Mr. Emmanuel Ohalete aka Prophet Haliman (The Ote nkwu 1 of Africa), who has been seen in most recent events in Imo State with his customary palm wine tapper outfit has mostly been mistaken for someone who doesn’t know what he is doing, especially by those who has never seen him on stage, but the Izombe Oguta Local Government Area born singer finally got a chemo shot at the Nze Dan Orji Memorial Concert which took place on Saturday, October 1, 2016 at the Bongo Square Owerri, Imo State.
Speaking to Prophet Heliman after his performance, the singer said that his outfit is just about the promotion of African Culture and he has never felt out of place in any event. He maintained that he is only being unique and has never been waved to the sides by anyone adding that his outfit makes him special and not stupid.
“I am unique and the only one who dresses like me. Palm wine inspired my outfit and it is just one of the numerous products of palm. I have also done a song on it titled ‘Tombo Liquor’, which is being played on air. I am a unique personality and so have nothing to worry about in public because my outfit is part of my arts. People respect it and I always get that special place where I belong.
“My music has taken me to Ghana, South Africa, Cotonou and I have also attended several events by Ohaneze Ndi Igbo, where I was also one of the leaders in Lagos State where I used to reside” he said.
Even though he has never been relegated to the sides, Ote Nkwu 1 of Africa revealed that foreigners accept him more, recalling his performances at the French Cultural Embassy and World Music Day in 2004.
He revealed he is a versatile artiste who can do pop, reggae, bongo, highlife and any other kind of music he would want to venture into, citing ‘Na them, na them;, ‘Gold in a dumped refuse’, ‘Beware of dogs when you go to big man’s house’, ‘mee m ihe nka’, ‘Dead body rise and talk’, ‘Igbo Kwenu, kwerekwa na nke bu n’ezi’, ‘I before others’ amongst others as one of his tracks.
