For abandoning her mother and siblings while searching for
fame and fortune, fast rising rapper and winner of the maiden edition of Glo X
Factor, Obianuju Catherine Udeh aka DJ Switch, has begged for forgiveness. The
29-year-old Geology graduate of the University of Port Harcourt was declared winner
of the Globacom sponsored music reality TV show at the grand finale held in
Lagos and beamed to million of viewers across the continent yesterday. She beat
two other contestants, Ethel Eshun and Vicky Gomoti in the last round of voting
to win a whopping N24 million cash prize and a recording contract with Sony
Music.
In an exclusive interview with The Entertainer, the indigene
of Udi, Enugu State, said she felt bad for abandoning home for more than a year
while pursuing her music career and now that she has made it, she’s asking for
forgiveness. “I am sorry mum for being away from home for so long while in
search of glory. Now that I am back, I will take good care of you,” DJ Switch
declares in tears.
Switch likened herself to a prodigal son who got opportunities
but frittered them away. “I was like a prodigal son who had an opportunity in
the past but due to youthful exuberance I mismanaged the resources. Now, I am a
better person and more matured, I won’t disappoint my mum and my fans.”
The rapper whose single, Landing Safely, would be released
next week, vowed to continue working as long as she lives. “For me, it’s going
to be work, work and work,” she promised.
Journey to fame and fortune
However, before the announcement of the results, the expectation
of the audience, judges and contestants had built to a crescendo as everybody
waited anxiously to find out who the first X Factor winner in Africa would be.
The suspense was to last even longer as Glo ambassador from Ghana, Efya came on
stage for a wonderful performance that had the audience applauding rapturously.
After her performance, X Factor host, Toolz, turned to the
judges and sought to know how they felt about the night. Reggie was the first
to respond, saying: “I’m so excited that I brought my wife with me so we can
both be excited together. It’s been a beautiful journey; I can’t wait to see
who will walk away with the money.”
On his own part, the rapper popularly known as Mr.
Incredible (MI) says: “It’s been incredible. The crew; light guys, my fellow
judges and the contestants have all been wonderful.”
And when Toolz asked Onyeka who she thought would be the
winner that night, she answered with a smile: “I was so excited, I brought my
Bible along with me. At this stage, I think the last three contestants have all
won.”
Shortly afterwards, 2008 UK X Factor winner, delectable
Alexandra Burke, mounted the stage for a wonderful performance that drew a
resounding applause from the audience. The three finalists, DJ Switch, Eshun
and Vicky later joined Burke on stage to perform Hallelujah chorus.
Flavour came on stage next to thrill the audience with a
scintillating performance. The musician proved why he was a crowd favourite as
people rose to their feet to sing and dance along with him. After Flavour’s
performance, the contestants came out to sing the original songs they sang at
the audition stage. Vicky was the first to perform and she got a standing
ovation from the three judges.
“How did your daughter perform?” Toolz inquired of Onyeka.
“She has grown from a pupa to a butterfly. She sang with
confidence and inner joy. I had goose pimples just listening to her. I have no
doubt that she’ll make it. May God bless you,” Onyeka says.
To Reggie, Vicky just proved that “our work has not been in
vain.”
And MI said: “Wow, Vicky is just so amazing. You are
absolutely stunning. They way you’re radiating joy; don’t keep it to yourself,
please, share with the world.”
DJ Switch
DJ Switch came up next engendering a boisterous response
from the crowd with her performance of Jay Z’s Forever Young. Reacting to her
performance, MI said: “Switch, people scream when you perform because you
inspire us all. When you came for the audition, I felt you tried. I had already
made up my mind that you wouldn’t make it to my final three mentees, but you
changed my mind. Everybody here needs to know that no matter what people say
about you, it doesn’t matter as long as you fight.”
Reggie gushed: “DJ Switch, you are inspirational; you excite
me. My children love you; everybody loves you!”
And Onyeka opined thus: “Unlike the other judges, the moment
you stepped on stage, I knew you had it.”
Eshun was the next to perform, and she pulled out all the
stops as she shimmered in her green attire. “One of the best things on this
programme is that I got to mentor Vicky and Eshun. She is exquisite, beautiful,
gorgeous and talented. She walks onto the stage and lights it up. You have
something that is very special. No matter what happens here, you have me
permanently in your camp. You will take the world by storm!” Onyeka declared.
MI said: “You are a perfect example of what this show is all
about. You epitomize everything X Factor stands for. You’ve been one of my
favourites.”
Her Ghanaian countryman, Reggie, commented: “My story with
my sister is different. We come from the same place and people expect me to
give her a pass. It often seems as if I’m tough on you, but look at where you
stand now. You have done well!”
The climax
It was the moment everybody has been waiting for. It was the
moment when the result of the long drawn competition would be announced. As the
clock ticked away, the contestants held hands as they anticipated the results
that would change the life of one of them forever. Toolz invited the
representative from Alexandra Forbes onto the stage, lingered a bit and teased
the audience as she twirled the green envelope containing the results in her
hands.
“And the first winner of the Glo X Factor West Africa is… DJ
Switch!” Toolz announced as the crowd erupted in jubilation.
The first runner-up was Eshun and she got N1 million for her
efforts, while Vicky, the second runner-up, also got N1 million
Source: THE SUN
