As the Hymnodia reality TV show hots up, one of the best hymntestants (contestants), Kenneth Ekhuemelo, has failed to maintain his presence in the frontline positions, even as the top two outstanding performers of stanza 7 have emerged.
Ekhuemelo, who was one of the top two performers in stanza 6, has been maintaining a great showing in the contest thus far with his singing. The bass singer, who exhibited confidence in his appearance, stagecraft and composure, rendered the self-composed hymn, Have Mercy on Me, inspired by Psalm 51.
Replacing Ekhuemelo in the top two for the stanza was the broad-ranging soprano, Rachael Darley for her sterling composition entitled, Amen while the consistent Olumide Dada ‘the baritone singer’, retained his top two place for his composition, Heal Me Lord.
The judges on stanza 7 were Onyeka Onwenu, Dupe Ige Kachi aka Ige Sings, and Sunday Olawuwo. As usual, Benneth Ogbeiwi, Dean of the Hymnstitute, joined them.
Other performances at the stanza 7 show were Mobolanle Oladimeji, Jemine Edukugho, Juliet Nwabia, Uduakobong Akpan, Blessing Agu and Abigael Nnadi.
Olawuwo, while commenting on Nnadi’s performance with the hymn, When I Stand before Your Throne, said: “I commend you, especially your backup for holding forth for you.”
Ige praised her as the last hymntestant performing on the night for the beautiful way she ended the hymn, while Onwenu said the performance was very impressive.
Commenting generally on stanza 7 performances, the judges commended all the Hymntestants for their display of talents that led to wonderful hymns writing and rendition.
According to the judges, their hymns severally captured the essence of each relevant scripture including the spirit of the Lenten period and Christ’s suffering on the cross.
This was further reinforced when the Dean of the Hymnstitute announced that there would be no probation for the week, to palpable relief and applause of the hymntestants and their fans.