By Rita Okoye
Out in Los Angeles, which is easily the entertainment capital of the United States, the dedication of Nigerian-born artiste, Ponmile Eldorado, in spreading the gospel through music is greatly paying off as she is showing off her mettle and wisdom in managing her career and business enterprises.
In this interview, Ponmile, a worship leader, talks about her musical journey, inspirations, and exciting plans for the future.
Tell us a bit about your person and career.
I am an award winning gospel artiste, entrepreneur, preacher and songwriter. I am the Chief Executive of Stride Media and Entertainment. I am the Founder of Hadassah Developmental Care and Nutrition Foundation, a non-profit organization that caters for autistic children, which is registered in the United States and Nigeria. I am a wife and mother, a lover of God and His word.
I started singing at the early age of 5 at the children’s choir of my family’s local church (Celestial Church of Christ Apata Odo-Ona) in Nigeria and I never relented in my service to God. I later joined the teenager’s choir at Christ Apostolic Church Nigeria, where I spent most of my teenage and young adult years serving God in different leadership capacities in the choir.
Why the choice of gospel music?
I believe the gift God has given me is to bless the world and preach the love of Christ. I chose gospel music because that is my own way of sharing the love of God with the world. I chose gospel music because I believe it will bring hope to the hopeless and help to the helpless. The world is too hot and full of sadness and anger, bringing the word of God to people through gospel music is a great way to enable people to see that there is hope and there is light at the end of the tunnel. Most of the time, when people go through hard times, they are too tired or discouraged to even pray, but listening to a three-minute gospel music can minister life to a dead soul. The Bible says in Romans 5:5: “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”
When people listen to gospel music while in pain and confusion, the Spirit of God can take over their hearts and give them strength to carry on or even minister an instruction to them for a lasting solution. In the place of worship and praise anything is possible! These are my reasons for choosing gospel music.
What inspired your new single?
My inspiration came from my own testimonies. How God brought me out of bondage and pain. Even when I almost gave up on myself He didn’t give up on me. 2 Timothy 2:13 “If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny Himself.”
When I took myself down memory lane and took stock of my life, despite all the life challenges that have been thrown at me, yet I am standing. Sometimes I ask myself, “Ponmile, how did you overcome this?” I don’t even have an answer. But one thing I did even when I could not pray in the valley was never to stop praising and worshiping Yahweh. Even when I would cry and sob, I would still praise Him. Job 13:15 says, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.”
I kept praising and here I am today in victory, I give him all the praise. High Praise Tungba Fiesta (HPTF) is a track that encourages you to praise through your problems and life challenges into your miracles and victories.
What do you intend to achieve with this new track?
That people should know for sure that in the place of praise and worship, miracles happen. Keep praising Yahweh even in your hard times and He will definitely come through for you. Have you prayed about anything and it seems like it’s not coming forth? Try praise! Praise never fails!
Can you share some of your previous works with us?
Some of songs include Emi Mimo, Praize Jamz, Orin Ope, I remember and NIGERIA. To mention just a few and they are all available in all music platforms.
Any future collaborations?
Yes, by the grace of God, we hope to collaborate with some Nigerian gospel artistes and international gospel artistes here in the United States too. In the nearest future, in Nigeria, we hope to collaborate very soon with the likes of Pastor Nathaniel Bassey, Minister Dunsi Oyekan, Minister Mercy Chinwo, Bidemi Olaoba, and Minister Yinka Alaseyori on some of our projects and also Minister Tye Tribbett in the USA.
You seem to have a passion for children living with Autistic Spectrum Disorder and their families?
Yes, this made me establish a foundation named after my daughter called “Hadassah Developmental Care and Nutrition Foundation.” It is a non-governmental organization established to help the less privileged children with ASD/ADHD and their families. I also passionately talk about other social ills, such as female gender mutilation, child marriage and the denial of the girl-child’s educational opportunities.
I believe that every child should be given equal opportunities, either male or female, special needs or regular, regardless of their faith, financial status, colour or race, every child should be given a chance.
What next should fans expect from you?
We are working on some future Christian movie projects which will come from our company, Stride Media and Entertainment. We will also be signing some gospel entertainers on the label from Christian skit makers, gospel singers, music producers, script writers, to Christian comedians and many more. We are also working on the compilation of our 100 hymns and of course the video dance challenge for HPTF, which is our own little way of empowering the young talents in Nigeria and Africa as a whole. These are a few of our upcoming projects.