PROFILE Singer, Songwriter, Recording Artiste and Music Minister Obiora Obiwon displayed a high affinity for music right from early childhood. Born Obiora Nwokolobia-Agu on the 9th June 1977, Obiora Obiwon started song writing and performing at age 15 on the streets and corners of the “Coal City” Enugu, Nigeria. In 2001 he graduated from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (U.N.N) where he studied Agricultural Extension, even while building recording and performance experiences within eastern Nigeria's university campuses and music circuit. After migrating to Lagos in 2002 for National Youth Service, initial attempts at a professional recording career merged him and friends in a HipHop group called Thorobreds. The group made appreciable impact winning Best Rap Group at the 2005 maiden edition of Nigeria’s prestigious music award show, The HipHop World Awards (now known as The Headies). Obiwon as he is fondly called made his solo debut in July 2006 with “Overture”. The pressures of a budding music career soon led him to resign from a banking job shortly afterwards. Overture won awards for ‘Best Male Vocal Performance’ at The HipHop World Awards 2007 (Headies) and ‘Voice of the Decade’ at the Nigerian Music Awards 2007. In July 2008 Obiwon revealed that he had undergone a spiritual experience and announced a transition into the Christian/Gospel genre. His artiste name ‘Obiwon’ was also rebranded to ‘Obiora Obiwon’ to enable him create a stronger and more distinct identity for his brand. In September 2009, Obiora Obiwon released his sophomore entitled The Rebirth, notable for singles such as ‘F.a.t.h.e.r’, ‘Birthday’, Victorious’ and ‘The Rebirth (Kene Gi)’. The album’s highlight and hit ballad Obi Mu O, inspired by his own plans for marriage then, went on to become one of the classic Nigerian wedding anthems. After the release of the ‘F.a.t.h.e.r 2.0’ single in 2012, Obiora Obiwon received his first award in the gospel genre as Best Crossover Act at the National Gospel Awards in February of 2013. In November 2013 Obiora Obiwon released his third album Gold Water, with notable singles ‘Testify’, ‘Pour Your Love’ and the urban gospel hit ‘Hail My King’ featuring popular Nigerian urban gospel acts. Gold Water was honoured at the Crystal Awards 2014, where Hail My King received the Best Collaboration award. In the same year, Gold Water also won four awards out of five nominations at the 4th Annual Nigerian Gospel Music Awards (NGMA). The NGMA winnings were in the following categories and for the following works: Best Collaboration Song for Hail My King, Best Soul/R&B Song for Good To Me, Worship Song of the Year for Pour Your Love and the Album of the Year. Obiora Obiwon’s long time producer and friend, Phat-E was also honoured with the NGMA Gospel Producer Of The Year award for his work on Gold Water. In 2015, Obiora Obiwon released a triplet of singles ‘Floodgates (The New Overflow)’, ‘God Of Wonders’ and ‘Bunibe’ announcing his 10th music career anniversary and an upcoming commemorative album. Music videos to buzzing singles Bunibe and Floodgates (The New Overflow) were released in February and March 2016 respectively to positive reviews, further increasing the anticipation on his forthcoming fourth full length album, already entitled Floodgates: The Beginning Of The New Overflow. Obiora Obiwon has featured in national and continental events such as the Celebrity Takes Two Television Dance Reality Show, The Kora Awards Launch Concert and The Stella Obasanjo Foundation Benefit Concert, Kanu Heart Foundation Music Project among others. International compilations – The Best of African Music One World One Love Edition and Seat 1-A: An International Music Experience – have also featured Obiora Obiwon while he has other Extended Play releases and collaborative works to his name. After an extraordinary musical transition, Obiora Obiwon continues to focus on inspiring, changing and impacting the lives of his audience worldwide. PERSONAL LIFE Obiora Obiwon married Nkechi Obioma Ezeife on the 22nd of October, 2011. The couple have a daughter Nmesioma, Michelle born September 4, 2012 and also a son Chimdalu, Michael born September 23, 2014. He also serves in his local church as a teen church teacher. Tw: @ObioraObiwon | IG: obioraobiwon | FB: Obiora Obiwon | YouTube: Obiora Obiwon | reverbnation.com/ObioraObiwon