Understanding the purpose of being in gospel music is important for upcoming artistes – Ann Chi

Described as the queen of Gospel, Ann Chi Ezeh, a gospel musician and movie producer. In this interview with Emmanuel Clement talks about her strides as a gospel artiste, the challenges, the need to populate the Kingdom of God and her love for singing. She took a walk towards memory lane in 2012 where she was part of Ascending Praise as the convener. She also used the interview to explain why Ascending Praise is special to her.

ASCENDING PRAISE HAS BEEN GOING ON THESE YEARS, IT WILL BE GREAT TO KNOW THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU HAVE FACED RIGHT FROM THE INCEPTION OF THIS PROGRAM?

Well, we have had our ups and downs. I will not say that it has always been a smooth sailing journey for us. We had challenges and I can recall some, I could remember one of the concerts we held. It was funny. We rented a big hall, printed handbill, flyers, we had big names artists like the popular Gospel Artist Buchi, among others. Funny enough, Artists were present but we had few guests. It was really a challenging one bringing all those names together and we didn’t have anybody around, just few audiences inside the big hall. We just thank God that since we started God has been helping us. People have come to understand the purpose of Ascending Praise. Initially people were thinking it was a show or a platform to make money while the main purpose is for the expansion of the kingdom of God. I am glad because people have started calling me even before this program that they want to support the growth of Ascending Praise.

WHY THE NAME ASCENDING PRAISE AND WHAT PROMPTED IT?

Ann Chi Ezeh.

I didn’t just decide to go for a fancy name, I did pray and sought the face of God. I got the vision of Ascending Praise in 2012 when I went to the mountain to pray. I have had and received prophecies that I have a call. I asked God what he wanted me to do though I sing in the choir in my Church. While I was praying, the Lord gave a word and a theme “Ascending Praise” amongst other messages. And since then, I have been doing it and God has been faithful. Though I took a break for 4 years, we came back to Ascending Praise in 2018.

Ibikun Okwumbu

 

WHAT CAN YOU SAY IS THE UGLIEST MOMENT YOU HAVE HAD?

At a point I was discouraged. Cause when I had my first program in 2012, after paying an artist and he didn’t come, with all the posters, advert on billboard, flyers everywhere. The main artist we expected didn’t come but when he finally came almost at the closure of the program, he was demanding for balance even when he didn’t perform. So, it was discouraging that if a Gospel artist could do this, who claimed to be a Christian. If this is what I will see then I rather go into ticketed shows like comedy and concert shows so I can make money. I had to sit down and ask God ” Do you really want me to do this?How important is worship in Christ is to you? I won’t speak generally; I will rather speak for myself. I am a worshiper. I communicate through Worship. When it comes to worship I do it in Spirit and in Truth. I can’t go a day without Worshiping God, I spend hours at night Worshiping God, I pray through Worship. In fact, you can’t separate me from Worship. And each time I worship God in truth I hear from Him. For me, Worship is like the air that I breathe, I can’t do without it.

 

Tamzy Official.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE MEDIA MEN AT THE PROGRAM CAUGHT UP WITH SOME PARTICIPANTS DURING THE ASCENDING PRAISE. Here is their response.

Ujam Chukwunonso said he came for the program out of his busy schedule because he takes God as his priority. Reiterated that inability to genuinely worshiping God in truth and in Spirit is what is lacking in the body of Christ.

Ezechukwu Blessed said in an interview that one thing that God cannot give to himself is Worship. “When we pray Angel comes but when we praise and worship, God come down by Himself and eat our Praises. We are giving it to God so that He can be honoured in all ramifications”.

Pastor Miracle Ifekanwa said he counts it as a great honor and privilege to be present in this year’s Ascending Praise. His words “I have been longing to be around since the inception of this Ascending Praise, I decided to be here out of my tight schedule”.My advice to the youth is to stick to their vision and be focus.

Ibikun Okwumbu said she feels blessed and happy that the Introduction of Ascending Praise is a good vision, bringing gospel artists together to worship God in unity.

E’ David said that one of the thing that happens mostly in the body of Christ is competition. Doing God’s work with competition is wrong. You want to outshine the other person. What I witnessed here in Ascending Praise is unique and different. Everybody came to do his own, no competition. The Organizer of this Ascending Praise, Ann Chi is a superwoman. When you see a woman who spent money on her Ministry without returns, I give kudos to her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A LOT OF ARTISTES ARE COMING UP, WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR THEM?

It is a simple thing, passion and understanding. In understanding I mean that you should have a grasp and fully Understand the purpose of God for you. When you understand the purpose why Christ has called you into music ministry, you will be able to run it smoothly because whatever God initiates, it’s works out well. When God is not involved that’s why you switch and after a while you want to come back. Can we know the A list participants that was in this year’s program? We had the likes of Ibikun Okwumbu, Ujam Chukwunonso, Ezechukwu Blessed, E’ Davis, Tamzi Official, Uju J. A, Bitrus Benson, among other ones. We had birthday celebration from one of our pastors, Pastor Miracle Ifekanwa. The celebration was a grand style. It ended In praise.

 

 

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