After a week of working in the studio with her production team, Nigerian gospel artiste Ada Unoma Menakaya has kicked off the second half of the year with the release of her latest praise and thanksgiving single, He Has Done It.
Produced by the veteran A4 Jeazy (Afo Ogidi), the song was written from a place of deep thanksgiving to God and it evokes the emotion and spirit of Ada Menakaya’s live ministrations.
“He Has Done It is a song of declaration and prophesy that God can do all things if we believe in our hearts without a doubt. This song was written from a place of deep thanksgiving to God for what He has done in my life; it’s a song anybody can relate with,” she said in a chat with Guardian Music.
While the song is gradually gaining airplay, Menakaya is currently working on a music video to support the promotion.
“For now, the audio is out and I’m happy with the reception we’ve been receiving so far. Meanwhile, plans are ongoing for the video; we will get that done as soon as we can,” she said.
Born into the popular Menakaya Dynasty of Umunya in Oyi lo Anambra State, Ada has been thrilling audiences and ministering to congregations for over two decades. At the age of 5, she was already in the children’s choir and later progressed through the teens’ section, then youth choir before moving to the main choir.
“I will say it was my upbringing; I lived in a house filled with music and love. My mother was a sonorous singer, and even though she didn’t take it professionally, she was a major force in our regional choir as a community music lead. My aunty, Lady Linda Menakaya is a singer and played with popular Nigerian stars, while she worked with Radio Nigeria. Today, at almost 90 years of age, she can still belt out some real good soprano. So, I think it came natural,” she said.
Sharing her experience as a young chorister, Ada said, “It’s widely accepted that being a chorister as a child is a privilege. I joined the children’s choir at the age of 5; I joined the Teens’ choir immediately I turned 13 as well as the New Covenant Family (NCF) Choir, the campus fellowship of Dominion City, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, though I was a junior secondary school student at that time. It wasn’t long before I started leading the main choir in church.”
She continued: “Over the years, I have participated in many national and international choir competitions and I am still a member of my church choir till date. Being a chorister has its ups and downs, but it has taught me to always feed my focus and starve my distractions. I enjoy being able to share my gift with the congregation as part of our worship.”
Growing up in Enugu as the third of six children, Ada lived in a house filled with music and love. She listened to everything from gospel legends such as Cece Winans to Ron Kenoly, Don Moen, the Clark Sisters, Shirley Caesar, and pop/R&B queen Whitney Houston.
“Those different styles of music, as well as a strong presence in the church, helped to shape me as a singer as well as a person. There was no time I was left with options of the message to carry. From the start, I just knew it was gospel and gospel alone. I represent Jesus Christ and all I want to do is fly the banner of Christ.”
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