Sammie Okposo, one of Nigeria’s best gospel singers is dead. What is your message to his wife?
That was the question Saturday Sun asked some pupils of Crestgate Nursery and Primary School, Ishashi, Lagos. Find below some of their responses:
What’s your name?
My name is Saka Oluwaferanmi
How old are you?
I am six years old.
What class are you?
Grade One
Who is Sammie Okposo?
He is a gospel musician
Which of his songs do you remember?
“My God is good”.
How did you know about him?
My parents listen to his music.
Do you know that he is dead?
Yes.
How did you know?
My father told me.
What does it mean to die?
When someone is not breathing anymore.
Have you seen someone die before?
Yes.
Where?
In our school
How did you feel when someone died?
I felt unhappy.
Do you know that Sammie Okposo’s wife feels the same way right now?
Yes.
What would you like to say to her?
Sorry, don’t cry. God will be with you.
What’s your name?
My name is Simeon Jewel.
How old are you?
I am six years old.
What class are you?
I am in Grade One.
Who is Sammie Okposo?
He is a musician.
What kind of musician, secular or church?
Church.
Which of his songs do you remember?
His song I remember is, ‘Comot Body’.
Do you know that he is dead?
Yes.
How did you know?
I heard people talking about it.
How did you come to know about him?
We usually play his music in our house.
What does it mean to die?
When a person is no longer alive.
How do people die?
People die when they fall sick.
What would you like to say to his wife?
Take heart!
What’s your name?
My name is Ini-Esu Alvin.
How old are you?
I am five years old.
What class are you?
I am in Nursery Two.
Who is Sammie Okposo?
He is a singer
Which of his song do you remember?
One of his songs I remember is “Oluwa Ni Tori”.
How did you know about him?
We play and dance to his music.
Do you know that he is dead?
Yes.
How did you know?
I saw it on TV.
What does it mean to die?
When someone is not talking and singing anymore.
Have you seen someone die before?
Yes.
Where?
In our church.
How did you feel?
I felt sad when I saw people crying.
Do you know that Sammie Okposo wife feels the same way right now?
Yes.
What would you like to say to her?
Don’t cry. God will be with you.
What’s your name?
My name is Chidiebere Miracle.
How old are you?
I am four years old
What class are you?
Nursery One.
Who is Sammie Okposo?
A musician,
Secular or church?
Church.
Which of his songs do you remember?
“God is good”
How did you come to know about him?
He sings and dances in the video.
Do you know that he is dead?
No.
Now that you know, how does someone die?
By sleeping and refusing to wake up.
Have you seen someone die before?
Yes.
Where?
(Silence)
How did you feel?
I felt unhappy.
Do you know that Sammie Okposo’s wife feels the same way right now?
Yes.
What would you like to say to her?
(Waves her right hand and says) Clean your eyes, don’t cry.
What’s your name?
Umeokwonna Francis.
How old are you?
I am six years old.
What class are you?
I am in Grade 1.
Who is Sammie Okposo?
He is a gospel singer.
How did you come to know him?
He dances fast, fast and sings in Pidgin English. My mum listens to his music.
Do you know that he is dead?
Yes.
How did you know?
I overheard my mum shouting and talking about it.
What does it mean to die?
To go and not come back.
Have you seen someone die before?
Yes.
Where?
In our compound
How did you feel?
I was not happy.
Do you know that Sammie Okposo wife feels the same way right now?
Yes.
What would you like say to her?
Sorry for what happened; it is not your fault.
What’s your name?
My name is Omaji Charitable
How old are you?
I am five years old.
What class are you?
I am in Nursery Two
Who is Sammie Okposo?
He is a musician.
Which of his songs do you remember?
(Tries to remember but couldn’t)
Do you know that he is dead?
No.
What else do you know about him?
We have his songs in our house and my parents listen to them.
What does it mean to die?
When someone can no longer talk, eat and open his eyes.
Have you seen someone die before?
Yes.
Where?
Someone living on our street.
How did that make you feel?
I felt sad because he is someone that I know.
Do you know that Sammie Okposo’s wife feels the same way right now?
Yes.
What would you like to say to her?
Sorry Ma. Take heart!
What’s your name?
Obi Vianney.
How old are you?
I am five years old.
What class are you?
Nursery Two.
Who is Sammie Okposo?
Singer.
Which of his songs do you remember?
‘Comot’
How did you come to know about him?
Through my mum; she listens to and sings his songs a lot.
Do you know that he is dead?
Yes.
How did you know?
My mum told me.
What does it mean for someone to die?
The person will not breathe again.
Have you seen someone die before?
Yes.
Where?
On TV.
How did that make you feel?
I was not happy with the person that killed him.
Do you know that Sammie Okopso wife feels the same way right now?
Yes.
What would you like to say her?
Don’t cry anymore.
What’s your name?
My name is Onyia Ozioma.
How old are you?
I am three years old.
What class are you?
I am in K.G. 1 .
Do you know Sammie Okposo?
No.
Ok, he is a Nigerian gospel music singer.
Which of his songs do you remember?
(No answer)
Do you know that he is dead?
No.
What does it mean to die?
When someone can’t talk, eat or breathe.
Have you seen someone die before?
No.
Now that Sammie Okposo cannot do any of those things that you said a dead person cannot do, what would you like to say to his wife?
Sorry, mummy.