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Multiple award-winning gospel musician, Psalm Ebube has unveiled a new song to support global efforts on humanitarian assistance in Syria, Yemen, Nigeria and other nations in crisis. The ‘Kabi o Osi’ and ‘Oba Titi Aye’ crooner is joining the United Nations and the rest of the world to mark the World Humanitarian Day in few days’ time with his talents to make the day a memorable one in world history. In this interview, he shed lights on the new album. Excerpts:
What have you been up to?
After the release of a call to worship album, I am actually involved in my own efforts to address peace and unity, so I founded Psalm Ebube Peace Foundation, a not for profit organisation with the sole intent of touching lives and empowering people, mostly children, youths and women. It is also to improve the lives of orphans and vulnerable children in West Africa. With the increasing conflict, hunger and under development in West Africa, I want to occupy that space and serve as an intermediary between individuals and organisations who want to develop mankind and foster the well-being of Africans, providing urgent medical and emotional care for widows. It is also to provide for children’s education, and empowerment, giving widows social space by allowing them independent action that transforms their relationship with members of their own community and the society at large. I have come up with viable programmes that will be run and maintained from the grass roots in West Africa such as villages and local government areas. Monthly quench child hunger in West Africa and access to healthcare, and distribution of Mosquitoes net to the orphanage homes by reducing the likelihood that children will have to go through fighting malaria and germs. Educational support system, entrepreneurship support system programme Skills acquisition and startups support system Programme Capacity building and Skills acquisition through the PEP Foundation’s work educating widows’ children, it became clear that deepening the focus of support to developing cash income generating livelihoods constituted a critical foundation for the current and future welfare of widows and their families. It is the only way to provide a lasting solution to each widow’s problem being trapped by poverty.
What really inspired your new song?
It comes from God’s word. This is because the word of God is life. Follow peace with all men, these words have always inspired me to write songs. I have seen situations change and hopeless people have a reason to live and enjoy life through God’s word. My life is a testimony that one can be anything and achieve anything. Music is a powerful medium that has been used to foster patriotism, promote religion and to inspire love. So thought of using the universal language of music to permeate our culture with aspirations for Humanity, Unity, Peace, Love, Tolerance and brotherhood. Knowing fully that Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to imagination and life. It keeps striking a Chord in my heart always after several visit to northern part of Nigeria, Orphanages home within the state and West Africa as a whole and I was left with a strong urge to speak the voice of the Children affected by Boko Haram and I’m so concerned about people facing conflict and violence. So I know that with the help of the media on this song one love one world millions of people will be simultaneously focused on peace through enlistment of the media this song aim to inspire and motivate millions of people toward peaceful outcomes. Songs for humanity can become a tipping point, a way to focus more of the world’s energy on peace rather than conflict. When enough people focus on peace instead of war, on harmony instead of discord, love instead of hate, a sea of change for peace can take place that will sweep the world. Just as mob violence is created by a critical mass of angry people with angry thoughts, peace can be created by a critical mass of people focusing on peaceful thoughts. One love One World is a song for all, UN agencies, aid organizations, governments, businesses, faith groups, the media, and affected communities all around the world. One love one world recognized the necessity of bringing the world together to renew our commitment to humanity and to work better and smarter to prevent, reduce, and meet humanitarian needs. World Humanitarian song “One love one world” is more than a song of financial pledges, rather, it’s meant to be a song of actions to change the way the international community operates so we better deliver people suffering from horrific forces beyond their control. Collectively, governments, humanitarian organizations, UN agencies, companies, multilateral banks, and other partners can help make this world be a better place, and also focused on putting the people we aim to help at the center of our work. That means making sure in everything that we do that their voices are heard, their needs are met, education and hope for children in crisis and they are empowered so that the People affected by crisis should be treated as partners, not beneficiaries. Education and hope for children in crisis
Today, one in four children live in a country grappling with humanitarian crises. I wrote this song to help millions of children forced out of school because of emergencies and protracted crises have the opportunity to get an education.
For how long have you nurtured the OneLove OneWorld?
I feel passionately about Songs for Peace. & Humanity Since the idea first came to me 6months ago, it has never left my mind. I sincerely feel that by joining with fellow musicians and other peace-loving international artiste, we can make the remix of One love one world “Songs for humanity and Peace a reality I believe together we can make a difference; together we can create world peace. The song featured Asikey and we hope to have every other artiste on the Remix soon, So my Producer joined me in supporting this positive and powerful way of creating world humanitarian song One Love One World for World Humanitarian Day and the entire world family now and for generations to come.
How long did it take you to compose and finish recording the song?
It took me eight months.
Why did you bring Asikey to collabo with you and who is she?
Initially my plan was to make the song an all-star song. But at the time the song was still in the production phase in the studio, my producer Mikkyme was also working with Asikey on her new single titled “we” which would be released soon. Asikey is a Nigerian alternative artist, is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist signed to Pendulum Records, a super talented musician by the way, an all-round creative, a thinker, and an aspiring thought leader on diverse local and global issues. The original plan for the bridge of the song was to feature 2face but he wasn’t yet to be contacted and I suggested Asikey should take the bridge and she brought a new soul and depth to the song. Which turns out she is also passionate about humanity as a person, her EP which she released last year was titled human. So we thought we should release this version of just both of us as the official one and later make an all-star version of this song.
What are your expectations of the One Love One World song?
My aim for this album is that everyone who listens to the messages contained in it will be inspired to the next level. The messages appeal to everyone. Everyone can take in messages they need to lift their souls. I expect for the song to help foster global consciousness about the fragility and beauty in the wholeness of the human creation and hence the need to cherish this beauty in diversity and deliberately strive to sustain that which binds us as one. We must stress this. Our future as a race depends on it. Around the world, conflict is exacting a massive toll on people’s lives. Trapped in wars that are not of their making, millions of civilians are forced to hide or run for their lives. Children are taken out of school, families are displaced from their homes, and communities are torn apart, while the world is not doing enough to stop their suffering. At the same time, health and aid workers who risk their lives to care for people affected by violence are increasingly being targeted. “One love one world” aimed to get innovative partnership and support’s with UNICEF together with UN we will raise our voices to advocate for those most vulnerable in war zones, and demand that world leaders do everything in their power to protect civilians in conflict, this song calls for enhanced respect for international humanitarian and human rights law, and protection of civilians, including humanitarian and medical workers as well as civilian infrastructure. We are one humanity, with a shared responsibility. Let us resolve here and now not only to keep people alive, but to give people a chance at life in dignity. Individuals that are down would be lifted if they absorb the wordings with faith in their hearts.
You did a peace song in 2016/2015 how was the experience?
Peace can be created by a critical mass of people focusing their thoughts on peace or having peaceful thoughts. And when enough people focus on peace instead of war, on harmony instead of discord, on love instead of hate, the idea of peace will resonate throughout the world. This groundswell of thought will lead to actions that will achieve the goal of world peace and understanding.The experience so far is encouraging, creating a worldwide community of peace seekers. Everyone’s invited, so let’s shift the focus to peace, not war, to harmony, not conflict, to love, not hate, Peace begins with you. Through enlistment of this Peace and Unity song aim to inspire and motivate millions of people toward peaceful outcomes, Songs for Peace can become a tipping point, a way to focus more of the world’s energy on peace rather than conflict. When enough people focus on peace instead of war, on harmony instead of discord, love instead of hate, a sea of change for peace can take place that will sweep the world. Just as mob violence is created by a critical mass of angry people with angry thoughts, so peace can be created by a critical mass of people focusing on peaceful thoughts. I feel passionately about Songs for Peace. Since the idea first came to me 4years ago during the Boko Haram crisis, I had a program in Mina that year and saw the area that was affected, it has never left my mind. I sincerely feel that by raising my voice in song of Peace & Unity millions of people will be simultaneously focused on peace and other peace loving people that alone helped me to make Songs for Peace a reality. Together we can make a difference together we can create world peace. Why not join me in supporting this positive, inexpensive and powerful way of creating peace for our children and the entire world family now and for generations to come.
I am actually involved in my own efforts to address peace. But I would like to make two remarks: one, peace today is different from peace of yesterday because the world has changed. It’s become more global and more scientific than it ever was. Secondly, what people don’t understand, you don’t begin peace negotiations with a happy end. Keep the happy end for the end. You have to begin from an obscure, complicated situation. And it takes time. I hope people affected by crisis should be treated as partners, not beneficiaries.
