G R I E V I N G W I T H H O P E

Olayemi Afees Akanni has a strong Muslim background so the possibility of being immersed in music was quite slim, his background in music is one from learning lots of songs by listening to the radio. The radio and his school assembly ground was a major influence in his music life, then when he eventually went to church.

He shared how he felt cheated being the last born of the family for over 10 years until he was displaced😅, he always felt unloved because he wasn’t pampered. He started having thoughts of death in such moments, he’d somehow begin to hum a tune when those thoughts surged in, it helped him bounce back from such state.
He didn’t understand how music was helping him walk through dark questioning seasons until he got into the Tertiary institution.

In His words ‘I used to fear calls from home’, things weren’t okay at home and he tried to avoid receiving calls except if it came from his Father and this was because he knew that his Father had the ability to manage conveying a critical situation in speech.

His sister and Father were challenged health wise, His father had issues at work and his sister’s marriage was close to falling apart. Everything came falling like a pack of cards, he had to skip tests, was thinking of committing suicide at the thought of everything happening but thankfully he didn’t.

It was first his elder sister who died on New Year’s day and it felt like everything came crashing, he was numb and just couldn’t understand what was happening. You’d think that was just it, his father was ill and his leg was about to be amputated, his father didn’t want it, he backed his Father who once carried him, such painful sight to behold and that was the last he saw him. He died!
Olayemi had to walk through the season of losing two loved ones, he grieved with hope with music that reassured him and made him see the bigger picture.

He also shared with us how Songwriting helped him through tough seasons.

I think his story is one worth listening especially if you are walking through grief. Kindly click the link below to listen 👇👇

https://anchor.fm/mercy-kay/episodes/G-R-I-E-V-I-N-G-W-I-T-H-H-O-P-E-ek17qf

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