Peter Otulu left behind legacy that will outlive us – Son, Inalegwu

On 22nd of January 2019, the Idoma community lost one of its greatest. A psalmist, teacher and a preacher of the gospel through music, Evangelist Peter Owoicho Otulu.
Until his death, he had 91 studio albums and over a thousand songs to his credit – a legend.

He also trained many gospel music ministers who are currently propagating the gospel of the kingdom through music.

His ability to tell stories from the bible from chapter to chapter and verse to verse is unmatched.
Legends they say don’t die. They live forever.

Recently, his son, Inalegwu was in IDOMA VOICE office and he opens up on life without Otulu.
Excerpts.

How has life been since the death of your dad, Evangelist Peter Otulu?
I want to start by saying that a life without Daddy; Peter Owiocho Otulu has not been easy at all because having him as a father is one of the greatest Joys I have ever had.

Ever since his demise, it has not been easy for both to the family and even with the ministry he left behind.

They are a lot of Idoma gospel artistes that cannot even write a song of their own ever since the demise of Daddy.

They have been singing just his songs and that alone has not been going well.
But I thank God that at least we have a few of them that are picking up from he (Otulu) stopped.

What would you say you missed about him?
I miss a whole lot. Daddy Peter Owiocho Otulu was a gift not only to the family of Peter Otulu but to the Idoma nation at large.

When Daddy was alive, at times they are things that are so difficult to me when it comes to Bible because I’m a Bible student when it comes to Bible I have to call him and he will just put me through without making any research or whatsoever.

Daddy was a teacher, a motivator. He has done a whole lot in my life, so I miss him so much.
He was a free-minded person. Growing up with him, I have never witnessed were they said Peter Otulu had a farm or has a business of his own.

He was the only son out of 5 wives his father had. My father’s birth was mysterious because his mother gave birth to him after 11 months. So after that, his father tried to spoil him.

He didn’t allow him to go to the farm, he didn’t allow him to do anything of his own.
Basically, it was the Grace of God that came upon his life.
Then, he was only working as a Medical Recorder in Benue State Government and after that he resigned to start the ministry.
My daddy never had anything like business, it was only the music ministry he capitalized On.

Which of your daddy’s songs is your favourite?
Actually, I can’t say but they are songs that I love so much, starting from Opechi. I love Opechi so much not just because it was called Opechi but it was a song that changed destroyed the yoke of idolatry in Idoma land.
It is one of the songs that broke many records when it comes to his legacies.

I love another song called Okwu’Lohi’game. Reason is because Daddy was going through a whole lot and people where talking much about him.

There were saying Peter Otulu this, Peter Otulu that, they heard about what the devil was trying to bring up then he came up with that song “Okwu’Lohi’game” (It is well with me) and he was able to break whatsoever yoke that devil was bringing upon him, so which is the reason while I love that song, those two songs.

How many songs did you father have before his demise?
I can’t really count, he has a whole lot of songs, as a matter of fact, the ones he recorded are only the ones we can count.

There are songs that Daddy wrote down that he didn’t record them in the studio before he died, so we have those songs on ground and even if we intend to sing those songs, till generations to come, we won’t exhaust them.

Your recent anniversary in his honour, how did it go?
Actually, we wanted to do the first remembrance, but then, we were having challenge in Nigeria as a whole.

It was during the pandemic, so we couldn’t due to the nationwide lockdown.
Then, this particular one we just did was very massive, although we tried to keep it as a secret and which is why we didn’t expose it on time but it was later that people get to know about remembrance but the turnout was very much and there was a whole lot of gospel artistes there, so I think it was great.

Who among your siblings took after your dad?
Well, like I said earlier, Daddy was a preacher, he was a teacher but people only know him as a music minister.

So, in my family, Daddy has trained us to become gospel music minister, to become preachers, and to become prophets. So, in my family, I think we have pastors, we have prophets, and also have singers, unlike me I’m an Evangelist, I sing, although I do more of gospel songs in English but I still know where I came from and still sing Idoma songs very well.

So I think all us, we are six in number and currently, about four of us are doing it very well in this field.
If you ask me, I think we are born to sing and preach.

What are your plan for the legacy he left behind?
Unlike the remembrance, I said earlier, we actually have a target, some plans we were making during the remembrance but we couldn’t meet up because of paucity of funds.
Actually, we were trying to see if we going to come up with a charity concert to help reach out to widows and the less-privileged.

At least, they can benefit from the legacy that Peter Otulu left behind and which was our plan initially but we couldn’t meet up to target and we trusting God that we will do more of it next year. Another thing is the studio, we are looking out for recording and marketing studio that is going to be like a foundation, that other local Idoma gospel singers can come and record and then we will make it like easier for them.

When you come there, if you need them to teach you about Idoma songs, you will get people to teach you, if you need to write in Idoma language, you will get people to teach you, so that you will be flowing when it comes to trying to compose songs in Idoma language.

So, these are our project we are looking out for and actually we looking for sponsors and we are trusting God that very soon, God is going to provide a good-minded person that will be able to sponsor this whole projects.

Why didn’t you das feature Tuface Idibia or Chris Morgan as wished before his death?
A whole lot of people have been asking the same question. Yes, Daddy told me that he would have loved to duet Tuface Idibia or Chris Morgan be he couldn’t fulfil this dream before going home.

Well, inasmuch as the father did not do it, the son can still fulfil the dream. I’m actually looking out for time where I’m going to feature Chris Morgan or 2face with maybe in one of Daddy’s old hit tracks, so that his dream would be fulfilled even in his grave.

What message do you have for our people our there especially fans of Evangelist Peter Otulu?
Before, then I will love to say this, In Idoma land, a lot of people have been saying that after Daddy’s death, they no longer listen to any other person’s songs again.

They don’t feel like listening to Idoma songs again that Idoma local gospel music has ended. And I will love to say this with all humility, after Daddy’s death, people are still singing, remember after Elijah there was Elisha.

A lot people have been saying that Peter Otulu was not celebrated like other veterans from other tribes.

I will like to say this, Daddy was gifted not to collect money, not just because of business, he was gifted to bless people.

I can remember vividly a lot of people have been calling, someone even told me that Daddy’s songs was the reason for his repentance and he has touched many lives positively.

So, I will love to say this, even during his lifetime, he doesn’t charge whenever he wants to go for event or outing. You will give whatever you want to give him and he will just tell you okay! it’s fine, it’s fine with me and he was just come.

You can imagine Peter Otulu, people call him for occasion and then give him N30,000 naira or even N20,000 Naira, Daddy will still deliver.

Which is why I’m saying this, please let’s help build the Idoma music industry, we don’t have money now, if you see the industry, you will check out there are a lot of Idoma artistes, they don’t have business of their own, they are not working, so they live on this particular music.

If you don’t help them to come through, how are they going make it? So, let’s help support the music industry, the Idoma music industry.

I mean both the local and the English Idoma music gospel music minister.

My last message to everyone out there who loves Peter Otulu, Daddy has lived his life and he has gone and now what are you left for?

What can you tell your generations to come? Peter Otulu is ‘immortal’ today because of the positive life that he lived on earth so please make a change and God will bless you.