Our Valley Santa Clarita July/August 2017 | Page 16

DIFFERENCE MAKER OUR VALLEY SANTA CLARITA MEAKU Award-Winning Songwriter, International Recording Artist, Producer and Humanitarian Chibuike Franklyn Omeaku, better known as Meaku, is a Nigerian-American award-winning songwriter, international recording artist, producer, model and humanitarian. He was raised in a very spiritual home, where he was taught unconditional love, family values, and the value of education. After a rough childhood in Inglewood, California, where his African culture was belittled, Meaku visited Africa for the first time as an eleven year old. “It was the scariest moment of my life,” he said. “There was chaos everywhere!” Returning to Inglewood, Meaku studied hard and worked hard and soon learned his God-given talent: music. He wrote songs, produced records and performed as a vocalist. But before being blessed he found himself cursed. Short of money and with no time to have a job (due to his music activities), Meaku fell in with the "wrong crowd" and was spiraling downhill fast. "And then God blessed me with a life changing event: the birth of my daughter, Symphony." After that, Meaku joined his mother in a 54 Day Novena where they prayed together sitting in the dark every night from midnight to 2:00AM for 54 days. He felt the closeness of his mother and the bond with God. He then visited Uganda. “I was expecting the Africa that I had visited as a boy and instead found the most inspiring things. There was warmth, passion and love all around. I was inspired to put all my feelings of that time into my music.” What does the future hold for Meaku? "I have a new video coming out called, Summer Love, and I want to continue doing performances. Perhaps I can do one in Santa Clarita." Meaku, my friend, I can arrange it. PAGE 16