The name, Chukwuemeka Ohanemere, alternatively known as Prophet Odumeje, the Indaboski Bahose is not novel in the socio-religious ecosystem of Nigeria, and Igboland in particular for some years now. This is one name that ignites an inferno of soulful guffaw and ecstasy anytime and anywhere it’s mentioned. His presence at events evokes awe a
nd a sense of demure, and makes such events elitist. He has been a source of comic leisure to a vast number of Nigerians. His audience has grown in leaps and bounds beyond Nigeria as many see him more as an entertainment artiste than a preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ which he cascades as. His presence on the social media came to a head in the year 2018 with his series of lexicographic coinage sparking a sense of mystery and artistry. His consistency in doing what he does has taken him higher than he may even has ever dreamt.
Who’s Odumeje? Chukwuemeka Ohanemere was born in the late seventies. He’s from Orsuihiteukwa in Imo State, Nigeria. He grew up in the commercial city of Onitsha where he engaged himself in some juvenile acts before accepting his call to ministry in the early nineties. At that time he had become a known street and market preacher of the words of God locally, prophesying to people and praying for them. He was at the time known and addressed as Emeka Intervention all through the city of Onitsha. According to Zuby Michael, a Nollywood superstar, Odumeje prophesied to him when he was serving his master in artisanship in the Onitsha Main Market. He said that he prophesied to him that soon he would become a popular face and name not only in Nigeria, but globally. Later on, he got enrolled in Nollywood, Nigeria’s film industry which prides as the best and highest of its kind on the continent of Africa till date. Zuby unveiled this during a testimony session in Odumeje’s church in Onitsha called Mountain of Holyghost Intervention Deliverance Ministry, though later disengaged from him, declaring that Odumeje was just a mere friend and not a personal spiritualist to him as people said. This declaration ignited furore and critical opinions against the movie star whom people believed was so dear to the digital prophet that Odumeje had become.
There are novel artistic innovations that Odumeje has brought into ministry which are exclusive to him, distinguishing him from a myriad of other preachers of the Gospel in Nigeria. One of the innovations or simply put, style is the violent way he treats the people he claims to be delivering from the claws of physical and spiritual disorderliness. Onlookers rather see this style of his as a kind of adding salt and pepper to an injury. He would be seen lifting an aging person and throwing them on the raw surfaces of lined-up plastic chairs, holding them by their necks so tight as if to squeeze them to death. He would lift a plastic chair and hit on the ailing part of a person’s body in a bid to get rid of the ailment from their body. The question everyone watching his rough scenes and acts of healing and deliverance has asked is always if these healing seekers actually get healed after the mirthless treatments. One could watch the victims jubilating in testimony of having been healed through the violent demonstration. Viewers are always left wondering the kind of healing mechanism that means. His ministry has remained a theatre where some fun seekers go to in search of leisure and to be captured in his video clips that go very far on social media.
Odumeje owns an unprecedented style of music. The lyrics aren’t comprehensible, but sound like a spiritual or mysterious concoction of phrases or incantation aiming at communing and communicating with a spiritual being. The musicality of his genry has been described as striking and interesting as it’s highly entertaining. Some of his song titles that can be accessed on different music channels include: Alabasidi, Yakuzili nwa, Odumeje Agaba, Chukwudum eje, ife mmuo, Okunaerere, Ike billion billion, Odumejeje – odumalala, Ike Jerusalem, Odomia Nawelete, etc. Some of his coinage that have trended and keep trending far beyond social media include: sepre lamande, abido shaker, indaboski bahose, ganduka gagandusa, santus sanetorials, citadel, catacrism, pandemonium, epidemiki, pandemiki, among others all of which he calls spiritual powers, and anytime he unleashes any one of them, the earth certainly trembles. As a talented musician everyone may have agreed that he is, he has released many albums and has featured other musicians like Flavour, Phyno, Onyeoma Tochukwu, Cyril Ibeh, etcetera. Judging by his kind of attitude and music genre, many think that he takes hard drugs, but he has announced that he doesn’t drink alcoholic beverages, nor smoke, take any hard drug, declaring that he’s spirit-studded which is enough for him.
Another distinguishing persona of Odumeje is his dancing ability. It’s difficult to sing and as well dance, but he embodies the two. This creative artistry he has, has taken him to different countries of the world like the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Indonesia, etc where he was at different occasions invited to entertain crowds of Nigerian people seeking fun. His style of ministration in his ministry and outside of it is one that has been described as theatrical instead of Christian as he’s rarely seen preaching with the Bible. However, he has a team of publicists covering and circulating only clips of scenes of comical performances. He bars everyone from taking videos with their phones inside the church hall. This is in a bid to boost his own platforms and ensure that it’s only on his platforms can his contents be accessed. But a visit to the ministry in Onitsha unveils some other activities that are craftily hidden from camera such as selling of olive oil, filling of forms to see him, several sessions of financial offering, tithe collection, membership card and fees for family deliverance exercise which he carries out at the homes of those seeking it within and outside Anambra State that he operates from. And while many have argued that from his modus operandi, he may be an occultist, he has come out often to refute that and such other assumptions alike through music and speech. While many call him a controversial comic prophet, others who suffer from one sickness to another still see his ministry as a healing bus stop. One other fascinating thing about him is that nobody has ever come out to say that he did a fake miracle job on them. It might though be that they’re afraid of coming out to confess as he has always threatened thunder and lightning against anyone saying or writing negative things about him, claiming that he possesses the magic wand to kill anyone he wishes to spiritually. He has had series of threat on his life including petitions to the police for unleashing diatribe on the people of Arondizuogu, Imo. Some individuals from the community came together and petitioned him to the Anambra State Police Command, Amawbia. At the end of the controversial episode, apology was rendered and the both parties chose the option of peace and tranquility.
A month ago, Odumeje confessed that he was once an armed robber in Onitsha before the Holy Spirit arrested him and converted him to a minister of the gospel of salvation. But many still doubt he’s a true man of God judging by the way he carries himself in public. His impolitic way of speaking, public bragging of possessing might and power, social packaging, blabbing, dress sense, narrative of his past escapades, music, dancing style and use of vulgar expressions all characterize his personality as a man of many parts. He’s married with children and in his late forties. His mingling with celebrities at the early stage of his social media outing is part of why people see him more as a socialite than a priest of the most high God. He used to invite to his ministry different kinds of entertainment figures including high-life musicians who came at quick succession to entertain his congregants and social media family members. Quite before the federal government of Nigeria placed an embargo on spreading and marching on the country’s Naira notes, Prophet Odumeje was known for his throwing of wads of cash right in his church hall and at events. His musical crew is such that has put smiles on the faces of many with their expertise in handling musical instruments and taking the Odumeje brand to the next level.
If one is not happy or is melancholic, one has the option of looking out for some video clips of Odumeje on Facebook and watch. There’s no way one’ll not laugh to stupor. Recently, he has shown so much love with being a graduate which he mispronounces as “graj8”. It’s evident that he loves tertiary education, but he didn’t have the opportunity of becoming a graduate. This judgement was gleaned from his visuals wherein he asked young miracle seekers in his ministry if they were graduates. In the same vein, he’s seen as feeling intimidated anytime he encounters a graduate. He tries so hard to make it look like natural endowment is greater than one being a graduate. When one then tells him their course of study, he makes mess of it by mispronouncing it, same way he does to healing seekers. Many have asked if he has a hearing difficulty such that he would have to ask over and over the same question and twisting the answers when given him. But I’m sure that he does that for comic purpose. As a creative mind, whenever he thinks or feels that his fame is receding, he quickly introduces a new style which now refreshes his visibility and returns him to the eyes and lips of the members of the social media community. A sensational figure whose presence ignites enthusiasm and a sense of relaxation, Odumeje has touched lives through the things he does, doing them without minding what people say as he’s always seen happy and smiling, throwing raileries. He’s connected to many socialites in Nigeria who use his presence to market their faces.
Odumeje is an antidote of bad feelings, and this is indubitable. If after watching his videos and one is still in one’s sad state, one then needs to seek a doctor’s advice. Odumeje as a comic actor has been a source of laughter to Nigerians, moreover the Nigerians of Igbo stock. He has created his own distinct music genre and style nobody so far has rivalled. He has been consistent and unassuming, engaging not in what others have done or are doing. His mode of church service is unprecedented as comedians respect him, seeing him as a senior comrade. It’s these and more that I have come to the conclusion that Prophet Chukwuemeka Ohanemere alternatively known as Odumeje, is a man in a world of his own!
- Nwoba Chika Nwoba is a social media influencer and creative writer from Ikwo, Ebonyi State.