Nigerian youth must have a positive mindset about life -Anne Emmanuel Ibrahim, gospel singer
By Chibuzo Ihegboro
Anne Emmanuel Ibrahim’s story began when she was only a teenager in Kano State, northern Nigeria. She was part of the children’s choir. Today, she has three music albums to her credit, state, nation, and international recognition, Awards to her credit, foundational projects, and many more. The Nigerian Xpress chatted to her recently.
Today you are a professional singer. Why did you choose gospel?
I chose gospel music because of the message it carries. The gospel itself is a message of peace, hope, and love. And in life, once you have all these, you have everything.
How old were you when you first discovered your love for music?
I was about 14 years old when my love for music came alive. And since then, I haven’t looked back.
In a world where most people appreciate secular music as against gospel, what has been your challenge?
It is a relative statement. The same way we have lots of people who passionately love gospel music. There is no peculiar challenge, to be honest. The major challenge that musicians face in this part of the world is the lack of proper structure in the industry and piracy.
In all of these challenges what has kept you going?
What has kept me going despite the challenges we face is my love and passion for the art. I started singing as a teenager and gospel music at that. I am not about to quit anytime soon.
Looking back today, would you say it was worth the sacrifice, singing gospel?
Looking back, I can say boldly that it has been worth the sacrifice. This is because there have been countless testimonies of how much my music has been a blessing and how it has changed lives, it is beyond my comprehension, to say the least.
You grew up in the northern part of Nigeria. How was life growing up in Kano as a Christian girl in a Muslim-dominated state?
Life in the North when I was growing up many years ago is not the same as what is obtainable now. The North was a beautiful place to stay.
The people were lovely and accommodating. I cannot understand what is happening there these days! There were no restrictions of any kind doing the things we did and what I was doing.
Your brand AnnySings has birthed a Non-Profit Organisation called Annyluv. What is the vision of this project and what impact has it made since its inception?
The concert “ANNYLOVE PEACE AND LOVE CONCERT” was a project of our foundation. “ANNYLOVE EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION“ is the project that allows us to give back to society freely, especially to the less privileged.
We have organised this concert both in prisons and other notable locations. Funds raised are usually used to support the less privileged. As a result of these projects, we have had so much support from celebrities such as Onos Ariyo, Sammie Okoposo, Eben, Essence, Jaywon, and Lamboginy, just to mention a few. The brand ANNY (stage name) has among other organizations such as ANNYLOVE EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION where funds are raised to help the less privileged children in society to help take care of their education. As you would see in our society today, many parents cannot afford to send their children and wards to school. ANNYLOVE Educational Foundation is helping a lot of less privileged children with her platform.
There have been a lot of Delta State and Delta projects in most of the things you have done. Are you in any way related to that region?
Yes, I am from Delta State; an Urhobo from Mosogar, Ethiope West Local Area and my village is very close to the famous Sapele town.
What are we looking at from the stable of AnnySings in the next few months?
The brand ANNYLOVE MUSIC is a subsidiary of ANNYLOVE MINISTRIES and it has a lot in the pipeline, ranging from the release of a new body of work to our Yearly Prison Outreaches.
On such Yearly Prison Outreaches, what do you do in the prisons?
We visit these prisons with the support and help of the authorities, to perform and minister in songs and words. We also go there with food and other relief materials.
Nigeria is at a stage of uncertainty, what would you advise the young ones to do at this moment?
My advice to the young is to have faith in themselves, build their skills, and follow through with their education. Let them have a positive mindset about life in general and above all trust God to bring out the best in themselves.
In your opinion, how have women changed the narratives for Gospel Music in Nigeria?
Just like their male counterparts, women have risen massively to put out a great and excellent body of work to support the growth of the industry. And it is also clear in other industries as well.
READ ALSO: http://Confusion in churches as more Christian men take to polygamy in cross breed of cultures
Which gospel artistes home and abroad in the past and the present, would you most like to meet?
At home, there is no one I have not met that I wanted to meet. And as for abroad, it will be Shirley Ceaser.
How do you unwind when you are not singing or working on your various projects?
I unwind by watching movies in the comfort of my home, and I do a lot of girls out with my friends, majorly to eat and to catch up.
What can you not travel without?
I cannot travel without money. With money, you can buy anything you have forgotten at home.
