Resonating Hope: An Exclusive Interview with Pastor Charles Achonwa on His Inspirational New Album, “Happy Easter”

1. Your ministry has had a significant impact on training and empowering individuals for service in various capacities. How does “Happy Easter” reflect your vision of motivating and mobilizing servants for God?

A1

Thank you very much.

The basic thing about the songs in the album Happy Easter is that they are melodic messages, teaching the doctrine of Easter in melodic ways so that as people listen to them, they are motivated.

As they listen to those messages, they are stirred up in their spirits.

So as they are stirred up in their spirits, they are enabled to obey and serve God better.

• In your extensive travels and interactions with diverse cultures, how do you ensure that the messages in your music, especially in “Happy Easter,” are accessible and relatable to people from different backgrounds?

A2

There are two main things that I aimed at to make them accessible and relatable.

Number one, I tried to simplify the lyrics and also made sure that I repeated the more important things.

Then, number two, I tried to make sure the instrumentation was not too complicated.

When the instrumentation is simple, then almost anybody from any culture can relate to it.

So it’s the lyrics and the instrumentation played in such a way that it could be accessible to anybody from any culture.

Thank you.

• Easter is a time of both celebration and reflection on the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ. How does “Happy Easter” balance these themes to create a meaningful listening experience for your audience?

A3

I think the first answer I give is relevant.

The lyrics are meditative, and the melody is sweet.

So the celebrative perspectives are attached to the melody and then the reflective perspectives are attached to the lyrics.

So in combining the two, we’ll find out that one can balance it concerning Easter.

So happy Easter is something good to listen to during this season.

It will make you celebrate.

It will make you also deliberate.

• Your songwriting career spans decades, and you’ve released a substantial number of albums. What keeps you inspired and motivated to continue creating music, particularly albums like “Happy Easter,” at this stage of your career?

A4

The thing with music and my writing songs is that it’s as if it’s chasing me rather than my being the one chasing it. The inspiration just comes.

I obeyed the inspiration so that sometimes in a day I could write 40 songs.

All I have done is to know when the inspiration is there and obey the inspiration.

For instance, during my 70^th birthday, I released 70 songs out of over 300 songs that I had written and recorded.

So it is the inspiration that does the work.

The key thing I do is to keep myself in the state of being inspired. 

That is my commitment to God, my prayer life, my Bible study, and then making sure that I keep my mind free. I forgive people. 

And then I’m not holding grudges or bitterness against anyone because these things obstruct inspiration. 

So I remove the things that obstruct inspiration and allow the things that facilitate inspiration.

So as I do this, the songs just follow me.

Like, I have over 2000 songs that are not yet recorded that I have played and not less than 500 that people, some good musicians have already played For me, it’s now for us to perfect them.

Thank you.

• Collaboration often plays a significant role in music production. Did you collaborate with any other artists or musicians on “Happy Easter”? If so, how did these collaborations enhance the album’s message and impact?

A5

Collaboration has various levels. I have not yet gotten to where I have a full collaboration with others but of course. 

I have someone like Joseph Ojaz who won a national award as best engineer, who did the engineering for me and the production.

I have someone like Brother Dennis, who came from Port-Hcourt.

They helped me to make sure the songs sound good.

Then I have someone like sister Joy, who is a real national figure in voicing.

So these people helped me to try to criticize the songs.

My wife, and then our staff. 

Then my children. My seven children are all strongly musically inclined. So they all contributed in one way or the other.

So many people have contributed to the songs and have made them better than the very first way I wrote the songs.

So that is the extent of my collaboration. In the future, I may have other gospel song ministers sing with me.

• As a trainer and mentor, you’ve impacted countless individuals and organizations. How do you see “Happy Easter” contributing to the spiritual growth and development of your audience beyond just entertainment?

A6

 That again leans on the lyrics, see, the word of God is eternal, and since much of the lyrics of Happy Easter has got to do with the word of God, I tried to be sure I wasn’t taking all my time telling stories but repeating, emphasizing things that are in the scripture. So as people listen to the words they are edified and I believe that some of the people will follow that example and also write songs that are based on the scriptures so in that way, the impact will extend to other people and through other people.

• The Easter season holds profound significance for Christians worldwide. How do you hope “Happy Easter” will resonate with listeners, whether they are longtime followers of your music or encountering it for the first time?

A7

Music is a universal language, especially when it is made simple and sweet. Music has to be sweet, it has to be melodious. We tried our best to make Happy Easter simple and sweet. So that anybody who listens to it for the first time feels like hearing it again and we are expecting many referrers, you know, people will play them and say “Have you listened to Happy Easter By Charles Achonwa? It really touched me or I really enjoyed it when I listened to it.

So, I think it’s the sweetness, the simplicity, and our decision not to make it too lengthy.  With these factors, I believe it will help many people, edify them, and make them enjoy themselves and enjoy God as they listen to Happy Easter.

• Looking ahead, what other projects or initiatives are you excited to pursue following the release of “Happy Easter”? How do you see your music evolving in the future?

A8

Because of the way God has granted me grace with inspiration and the flow of the music.

I will write on themes.

I already have another ten songs waiting as a second album following Happy Easter.

That is already recorded and mixed.

Then I have about seven other songs recorded, not yet mixed on Easter,

Then Christmas I have like three albums waiting.

Then I have some on praise, some on worship, and I will likely handle songs on Holy Communion.

So I look forward to the future when, if people have a theme, they will come to my group of songs to find if they can find songs on that theme.

Then I can group songs like High Life, country…

But I want to focus on themes, themes with varieties of genres so that I can write more.

On The Holy Communion,  The Resurrection, The Crucifixion (Good Friday), and The Triumphant Entry if I feel they are relevant and powerful enough.

So I want to write on themes, that’s the general idea that I have.

On my style of music.

I will likely remain within the boundaries of the ones I have, maybe change one or two styles, mainly high life, country, a bit of jazz, and a bit of calypso-like songs.

They are the main styles that I play.

So I’ll focus on them.

Ultimately, I see myself writing not less than 10,000 songs.

That’s my ambition. 

Thank you.

• In the current global context, where many are facing challenges and uncertainties, how do you believe the messages of hope and renewal in “Happy Easter” can offer solace and inspiration to listeners?

A9

God who raised Jesus from the dead can work any miracle because raising someone from the dead is the ultimate of miracles and He did not just raise Jesus from the dead, He took Him up physically to heaven while there were about 500 people who were gathered there. He took him up physically. So, God is the God of miracles, as people listen to how the triumphant entry, the crucifixion, and the resurrection and are encouraged to tell it to the world. They will be encouraged to focus on God rather than their difficult circumstances

1. Finally, what message would you like to share with your fans and supporters as they engage with “Happy Easter” and your ministry as a whole?

A10

I wish all of you a Happy Easter.

I wish you the power that raised Jesus from the dead, working in your families, working in your finances, working in your health, working in your ministries, working in your academics.

The power of Easter is the power of the resurrection.

That resurrection power will work for you and help you.

And remember, the best way this power works for you is for you to surrender your life completely to Jesus Christ.

So as you listen to Happy Easter, surrender your life completely to Jesus Christ and the power that raised Jesus from the dead will help you.

We heal you, we promote you, will enlarge your coast, and make you really great. God bless you real good and HAPPY EASTER to you, your families, and your love once, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.