No fewer than 100 stakeholders in the Nigerian entertainment industry met on Monday in Lagos, to discuss how to give the late gospel singer, Kefee a befitting burial.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was at the instance of Pop-Gospel artist, Sammie Okposo, who provided his office premises at Surulere, Lagos for the meeting.
Some of the notable faces at the meeting were, Nikki Laoye, Anny Ibrahim, Tosin Martins, DJ Gosporella, Emem Ema, Wamilele, Princess, Tee-Y Mix, Perry Martins and Praise Machine.
Others were Mudi, Righteousman, Nene Soul Diva, Victor Gospogroove, Gordons and representatives from Kefee’s family.
Sammie said that the death of Kefee had affected the Nigerian entertainment industry and the world in general, and not just the gospel music community in Nigeria.
“Kefee was a major contributor to the development of entertainment industry in Nigeria and the industry will be there for her even in death.
“We are going to bury her as a queen and it would be nice for us to work together to make her burial a grand affair.
“It would also be nice to use this opportunity to get our acts together as gospel artists and entertainers in general because that is what Kefee would love,’’ he said.
Also speaking, Tosin Martins said that celebrating Kefee should be an annual memorial event which could be expressed via an entertainment symposium.
Martins said this would ensure that pertinent issues in the entertainment industry were discussed for the development of a foundation in her memory.
NAN reports that a committee known as Kefee Memorial Committee (KMC) was constituted to plan the various events which would hold in Lagos and Sapele, the hometown of the late singer.
The members of the committee are Sammie Okposo, Nikki Laoye, Comrade Rex Anighoro, Momodu Inu Noah, Tosin Martins, Anny Ibrahim, Joan Paul, Aity Dennis-Inyang and Emem Ema.
Others are Gbenga Akintokun, Tee-Y Mix, Tim Tehilla, DJ Gosporella, Praise Machine, Victor Gospogroove, Princess, Perry Martins, DJ Direal and Chilee Agunanna, a journalist, who was Kefee’s publicist.
The committee will plan befitting burial events in Lagos and Sapele which includes a symposium and service of songs tagged: “An Evening with Kefee’’ in Lagos.
There will also be a documentary of the singer’s life and times; performances of her songs by other artists; Kefee memorial merchandise and a tribute concert in Sapele.
Kefee’s husband, Teddy Don-Momoh, monitored the proceedings of the meeting from the U.S. where he is preparing to fly home the body of his wife.
Don-Momoh pleaded for the privacy of the family to be respected in these trying times.
He observed that most of the stories written about Kefee since her death were mostly untrue, especially the reports “of a pregnancy that didn’t exist’’ and the story that her body had been flown home as very insensitive and mischievous.
Don-Momoh said that customarily, he would have to return home to Nigeria first, in order to be on ground to receive the body of his wife.
According to him, he is finalising the required paper works before Kefee’s body can be flown from the U.S. to Nigeria, after which more details of the burial proceedings will be released.
He stated that Kefee’s family had requested that she be buried in Okpara-Inland, Ethiope East Local Government Area, with a celebratory service in Sapele afterwards.
Don-Momoh said that he was comfortable with the decision of his wife’s family, adding that these were the only definite arrangements for his wife’s burial so far.
NAN reports that Kefee whose name was Irikefe Don-Momoh (nee Obareki), was a well-liked Pop-Gospel artist who had been active in the entertainment industry for the past 10 years.
She was born on Feb. 5, 1980 in Sapele in Delta and was popularly known as the “Branama Queen’’, in reference to her debut hit track and album, ‘Branama’.
She also scored a hit with the track, ‘Kokoroko’, featuring Timaya and had four albums to her credit, Branama’ (2003), ‘Branama 2’ (2005), ‘A Piece of Me’ (2009) and ‘Chorus Leader’ in 2013.
Meanwhile, a condolence register had been opened for the singer at her restaurant, Branama Kitchen, at 11 Ajose Street, Mende, Maryland, Lagos. (NAN)
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