Enebeli 3: Making Of Children Musicians

Children evangelism in the Christian fold seems to be waning. This is because young people now have many distractions in the modern world the chief of which is the ever engaging internet.

In the face of the current distractions, a group of young children have engaged themselves using the tool of music.

The Enebeli three are young children who have developed themselves in music through the support of their church and the Christian community in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

Emmanuel, Favour, and Success are from same parents; their love for music is unique. Emmanuel, a lefthander and 15 years old is the senior of the Enebeli three who leant the key board within two weeks according to him.

The senior secondary school two student said his desire for the musical instrument facilitated his fast learning.

“I attended the UMCA chapel primary school in Ilorin before I went to Baptist Comprehensive High School, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State for my junior secondary school. Afterwards I came to Ilorin for my senior secondary school education and I am now in ss2,” he said.

On how he learnt the keyboard, Emmanuel said it was after he returned to Ilorin.

“I learnt it when I came from Ado Ekiti. When I came to Ilorin we attended Restoration Assembly. I wanted to learn the keyboard but I didn’t have anybody to teach me. So I met uncle Salvation and he taught me the best way he could and I started practicing it on my own,” he explained.

He learnt it in two weeks due to his deep interest.  “I learnt it within two weeks. I would say may be because of my interest and because that I desired it. That was how I got it. Uncle Salvation was even amazed. Some people don’t have that opportunity so I can say it was God. I thank God,” he said.

His fast learning ability can also be traced to his interest in technical things. “I am a science student and I like to study computer engineering. I fix things in the house on my own so I found that I am interested in technical things and I had to take steps to develop myself, that is what I am doing,” he explained.

Advising young people like himself who would like to learn musical instruments, he said young children willing to learn should take any learning opportunity seriously.

“Some people don’t have the opportunity to learn. I advise young children willing to learn to take their chances when they see the opportunity. Everybody learn everyday and I am still learning. I advise them when they have the opportunity they should make use of it and be serious. I got the opportunity and I was able to use it.

“The keyboard is just an electronic but when you want to be a professional pianist one must know every key. One must know everything about it. But for other instruments like strings, it is manual.

“The keyboard is electronic, it is easier and can be programmed but the piano is the real thing it is manual and more difficult. I can play a piano too but it is more difficult as it doesn’t have setting. One must learn it hard,” he said.

Emmanuel’s younger sister is 13 years old Enebeli Favour Dorcas who wants to be a gospel artiste. The back-up singer is a student of the Government Day Secondary School, Ilorin currently in Senior Secondary School 1.

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“I like to sing. I want to be a gospel artiste,” she said, adding that she had wanted to study to be a medical doctor but was deficiency in mathematics during her junior secondary school classes and however opted for the arts.

“I wanted to be a science student but I am not too good in mathematics. I had wanted to be a medical doctor but the Holy Spirit brought someone to counsel me. I told the person I am not too good in mathematics. The person advised me to be in art class saying it will give me more time for my music,” she explained.

She also explained that her mother was a choir member in their local church in Ado Ekiti and she took interest in singing. “God works in unusual ways. There is a purpose for which God brought us to Ilorin. I am still learning from my choir master and I know I am improving by the day,” she said.

The young singer also said her role model include Mercy Chinwe who has inspired her greatly. “I watch some gospel singers and Mercy Chinwe is my favourite among them,” she said.

She however wishes to sing with her brothers someday. “My elder brother has composed a song and we practice and sing it together. I wish one day we would make our album,” she hoped.

The youngest of the three is Enebeli Success, a year one student in a junior secondary school.

“I am just starting my secondary education here in Ilorin. I am in junior secondary One. I am a drummer,” Success said.

According to the 12 year old, he learnt drumming by observation. “Nobody taught me how to drum but I used to watch people when they drum. I always look at those that drum and I add more things to it.

“Later my trainer used to take me out for events. When I have opportunity to drum there I just try my best and I am now improving,” he explained.

Success likes to be a robotic engineer and said he must take his mathematics classes seriously.

“I want to be a robotic engineer. I know I must be more serious with mathematics because if I don’t know mathematics very well, I cannot be a robotic engineer,” he said.

Success also wishes to interact with established drummers. “I know one drummer in Word Assembly but I have not yet communicated with him. I wanted to go and see him but my trainer has not taken me to him. May be he wants me to know the drum very well before he takes me to him,” he said.