I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO ‘BLOW’
Bamike Adeyemi, popularly known as OBA is a multi-influential expressionist. An award-winning international Singer/Songwriter, A Life Transformation Coach and Author who is passionate about “stirring” greatness in people, with special attention to the younger generation and women at large. She is a certified Coach, Speaker, Teacher and Trainer with the John Maxwell Team.
Bamike shared her story of how she thought she was going to ‘blow’ and start appearing after her first professional work:
“I am a Kingdom messenger using sound and lyrics as a form of expressing the mind and counsel of God. Oba is the name God gave me while I was in the university to use to carry the assignment He had called me into. I got born-again in the university in 1993, I became a Christian on campus and there, God called me into ministry to sing it, say it, write it and make a divine statement with the African signature.
My growing up was quite typical. I had a rough childhood. I say to people that I didn’t pay the developmental fee, you know great things come in cute packages {laughs}. Growing up was a challenge being the first of eight children from a polygamous home and my siblings are quite bigger in stature. Church Gist. Whilst in primary and secondary school, I always ranked among the first 4, was athletic and energetic. I am a force of nature and its always been that way growing up but I didn’t realize that so I tried to suppress the dynamics of who I was because I didn’t want people to say my own was too much not knowing it was part of the framework and the wiring of God for me to be able to function on this side of eternity; so I was always self-sabotaging, had low self-esteem, inferiority complex though I was at the top in academics, I was at the top in the literary and debating society, was a school prefect loved by many yet didn’t believe in myself or believe enough that I was worth anything. I had that rough childhood until I became a Christian. I got born again at the age of 21.
I was a nominal Christian who was only going to church, there wasn’t any relationship as it were with God until I got to the university, gave my life to Christ and then began to seek God for myself. It was in the place of seeking I found out that I was suppressing the grace, giftings and talents He had given me as I didn’t think I could measure up with other people since I didn’t see myself coming from a fantastic home. Church Gist. You couldn’t even describe mine as a middle-class home, so all of these were suppressing the grace, but thank God for the consciousness of not just knowing Christ but being surrounded by mentors in spiritual and every other matter. I had that rough childhood with a lot of baggage, but thank God for knowing better and growing better, now I am no longer the young timid girl, I have honed my grace and now flaunt it without seeking people’s approval or validation.
My first professional work was done in year 2000 and released in 2002, so roughly, I have been around for over 20years. One of the songs in my first album is ‘Ilu Mi Nigeria’ a song dedicated to Nigeria, a song that was played on every Independence Day, year in and out, but the stations didn’t really put a face to the name. I started full force music ministry after my graduation from the university in 2000, I didn’t practice electrical engineering. I thought I was going to “blow” {hit it big}, I was (according to review) making good songs with international standard, so I thought I would be on billboards, pages of newspaper and enjoying the good life, but I got the rudest shock of my life. After the release of that album, I was thrown to the backside of the wilderness for another 10 years of training, more like God was telling me I didn’t know the importance of the assignment and grace upon me, not just being the rave of the moment, so for 10 – 12 years no one heard anything about Oba, my song for Nigeria kept playing yet no one knew who I was. It was during this wilderness experience God gave me the clearer picture of the blueprint and template to work this assignment.
A lot of people are just hearing about me now but this isn’t an overnight thing, it is over 20 years of wilderness experience, thriving and approving. So I believe it is God saying it is time to showcase me to the world with this arrangement. Church Gist. The experience in the last 20+ years has been bitter-sweet, because to an extent I know ‘I carry small oil’ (I am anointed), and in terms of vocal/music dexterity I know a bit, I stopped asking God the ‘when’ questions because I now know God had been preparing me for such a time as this, I am grateful to God that many people are knowing who I am now, I didn’t just surface now even though a lot of people are just hearing about me, its been a long time coming and I am grateful to God for it.”
Oba is also the founder of the Finding Memo Coaching Company – a self-discovery and Identity-coaching platform. She is the Chief Responsible Officer (CRO) at the Merea Connects – A mentoring through intentional relationships for Young Creatives and she is an International Recording Artist with the One Hallelujah Records of RCCG Global.
She also runs King’s International Music Network which houses her musical expressions. She has authored a few books among which are : The Trials of Faith, “OLUWABAMIKE, A Memoir”, and many more. She recently featured in Nathaniel Bassey’s song titled “Olorun Agbaye”. She is married with children.
God is still in the business of publishing men by Himself for His Glory and with God, you will always win and shine.
Sources:
Naijagospelbeats.com
Bamike’s page
Woodclef.com
#WinningWednesday
#BamikeAdeyemi
#ChurchGist
