, Nasamu/ Orodu, Ojo Road, and so on had gangs. They protected their streets from criminals, until some decided to go rogue and a new face of crime was born. But they were chased out of the community. Some of them started sleeping at marketplaces and in the streets. They became deadlier. However, their reign didn’t last, as their stay was cut short by members of the Odua People’s Congress (OPC) in the community.

Ajegunle today

Many believe that the present-day Ajegunle criminals are actually products of the evil past. 

“The criminals of the 1970s and 80s had girlfriends, who were teenagers who ran away from home. A lot of children were born and these kids grew up not experiencing proper parental care and love. If you look at the crimes today, you cannot really pin it on anyone because they don't have residential addresses. They are, according to Fela, beasts of no nation," said a resident. 

The situation is particularly distressing, according to Mr Paul, who resides on Bale Street: “What we have today are the products of the past. We have good people from this community making us proud out there. Daddy Showkey, Odion Ighalo, Oritse Femi, Baba Fyro, Lucee, a vibrant young Ajegunle girl that is taking the community higher, Prince Ogaga Wowo and a host of others that are bringing Ajegunle to the world. These are people who lived under their parents and they got the beating of their lives when they misbehaved. We have people with proper home training. Most of those who became criminals ran away from home and joined gangs. As parents, we remained silent for too long and because of this we are now suffering. 

Obiano opens new Onitsha bus terminal to decongest traffic

Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano has commissioned the new ultra modern Bus Terminal at Okpoko in Ogbaru Local Government Area of the State at the ever busy Upper Iweka along Onitsha - Asaba Expressway, directing all transporters that operate along the road to desist and use the terminal henceforth.

Philanthropist boosts education in Anambra with N100m

Anambra State governor, Willie Obiano, has commended the Emelia Okika Empowerment Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, for its support for education in the state.

The foundation inaugurated a N100 million endowment trust for academic support and skills acquisition for talented poor children across the South East but particularly in Anambra State recently. The event was held at Nri Civic Centre, Nri, Anaocha Local Government Area, Anambra State.

Chairman of the Anambra State Post Primary School Services Commission (PPSSC), Lady Joy Ulasi, who represented the governor at the event, said Chief Emelie Okika had done a lot for the state while giving back to the people.

Ulasi, who was represented by Esther Anolue, announced the results of the foundation’s

Ajegunle stars storm Lekki for pre-Val pool party

All roads lead to Royal London Hotels and Suites, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos tomorrow, as the hospitality spot plays host to top Ajegunle-based artistes in a pre-Valentine pool party.

Tagged: ‘Royal Splash Pool Party Season 3’, the hotel’s CEO, Chris Nnokwere said the event is organized to honour and appreciate the ghetto soldiers for their performance over the years.

Our lives no longer safe in Nigeria, says Mbama, IPOB member

FIFTY-SIX years old Kevin Mbama who hails from Orlu in Imo State says life has been bad for him ever since he was arrested for belonging to the Independent people of Biafra (IPOB), a group calling for a referendum to become independent from Nigeria. 

Mbama who spoke with  the media shortly after he was released alongside IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu said life as an Igbo man in Nigeria has become nasty, brutish and short. 

“I make shoes for a living and the name of my company is Capbek Shoes (Nig) Enterprises with an office at E23 Capital Line, Ariaria International Market. 

It was a thriving business which I use to take care of my wife and kids. I commute between the shop at Aba and go and see my family in Umuahia at weekends. The continuous harassment by the Nigerian Military, under the directive of the federal government brought a lot of frustration to so many Igbos. Having witnessed the murder of two of my uncles, Mbama Ogbeakwu and Mbama Nnodim, 19 and 23 years respectively, during the Nigerian Civil war, I opted to join IPOB to seek for a referendum to become independent. If we truly believe in what we say we practice, which is democracy, why should a particular group of people be silenced through killings and abductions? As we speak today, we are yet to know the whereabout of our leader, Nnamdi Kanu. After the raid on his family home, we don’t know if he is alive of dead,” he said. 

Mbama said over a period of five years, IPOB have continuously staged peaceful protests. “The group got seriously bruised when Muhammadu Buhari became president in 2016. Ever since, it has been one form of attack and killing on the Igbo people. This is a  president of the Fulani stock; a people with an agenda to conquer the entire country and turn us into slaves. It was soldiers of that ethnic stock that led the onslaught witnessed during the war against my people. With his coming to power on May 29 , 2015, evidence of such clannish desires started coming to the fore. Under the guise of looking for feedstock for their cattle, terrorists masquerading as Fulani herdsmen started attacking communities in our villages. One of such attacks occurred on November 11, 2015 at Olokoro in Abia State with another happening on of January 3, the following year, in Ozuitem in Bende. During these attacks, farmlands and crops were destroyed and lives lost. The non-responsive nature of the military and the police to the reports of attacks made us become more resolute in our agitations for a referendum for a sovereign state of Biafra as members of IPOB,” he said.