Omawumi bounced into the limelight as an Idols West Africa contestant in 2007, and the lively entertainer has not looked back since. Nearly 10 years later, the 34-year old singer shows no signs of slowing down. Of course she’s far from perfect – everyone has their flaws – but here are 6 absolutely lovable things about her:
- She’s down to earth: Omawumi is someone who doesn’t have time for airs. She carries herself with dignity but refuses to add conceit to the mix. She’s as comfortable speaking English as she is speaking her Delta dialect of Nigerian Pidgin, or her native tongue, Itsekiri. When she did not win, she didn’t pretend not to feel pain, but at the same time, she admitted that she had prayed if she didn’t win, then Timi Dakolo should, and she was happy for him. When it was time to dig into hot banga soup, she yanked off her wig in her music video! She’s real.
- Her voice is amazing: Nobody performs like Omawumi; she is enormously talented. No other contestant on Idols West Africa moved across as many genres and styles as she did. Who can forget the powerful voice that totally blew us away singing Onyeka Onwenu’s “Ekwe”? She did not emerge first runner-up for nothing! According to Idols’ judge Dede Mabiaku, Omawumi was at the time the only female to have performed a reggae number, and she killed it. We got a feel of her reggae vibe last year when she covered Adele’s “Hello”. Her voice simply leaves you wanting more.
- She’s hardworking: Omawumi is totally a “do something” person; she has said herself that as soon as she was announced first runner-up, she got to work making connections and building relationships, striking the iron while it was hot. It certainly has paid off. A devoted wife and mother, she has a degree in law from Ambrose Alli University, studied French at Alliance Francaise, and has two solid albums to her name, with hits like “In the Music”, “If You Ask Me, and “Personal Race”, not to mention acting roles in Inale, The Return of Jenifa, House of Gold and Make a Move.
- She’s confident: This is another quality that endears her to her fans. She started out as a timid but gifted singer during the Idols auditions, only to wow the judges, audience and viewers at home with her energy and spunk, transforming into a diva and working the stage like she owned it. That star quality is why her fans just love seeing Omawumi perform live. In her own words, “I no resemble anybody; nobody fit be Omawumi!”
- She has a great sense of humour: Omawumi has the natural humour that Waffarians are known for, and this comes out in her songs and videos. Her music video, “If You Ask Me”, was not only fun to listen to but also fun to watch, despite dealing with a very sensitive and sobering social issue. “Bottom Belle” had many Nigerians chuckling, and there probably wasn’t any Nigerian who was content to watch the “Megbele” video just once. Her sense of humour is magnetic.
- She doesn’t take nonsense: When it’s time to play, Omawumi is totally game. However, anyone who thinks they can take her for a ride because of her jovial nature has got another think coming. Try to insult her and she will shut you down so fast it’ll make your head spin. Do you mean Omawumi well? If not, please stay away.
We believe greater things are on the way for Omawumi, and wish her all the best.
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