Church Gists
Interview: UP-CLOSE WITH FAVOUR OSUME
My Mission Is To Encourage People With My Songs
***Why I Am Still Single
***I Will Make Sapele Proud Just Like Kefee
In this interview with the OM team, the 30-year-old promising artiste, speaks about her music life and accomplishments, as she bares her mind on the state of gospel music in the timber town of Sapele. She is of the opinion that musicians in Sapele have not got enough support from the well-to-dos in the town. Like other emerging stars, she hopes to relocate one day from Sapele, disclosing her choice destinations as Port-Harcourt and Lagos.
After singing both secular and gospel songs at the beginning of her music career, she has now totally dedicated herself to singing gospel songs.
She is signed under the label of Global New Face (GNF) and believes that like the late Kefee, she would do Sapele proud and make greater impact around the world.
Excerpts.
Let’s meet you.
I am Minister Favour Osume, an Okpe lady from Sapele Local Government Area here in Delta State. I am single, based in Sapele and a graduate of College of Education, Agbor. I read Political Science and Social Studies. Also, I am the 6th of 7 children.
What influenced your veering into music?
I just have a natural love for music. From my childhood days, I saw myself falling in love with music. Actually, I see music as my hobby.
For how long have you had your music career going?
At the start of my music career, I sang secular songs before God told me to sing in His vineyard. It is quite a long time. I think it’s not less than 10 years.
When exactly did you start singing, and for how long did you do secular music before going into gospel?
I did secular music for 3 years.
So you sang secular songs for 3 years and then 7 years for gospel songs too?
No, not that. At the beginning, I was doing both secular and gospel songs. But then, I really gave my heart more to secular music than gospel. I sang secular for 3 years at the beginning before I started doing the both. So it has been 7 years of singing gospel songs.
Before and after, what do you see as the difference between your music journey, singing secular and then later gospel songs?
The difference is that as a gospel musician, you look more responsible and the Holy Spirit leads you.
How has the journey been so far?
It has not been very easy. It has been filled with so much temptation, criticisms and envy from haters. But, God has been helping us. There was a day I slept in the studio. Sometimes I have to leave the studio so late. It has been tough.
To those Christian musicians singing both gospel and secular songs, what is your advice to them?
My advice to them is that you cannot serve two masters. You don’t have to compromise. You must choose one out of the two. Doing both makes you look like you don’t know what you are doing. The Bible says that it is either you are hot or cold.
What are your best and worst days?
My best day is whenever I stand on a stage to minister. My worst day was when somebody carried a rumour that I said I had sung with Sinach on the same platform before. I felt so bad. Sinach is my role model and a mother to me. I am praying to meet her one day and even sing with her on the same stage. I never said I sang with her. Some even went as far as saying that I am a proud lady, always desiring to be known. In Sapele language, they said I was showing myself and always on posters and handbills.
What genre of music do you do?
I do the Sinach pattern of music.
I mean her pattern of worship songs. However, I also do praise songs as well.
How many songs have you written so far?
So far, I have written up to 100 songs.
100 songs; how many albums?
Yes, I am just writing them ahead of time. But seven is already in an album which I will be launching soon.
What is the album titled?
‘Double Double.’
Why did you choose this title for your first album?
Because the things God did in my life and that of my family are more than one. It has been double blessings all round.
What inspires the lyrics of your songs and which of them do you consider as the best?
My music is all about encouraging people. Many persons are passing through pains, troubles and all that. These ones need encouragement. My best songs for now are ‘The Storm is Over’ and ‘Double Double’.
Apart from Sinach, who else do you consider as a role model?
Juanita Bynum.
Why do you have them as role models?
They inspire me a lot. Wow!
You said your music is patterned after Sinach. Don’t you think being original will get you to the top faster?
Yes! But, even though I embraced her style and pattern mine in her stead, I still create my own pattern. I merge the both together.
So what is your pattern?
I am very active on stage. Also, when I do my English songs, I add words in Yoruba and Ibo to them. So, that is my pattern.
So, you are into traditional music originally?
No, not originally. I am into Western songs. But to build my own pattern, apart from that of my role model, I add some tribal words to some of my songs.
What platform would you say is the biggest opportunity that has come your way in your music journey?
For now, it’s a city at Kumasi, Ghana.
Any challenges?
For now there is none.
Apart from music, what else do you do?
I make slippers and purse and I am also a hairstylist.
One would expect that a beautiful lady like you should be married. Why are you still single?
Smiles…Ok, you know as a gospel music minister, you need to be very careful so as not to fall into the hands of career and destiny killers because that is one of the challenges that female gospel musicians go through. I am only trying to be careful.
As a graduate, did you get pressures from your family to go for a job, rather than pursuing a music career?
Family members are really on my neck to get a job. They do not even believe in me opting for a career in music. But, I know who has called me to sing. I know what the future holds and so I am not bothered by their talks. I pay deaf ears to them.
A beautiful lady like you would experience advances from the opposite sex. How do you ward off such distractions?
Yes, I get a lot of distractions from the opposite sex. I actually tell them that I am already engaged.
Is it that you are hooked and yet to get married or you are single and still searching?
I am not hooked yet.
Where would you place yourself; a fast-rising, a star or an upcoming artiste?
I am a fast-rising star.
What does the future holds for you?
The future holds better things for me. In no distant time, I will tour the world. I want to touch lives with my songs and what God has put in me.
What is the most inspiring testimony you have heard from your listeners?
During my ministrations, some say that they got healed. Others say they were blessed, while some persons tell me that their burdens were lifted.
What is your fan base like?
By the grace of God, I am a well known artiste in Sapele and other places. Also, on the social media I have hundreds of followers. Sometimes, in a week I have two to three invitations to minster. Because of my fan base, there are some places I cannot enter. Those days, I sang in several clubs in Sapele. I can no longer do that because it will not tell well of me.
Do you have plans to relocate from Sapele?
If I have my way, I would relocate from Sapele.
Why would you do this and to where would you love to move to?
I would love to move to Port-Harcourt or Lagos. The mentality in Sapele is very low. Their thinking here is very shallow. They love criticizing. They hardly celebrate those that are doing well. Also, I believe that there are more opportunities out there than in Sapele.
The Late Kefee made Sapele proud. Did you ever meet her personally?
Yes, she made Sapele proud. I wish to make Sapele proud as well. She faced a lot of challenges and at a point, she had to leave Sapele. This gave her more opportunities out there. However, I never met her personally.
In what ways did her music influence you?
Wow! I love Kefee even till today. Sometimes when I am alone, I do sing her songs. Her music has influenced me so much that sometimes when I am in pain I use it to console myself.
Which of her songs do you love the most?
‘Branama’ and ‘Let my Day Begin with Halleluyah’. Those songs inspire me so much.
What must Sapele do to stop losing her stars to other cities?
Hmmm! They need to place more respect or value on their stars. It is not a bad idea to financially support them too because music is expensive. Also, what they see in stars in other cities let them start seeing it in the Sapele based stars. We have great stars here but no one wants to help them bring out the best in them. Some of our buoyant men here are ready to sponsor more secular shows than gospel musical programmes. Thus, many run to other cities to get better opportunities.
What of the churches in Sapele; how would you rate them in their support for gospel musicians?
The church too has failed us in this respect. I am talking from experience.
What do you do with your leisure time?
I rehearse and write songs. Also, I watch other singers on You Tube.
How would you rate music in Sapele and Delta State?
I must be sincere with you on this. Majority of the artistes in Sapele are good. They do good songs also. They have improved a lot. When I produced my gospel mix some time back, some of the songs on it were done by Sapele artistes and whenever I play it, some persons will be saying that they love these Frank Edward’s songs, thinking he did them. When I tell them the songs were written and sung by a Sapele artiste, they find it hard to believe. I am very proud of Sapele and Delta as a whole.
