The story of Caroline Sam, the gospel singer
popularly known as Maheeda, is pathetic but inspiring. She was raised as an
orphan who hit the street at a tender age of 13 to fend for herself during
which time she became a prostitutè. In fact, Maheeda could not ascertain her
real names because she was raised by foster
parents whose name she adopted.
Now, things have changed as Maheeda has turned her
life around and eventually became someone to reckon with in the music industry.
The light skinned and slim built mother of one
stormed the music scene about two years ago with a single, Oko Yapa that rocked
the airwaves. Indeed, Maheeda attracted attention not because her song was
extra-ordinary but because of the fact that she appeared weird so much that her
almost nude pictures were everywhere, and she was living big.
Recently, the ‘Naija Bad Girl’ as she’s used to be
called, turned a new creature by giving her life to Christ, which has made her
embrace gospel music as against the secular that shot her into the limelight.
TS Weekend engaged the talented singer in an interview
session and she opened up on a number of interesting issues that include her
experience as a prostitutè, her growing up as an orphan and her marriage to a
Whiteman. She also spoke extensively about the turning point of her life as
well as her music
career. Enjoy it:
What is happening to
Maheeda?
That depends on what you mean particularly.
Of course, it’s about what
you are known for, music?
Yeah, I got born again but I’m still a musician
and an entertainer. I have been working on my album and I will be shooting a video
soon. That’s it basically.
How many tracks are you
looking at and who are you working with on the new album?
I’m working on a good news album, which could also
be called, gospel music. I’m working on about 15 tracks and I’m working with
Black Jersey in Surulere, Lagos. Also, I’m working with Cupit in FESTAC; I’m
working with just two producers. We are looking at about two more tracks and we
hope to get through this month or early next
month.
Coming from a secular
music background, how easy is it to compose gospel tunes?
It’s actually easy, although, in the beginning, it
wasn’t because I was confused. There is this mentality that when you are born
again, you start
working on your outer appearance and not inner while it’s suppose to be inside
and then outside. I also started the same way like trying to change my looks
and the rest. So, it was indeed kind of difficult composing songs because I did
not have enough word of God in me but after then I had to relax for like a
year, going to church, listening to pastor Chris, teaching me and I’m still
learning so I have enough words to put in my songs, so now I’m ready.
Which of the pastor Chris
are you talking about and is it that this pastor attends to you personally from
the way you are talking?
I’m talking about Pastor Chris Oyakhilome. I have
never seen pastor Chris in person but he’s so real to me like the way we are
talking now.
You are still in the music
industry despite switching to gospel. What relationship do you have with
secular acts you used to mingle with?
We are still friends. I take the males like my
brother and the ladies as my sisters. The mothers know my story as an orphan so
they are my mum. I was confused before because I’m an orphan but now I have
realized that the Christian family is my family. I used to have boy friends, I
had like two or three, I used to be the ‘Naija Bad Girl’ but I changed it. I
did not push them aside, I pray for them always so they can see the light the
way I did. Initially, going to them was difficult because I was not strong but
now I go to them, we pray together and share the word.
Did you encounter a
particular incident that made you become a born again?
Honestly, it was the same words in the Bible, the
same ministration. It was just time because the words that I heard that
transformed me were the same words some other people heard. Although, at that
time, I was sick and all sorts of tests were conducted on me including HIV,
pregnancy and others, and the doctor said I was alright but I was still sick
and it was like my head was about to blow up. Later, I went to the church on a
weekday and I lied down at the altar and was talking to God that ‘you have
taken all my family already and now I am feeling like this’. I left and went to
look for my boyfriend but I was still not feeling fine. I was feeling that my
life was not normal, that I might die if I did not surrender my life to Christ.
And I kept getting the message that ‘you are neither hot nor cold’, I got the
message through phone and later in the church, so that was all and I became a
new creature.
How easy was it to leave
your usual ways?
I must tell you I did not have to pray about it. I
just developed the habit of reading my Bible regularly and all those things
just stopped without struggling: masturbation, boys getting attracted to me
etc. And I have not stopped reading my Bible. In fact, it has become a habit.
You were so daring,
posting almost nude pictures of yourself when you came into the industry and
people were talking about you. Some felt you must be a prostitutè. What would
you say to this?
Yeah, I was a prostitutè and I’m not ashamed to
say it. It’s past tense and we all have our past. The beauty of it is that if
Christ has done something in your life and you can’t say it, what is the need?
I think I went through all that so I can really speak out. I have been through
all that so I can speak, talk to the girls who are still into it and make
myself an example. Although, it’s not nice for people to hear and it’s not
something to be proud of but for the sake of those prostitutès outsides, I have
to say it.
Did you become an orphan
by loosing your parents or you never knew them?
I had my mum but she decided to leave me with a
neighbour before leaving the house, after seven years she came back and she
died, and that is all they know about me
What led you to music in
the first place and what made you think you can sing?
I have always loved singing and may be the India
films we used to watch as kids also formed part of the interest. I could
remember I used to sing when washing plates and doing stuffs and I always
wanted to do all that had to do with music and drama in primary school When I
was old enough to sponsor myself, I decided to do music, and later,
professionally.
You lost your mum, how did
you put yourself together?
The lady my mum left me with in our compound took
care of me through primary school. After that, I felt I was being maltreated so
I ran away. I think I ran away when I was 14 or so and I was surviving on my
own by doing house help, bar attendant, and of course, the club girl, so that
was how I survived.
What was your mission when
you decided to sing professionally?
I actually wanted money and fame but basically, I
felt I was nobody and I wanted to make somebody out of myself. I wanted people
to know about this orphan and probably make a voice to speak for the orphans.
The initial push and motive was good but frustration later set in, the
promotion, trying to come out, and so I started doing weird things, almost
getting naked on the Internet, looking for more attention to put me there
because money was not doing it for me anymore. My beauty was not doing it for
me any more and I was like may be I should go more crazy but I just wanted to
make somebody out of nobody.
Some say you changed your
way because you got married?
That is not true. My husband is white and you know
white people support their wives. My husband said he didn’t want to be involved
in my career and I should also keep his daughter out of it. I was actually
praying for it before he said it. My husband has been very supportive for
years; he took me to South Africa to shoot my first video. He has spent
millions on my career.
How long have you been
married and how many kids do you have together?
We have been married for about two years but
there’s no child yet. I had my daughter before I met him but he adopted my
daughter.
How did you both meet and
what is keeping you from having children for him?
I met him in Port Harcourt eleven years ago; we
have been together before my music. We are waiting on the Lord for children.
As an orphan who has seen
both sides of life, what has this made of you?
It makes me strong. It makes me feel blessed.
Instead of me thinking of being an orphan and be angry, it makes me feel I’m
blessed, I’m experienced because I feel God kind of prepared me to liberate
people so, I’m blessed and I thank God for giving me a voice and making me a
source of inspiration to some.
How true is it that White
men stick to Nigerian women because they are good in bed irrespective of their
ways of life?
It sounds true because devil likes to bring his
truth from the real truth. After becoming a born again, in my vision, I
realized that the white are not as strong as we are spiritually. And God made
me understand He’s taking us to them to change them. Over there, you are free
to do whatever you like but there is a reason why God is joining these two
together. But of course, devil has turned everything to sèx. If a woman is
beautiful, well curved, yes, we are sèxy and of course, there is something that
makes the man to succumb to the woman even when he’s angry, so that is not far
from the truth.
What was your first
experience as a prostitutè like?
It was strange, even though I can’t really
remember (laughs). What I can remember is that it was strange. I was very young
but I had to do it. It was scary I think.
At what point did you
decide to stop prostitution and what made you stop?
That’s actually a very good question because even
after getting married I still have this urge of going out to meet a man. But I
felt it should not be so. I’m trying to let people know there is a spirit
behind prostitution, if not, why after getting married, I have everything, I
live in Lekki, I’m driving a very big car and my husband gives me whatever I
want, so why would I still feel like going into prostitution? There is a spirit
behind it. I continued prostitution even after getting married. The only thing
that changed me was being born again and being delivered.
That means you kept long
list of men while you were doing secular music?
Yeah. I was so bad that if I had this boy friend
and he messed up I just moved to the next one. That was basically why I did the
track, Oko Yapa (husbands are numerous). They were not given me money so if you
messed up I moved to the next because there were many of them.
It means you have a very
high libido that if this guy is not getting it right you try the next
one?
(Laughter) Oh my God. Is that the truth? No
o! I think I was just bad that I used to judge them at every slight mistake. I
was bad that if I was with my boyfriend and I saw a fine boy, I would still
make passes at him. The devil makes us think it’s in our nature but its not so.
Did you at anytime have
crush on any guy in the entertainment industry?
Crush, crush…wait o, I have to be very sure.
It should be so but I can’t remember.
May be Tuface?
No, I did not have crush on Tuface. I respect
Tuface, I like him so much and I respect him a lot. I’m sorry if all Nigerian
male artistes are reading this.
Did you date any?
I dated some but I don’t think they would want me
to say it. It’s of no use because there are better things to talk about now.
People think there is no
much money in gospel music. What is your reaction?
That is what you think, you think there is no much
money in gospel music but I am there and I can tell you there is so much money.
I think gospel artistes don’t just brag, it’s the secular ones who come to the
television to show stuffs which is not bad but the gospel musicians don’t feel
like showing off. But believe me they are making money.
Tell us about your
background?
I was told my father was from Edo State and my
mother, Igbo. My mum named me Caroline but Sam, which is my surname, is the
name of my guardian who my mother left me with
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