Jude Nnam: A Unique Voice In The Catholic Liturgy

Dr. Jarlath Uche Opara
Jarlathuche@ gmail.com

A cat with nine lives. Irrepressible, bouncing back in ways and manner that defy human strength, power and might, finding expression only in divine help.

Passed through the thorns and harrowing experience of death, shattered but not crushed.

His voice could be the ace in his hole and his priceless contribution in making the liturgy solemn and beautiful the reason he still lives.
They call him Ancestor. Indeed he is, and truly shown in all dimension his ancestral heritage in what I have chosen to call “Music In Its Best Inspired Form”.

I met Jude Nnam some years ago at Cardinal John Onaiyekan’ office. I came to interview his Eminence. During the course of my waiting, Jude told me in a most engaging manner his life history. How he started his music carrier, what inspired him and the impact he made so far in the body of Christ. I guess that was about the time he won a customized Organ Piano from Yamaha in recognition of his musical ingenuity.

Truth be told, Jude Nnam has paid his dues in the body of Christ especially among Catholics. He is a voice so sweet, so smooth with an aphrodisiac substances that seduce mind and body into total submission to the flow of the Holy Spirit. The cadence of his voice and the kind of spiritual waves it comes with send souls to the nine cloud where fellowship with the Holy Spirit becomes inevitable

No Sunday Mass closes without Jude’ songs featuring prominently. His songs are unique, they are inspired, they lift burdens with a rhythmn and wordings that make one forget the woes of life ,creating an ambience of divine presence.

This is me celebrating you while alive. You deserve all the love from God and man. You deserve the second and third chances God gave you. You stood out in the music world, creating a niche for yourself and making the liturgy so sweet. At the rendering of your songs all dozing souls, sleeping eyes and drowsy mind come alive , singing and dancing your songs like angels in the heavenly choir.

I have at different platforms and fora advocated “Catholicization” of our praise and worship songs, a delibrate detour from “Pentecostalization” of songs, a style among Catholic singers.

As Jude Nnam bestride the liturgy with songs most sacred and inspired, can our chior members be delibrate and strategic in churning out inspired praise and worship songs that have the decency of Catholic sacred liturgy? 60% of songs sung during Masses have the signature of Jude Nnam. Can choir members begin to cause positive revolution in praise and worship without the continuous poaching of sometimes meaningless songs from the penticostals with no bibilical, moral, dogmatic and doctrinal rich messages?

Which of Jude’ songs that is less inspired? Kosisochukwu? Into your sanctuary?, Obi eze chukwu?, Thanksgiving amazing grace?, Take and sanctify? Olisa ?Somto chukwu? etc All of them are embriodered with the fine designs of divine inspiration. None could be fingered as meaningless with no deep message weaved around it. I have never seen where Jude Nnam’ songs are rendered and the congregants wether Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba etc remain indifferent. His songs have a way of provoking active participation in the liturgy just like Zumutamata does. Jude! if I have not said to you how a rare gift you are to your generation, you are !

More grace! You are removed from today from the attention of the prying eyes of the enemies on you and your household. You are secured in the blood of Jesus and in his bossom you have found rest profound.

I wouldn’t call him the Don Moen of Nigeria or compare him with other ingenious musical maestro of global impact. Nah! He is unique and a brand in his own class. He reflects nobody’ image , talents and inspirations. He is just Jude Nnam! De Ancestor!!

NB: *Let us learn to celebrate our own, our beloved, our finest, those that have left us with good memories while they are still strong and alive. In death, all the eulogies and commendations are but water off the back of the duck*