On the 30th 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 28th 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.
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Posted by Robot| 18.05.2008 07:06