On the 30^th of March, 2008, the whole hall at the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) River of Life Parish in Alagbado, Lagos,  was quiet as the show was about to start. There was some skepticism if the organizer could really pull through the concert which he tagged The Reason Why I live. The audience was made up of his friends, church members and quiet a number that came to see how the 28 year old Prince Emmanuel Okuoghae led True Life Worshippers Band could achieve the concert.

“Let us call upon the Holy Spirit to take control of this whole place and direct us to do it right,” he started with and that was the first sign that what many saw as a Herculean task for the Prince Emmanuel as he is popularly known would go smoothly.

He led his band to perform He Lives in Me, I need an Angel, I call him Holy and other inspirational gospel songs that got people shedding tears and raising their hands to heaven in praise and thanks for how God was using someone with a special condition to touch their lives spiritually.

Sitting on his wheel, the Youngman with cerebral Palsy, a medical condition caused by   an injury to the brain before, during, or shortly after birth which causes the brain not to develop properly, directed and held.

According to Prince Emmanuel, he was born with the condition and does not recollect any injury to this brain but he sure knows that he discovered his passion for music as a child,

“I was born into music; my parents were musicians and I remember that music was the only thing that put me at rest. I was called by the spirit of God to serve him through music in 1994,” he said; he was just 14 years old then.

Immediately he heard the call, he started working towards realizing the reason why God chose music for him.

“I started learning music professionally and with the help of my parents, I was able to get through with music lessons and all that was needed for me to launch my band,” he said with so much enthusiasm. Today, he not only owns his own band, True Life Worshippers, he is also has established a foundation, Prince Emmanuel Okuoghae Foundation a.k.a PEO Foundation. To him the sky is the limit.

Looking at the ease with which Emmanuel carries himself, one would be tempted to ask if all his successes so far came easy in a country like Nigeria. He smiles before responding,

“I face so many challenges simply because I am on a wheel chair but that does not in any way discourage me instead it makes me go on in life,” he reveals.

One of the major challenges he faces in his music career is getting music marketers to listen to him.  The marketers look at him despite the fact that he sings and writes his songs. Whenever he meets the marketers they would dismiss and discharge him by telling g him to get a good video for the album.

His condition may be the reason for such unpleasant resentment he gets from the marketers.

“The first time I met a marketer, he asked me how I could sing,” he recollects with a slight smile, “but what they fail to understand is that my inspiration comes from God and what I sees and feel in the society. And their attitude to me is one of an inspiration,” he went on.

The attitude of the business men is not far fetched from how the society in general perceives the physically challenged Emma explained,

“The moment they see you on a wheel chair, they feel you are a beggar. They look down on you. Even when you show them you can do very well. They will not believe in you. But I don’t allow that get to me; that is what keeps me going on. It makes me determined and to work very well.”

But even with such apathy shown towards him, Emma is determined to change the world and affect it positively in any capacity he can. When he was asked what he would do if he had the opportunity to change the world, he looked up with determination and replied with such calm,

“I will do what Jesus Christ did; I will give my life for the world especially for the less privileged. I want to be able to make things alright for them. I will want to put smiles on their faces everyday.”

That was the reason he started his foundation and through that medium, he hopes to achieve some of the set goals for the less privileged as one of his objectives is to build a talent school for the less privileged and help them discover their hidden potentials which will make them self dependent and cater for themselves without being a liability to anybody.”

And to that extent, he believes God to provide for him through kindhearted Nigerians, a land for them to build their center; musical teaching equipments, computers and other relevant materials that will add value to the lives of the less privileged and physically challenged.

“I am appealing to the government and religious bodies to support us,” he appeals.

As an eligible handsome Youngman, is he thin king of settling down one day and how soon will the wedding bells be heard? Emma suddenly turns shy and laughs before he answered that he is working on that aspect of his life very seriously. When probed further to disclose the identity of his partner, he closed his hands over his face in shyness and asked that he has not found one that he likes for now but he will sure be going to the alter in two years time.

Some of the people that witnessed the concert were full of thanks to God for the life of Emmanuel

According to Evangelist Dupe Olulana of the Healing Balm Ministry, the life of Prince Emmanuel is a testimony.

“God is a wonderful God that does things in wonderful ways. He is working g through this vessel to reach souls. I met him in a Foursquare Church when he came to minister and he extended an invitation to me and kept calling. He was leading the song and the first impression I had of him is that he is a man with a sound mind. If you look at his physical appearance, you will be deceived. He has a choir and a band with people working with him, this will show you that he is really gifted,” she said.

Some of his band members were all over him patting his back after the show in excitement.

Does he wish for any special thing in life?

“I don’t believe in wishes; I believe in God and that through him all things are possible. I believe he will take me to the next level in my music and take me to heaven after I must have finished the assignment he gave me here in heaven,” he replied.

Many that came to The Reason Why I live are already wishing for the next concert and Prince Emma will on the 28^th of June 2008 at the same River of Life parish, hold another concert maybe the theme might be the reason why he is always happy.

Robot  Villager

# 1 ...Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 18.05.2008 07:06

anneoboho  Villager

# 2 I like what you do for people like Prince Emma. It shows your awesome humanity. You are a child of the Father. Emma fulfills God's word, "I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me" But for you Okeni, thanks and keep up the good work. Posted by anneoboho| 20.05.2008 12:04