Encomium
Family, colleagues and close friends have concluded plans to stage a spectacular memorial concert for the gospel singer, Irekefe Obareki-Momoh, popularly known as Kefee.
Interestingly, the late singer, who died barely seven months ago, will be remembered on February 5, which happens to be her birthday.
The widower, Teddy Esosa Don Momoh, while speaking with ENCOMIUM Weekly over the weekend revealed plans for the concert cum album launch. He also spoke passionately about life without the woman he loved so dearly and plans to re-marry.
Tell us more about the concert?
It’s a memorial concert and album launch for my late wife, Kefee. It’s being organised in collaboration with Team Kefee. Tagged An evening with Kefee, to hold on February 5, at Daystar Christian Centre, Annex 2, Oregun, Lagos. It’s a posthumous birthday celebration for her.
Why did you chose February 5. Apart from her birthday, what’s the significance?
Like I said, it’s her birthday. That alone is something special. Besides, there has always been the tradition of doing things on her birthday. When she launched the Kefee Peace Foundation in 2009, it was on her birthday. When she opened her Kitchen in 2012; it was also on her birthday. Last year, we marked her birthday in the US. We were not in Nigeria. We were in America then. So, what we did was that we went to some orphanages in America, just to show some solidarity to the less privileged. We actually celebrated her birthday in an orphanage in California. That’s why we didn’t have problem fixing a date for the memorial concert.
This year you will be without her, how do you feel?
I don’t think I will be without her. I still feel her around me. It’s her day so, I’m going be with her that day.
How emotional have you been since she died up till this moment?
It’s something I will never forget. Let me be very sincere, yes, sometimes I do. I miss her so much. So-so much because you know there are certain things you think you’ve grown past like waking up in the morning and thinking you want to eat and suddenly you are waking up, you are like going to the kitchen yourself again. So, you know when you wake up there is a juice waiting for you already. That’s the secret. That’s one of the cards and suddenly, you are doing all those things all over.
No doubt, you will definitely feel somehow and that’s the feeling I’ve always had whenever I wake up in the morning.
Sorry, you might say it’s sensitive but men are often known to re-marry soon after their wives had passed on. How soon are you considering that?
I can’t answer that question now because right now it’s all about her. I’m still tied to her. I don’t know when that would happen. I can’t say anything on that now. I’m very sorry.
Can you share some of your memorable times with her?
Everything about her, waking up and finding her close to you. That’s having an angel just right beside you. That’s something memorable and it’s not there again. That’s something I miss so much waking up in the morning. And sometimes, waking up in the night, holding her hand and say wow! Kefee is here, those things are not there again. Memorable things for me are not events, it’s just having her by my side for me.
Who are we expecting at the concert?
Everybody; family members, friends and colleagues. It’s going to be an evening of music, comedy and dance, parading top gospel and contemporary artistes such as Yinka Davies, Sammie Okposo, Nikky Laoye, Cynthia Morgan, Akpororo, Princess, Alibaba, Omotola, Righteous Man, Timaya, Uti, Anny, Idris Abdulkareem, Vector and several others.
I’m very optimistic that her latest album, I Believe, billed to be launched on January 15, will be well received due to the hard work that went into it. I Believe is a 12-tracker. On this album, Kefee worked with South African, Kenyan, Ghanaian and Nigerians artistes. They include Sani Danja, Yinka Davies, Vector, Cynthia Morgan, Henri Soul, Elinee (Ghana), Lady X (South Africa) and Viso (Kenya).
Many things are being said about the actual cause of her death. Can you clear the now on what actually happened?
This is actually what happened. Although, I was even not around, I was here in Nigeria because we just came back from America. I was actually editing some of the videos. So, she actually went back to America to do some stuffs. She went to school to complete some of the things we didn’t finish and had some concerts in California. She actually finished the concerts. She was on her way back to Nigeria when the incident happened. Only God knows why, but according to doctor’s report, she died of collapsed lungs. That’s basically what happened.
There was this issue of Delta State government sponsoring her burial, that was last year, June. Maybe it’s true maybe it’s not, nobody knows. Can you clear the air on that?
That’s something personal, I can’t say anything on that . The thing is that whoever I’m meeting for support, it’s personal. So, it’s something personal. I wouldn’t want to say this person supported or this person abandoned me. So, personally, I’m going to say thank you to whoever supports.
Do you think if you were with her, the case would have been different. Do you think you would have given her more care?
The thing is, I’m not God. There are certain things sometimes you just don’t want to question God. I’m a true Christian. There are certain things I don’t want to think of sometimes and that’s one question.
Seriously, it’s like questioning God’s authority. So, sometimes, I don’t just want to think about it.
We learnt every experience is a lesson, what lessons have you learnt from the death of your wife?
What you have to do, do quick. Life is short and it’s just one life. So, whatever you are thinking of doing, do it quick. The next minute is not your own. The minute you have is now. Live for now.
Do you think she had any regret before she died?
No. She lives on in me and in you and in everybody.
– RASHEED ABUBAKAR
