A Letter To Chike

 

                 

Dear Chike, 

I want to tell you a story.

I first saw you on Battleground, sometime in 2018.

I stumbled on the programme and I got hooked.

I remember watching and thinking, 

"Why is he always looking sad? Is that how he is or ..."

I got to understand it was the role.

You (Mayowa) ended up being my favourite character. I can't even begin to describe the grief I felt when the character died. It was so real! It was raw! You see, I could relate to the mother and siblings grief.

The programme lost me after then, I barely managed to watch till the end.

I cried. God, I cried like it was real! It brought back memories of one of my late brothers, Tene Douglas Kures and somehow, you remind me of him.

Okay, so I don't usually listen to the radio, but on this particular evening in February 2020, there was a power outage and I somehow found myself tuned to a radio channel and boom! They were having this live show where people call in and make requests for songs to be played for them. But there was this song "Forgive" that kept playing in the background whilst the presenter was talking. It kept pulling at some cords and strings in my heart.

I kept wondering about the song.

See, few months before then, my brother VQ met me watching Battleground and he went, "Isn't that Chike?"

My response? 

"Chike ke? Who's Chike"

Then he searched Google for Mayowa's Character. Chike! It's Chike na. I sha looked at the picture. 

Who is this Chike na? I asked him.

He then told me how you are a singer and how you were on "Project Fame" and "The Voice." Unfortunately, I used to follow those shows only when I knew someone participating. I somehow missed your season.

Anyway, I'm choosy when it comes to music so I asked what kind of songs you sing before the "music snub" wakes up, but I can't remember his response. That passed.

Fast forward to that night in February, someone called to ask who was singing and the title of the song. The presenter went, "Chike's new release, Forgive".

Wow! My Chike? Mayowa? 

This guy dey sing sha ooo! 

Well, I just had to get the song that night.

And brother, was I hooked!

I have a new favourite singer. Chike

My other brother, Whengh came around on another day, I mentioned it, then he says, "you should listen to the whole album. It is "DA BOMB!"

HUH! 

All songs in an album good? Not just Forgive? How can all the songs in an album be good? 

I mean, most albums have a few good songs, but the whole album? 

Okay, I think I need to listen to it.

Somehow, again, I forgot about it for a long time.

But that weekend in October, something happened to me. Saturday, 10th October was my birthday. 

And it holds a lot of unpleasant memories for me.

My Dad almost died on my birthday in 2017. Somehow, he made it through, then died three days later. 

Two years later, the same October and on my birthday, my Mum almost passed. She also survived a few more weeks, only to later die on the 28th.

It's a very emotional month for me, My Mum was also born in October.

I was listening to Forgive on my birthday and suddenly I remembered what my brother said about the album. 

So I went searching for the rest of the songs in the album and I must say, they were a balm to my grieving heart. 

It was just like you said about the album, #BooOftheBooless#, I felt like you were talking to me, you know, relating with me, talking with someone you knew, a friend or even a sibling. I felt Like I have known you my whole life...

I listened to all the songs over and over that day. 

The album is a playlist on its own.

Hardly a day goes by without me listening to you.

My favourite will always be Forgive, just because I heard it first. 

I've forgiven life for what I had to go through. 

I've forgiven myself for what I thought I didn't do that may have made a difference.

I've forgiven those who hurt me in the past.

I have forgiven and let go of a lot.

Thank you, Chike for sharing your precious gift with the world, WITH ME.

Thank you for sharing your heart, your soul, and your life with me.

You are officially my brother because I've known you all my life, NO, all your life because I'm older

Please keep singing. Your style is rare and unique to only you.

Looking forward to more songs from you.

Happy First Anniversary #BooOftheBooless#

I hope you see this someday just so you know how your songs helped bring me out of a dark place.

P.S

Your sophomore album, #The Brothers Keeper, is a blast.

Thank you for dishing out good sound and lyrics. God bless You!

Yours truly, 

Kim.