Switching careers is not a new thing in the entertainment industry, and Akunna Okechukwu joins the extensive list of lawyers chasing their dreams of fame.
Akunna Okechukwu is a 23-year old entertainment and intellectual property lawyer based in Lagos. Akunna’s flair for music started as a young child growing up in a musically-inclined family – her elder sister is an artiste, and her brother sings. This love for music rubbed off on her as she actively participated in the children’s choir both in church and school.
When Akunna joined the choir at age six, she didn’t know that her journey would eventually lead her to Nigerian Idol to share her talent with the world. Her Nigerian Idol journey is worthy of note. She joined thousands of hopefuls who sent in their online admissions for the competition. Making the selection cut was already a miracle in itself, but Akunna went on to display skill and talent that earned her a Golden Ticket with unanimous ‘Yes’ from the judges. Even when she lost her voice during the theatre week, she still delivered a spectacular performance of Simi’s Joromi that secured her a spot in the final 11.
Akunna won’t be the first lawyer to leave their powdered wigs for a microphone. Rapper Folarin ‘Falz’ Falana studied law at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom. Although he practised law for a while, he couldn’t deny the pull of his passion and switched over to music. Award-winning singer Omawumi and renowned rapper Sasha P are other entertainers who left the law courts for music.
Akunna hopes to show people that you can be in the professional world and still chase your dreams. ‘I want the world to see me and be inspired,’ she said. ‘I want to be a motivation to professionals. I know I have the talent, and I want the whole world to see that there is this side of me.’
Well, Akunna, alongside the other ten finalists, will begin the battle to become the next Nigerian Idol.
Nigerian Idol live shows begin on Sunday, May 9 on Africa Magic Showcase (DStv ch 151) and Africa Magic Urban (DStv ch 153), and Africa Magic Family (DStv ch 154 & GOtv ch 2) from 7 pm. Nigerian Idol season 6 is sponsored by Bigi Drinks and Tecno Mobile.
The show is available to customers on DStv Premium, Compact Plus, Compact, Confam, Yanga, and GOtv Max and Jolli. Visit www.dstvafrica.com or www.gotvafrica.com and download MyDStv or MyGOtv Apps to pay your subscription or switch your package.
For more information, visit www.africamagic.tv/nigerianidol. You can also follow the official Nigerian Idol social media pages for news and updates with the hashtag #NigerianIdol on Twitter @nigerianidol, Instagram @nigerianidol, and Facebook.
