By Osagie Alonge
A Singer from Sapele is born
Irekefe ‘Kefee’ Obareki was born and bred in Sapele, Delta State where her family is still based. At the age of eight, she joined the children’s choir in her Church and that’s where her sojourn into the world of music began.
She studied Public Administration at the University of Benin, Edo State. Shortly after that, Kefee teamed with her singer friend Estee and they released an album called ‘TRIP’. The album was welcomed by many in Benin City, earned her some sort of recognition and a fan base.
All Hail the Branama Queen
Kefee made her official debut in 2003 with her first album ‘Branama’. The 10-track album churned out the singles ‘Branama’ and ‘Woruno’ which became instant hits across in the South-South and beyond, making her Nigeria’s most appealing Gospel artiste.
The album was released under her husband Alec Godwin’s record label Alec’s Music. Alec and Kefee’s synergy was amazing, he produced and worked on the videos and also gave A&R direction to her music. The album was so successful, the pair were released a follow up ‘Branama 2’ less than two years later.
Kefee the Women’s Rights Activist
Through her music, Kefee stood up for the Nigerian woman, preaching against gender inequality, abuse and other forms of female discrimination. She empowered the female folk with songs like ‘Kukuruku’ and ‘African woman’.
How Her First Marriage Packed Up and Music Hit a Pause
Just like a lot of female artiste/husband manager relationships, Kefee and Alec’s also sunk into troubled waters and never got out. Before walking out of her marriage to Alec Godwin, the gospel act seemed stuck with the success of her debut hit ‘Branama‘. Dozens of remixes after, she was still planning on further remixes, with no sure sign that she and her minders had any plans of moving beyond the ‘Branamania’.
Then in 2008, her marriage to Alec collapsed. With her marriage went her record deal and A&R direction. But for the first time in her career, Kefee was a free woman!
Her ratings however dipped and income dwindled. And with the label Alec’s Music not making things happen, Kefee’s career had reached an abrupt halt.
How Kefee Got Her Groove Back
Freedom does different things to different people, depending on how you use it. How did Kefee use hers? The singer stepped up her dress sense, recruited a new set of friends, revamped her social life, put the ‘Branama’ series behind her, pitched her tent with new producers and collaborators and got busy with her career like she was starting all over again.
The result? Kefee got her groove back! Back on top of the game, despite not having any proper label structure behind her. All it took was her 2008 deafening hit ‘Kokoroko’, produced by K-Solo off her‘A Piece of Me’ album. With a cameo from Timaya and a brilliant video shot by Wudi Awa, it took just one single to launch the singer back into the A-league. The singer got endorsed as a Niger-Delta campaign artiste and also became UN Peace Ambassador.
The success of ‘Kokororo’ was so huge; Kefee didn’t put out an album until four years later. She release a follow up album ‘Dan Maliyo’ which produced the single ‘No be Sapele water’ and the duet ‘Dan Maliyo’ with Ghanaian singer Becca.
Branama Kitchen
At the start of the year, Kefee set up her own restaurant called ‘Branama Kitchen’. On Sunday February 5, 2012 family and close friends including Gamaliel Onosode, turned out to celebrate the opening of the brand new restaurant
A shocking marriage!
In March 2012, Kefee surprised her fans and friends when she wedded TV/radio host, Teddy Don-Momoh. It came as a total shock to the public – they were no rumours, no pointers, nothing that tipped us! The couple tied the knot on Saturday, March 3, 2012 in Sapele, Delta State.
In Love Again
Those close to Kefee will tell you the lady was in love again. She was happy she had found love and she couldn’t hide it. She constantly talked about her man on social media, posting pictures of the couple in public display of affection.
Kefee’s unfinished project
Sources close to the singer tell us she planning to release her sixth solo album before she passed away. Kefee had recorded a number of songs already and even released the album’s first single ‘Make dem talk’.
‘She left her home in the US, travelled to Nigeria to record and wrap up her new album and was travelling back when the tragic incident occurred’, a close friend of the singer tells NET.
