Benin-born singer, Rema, has pledged to donate a total of N105 million to Christ Embassy, the church in Benin where he grew up. This generous act of giving took place during his visit to the church on Sunday, as part of his homecoming concert activities.
In a video that has been circulating on social media, Rema, whose real name is Divine Ikubor, expressed deep gratitude to the church for the role it played in his life, particularly during difficult times. He recalled how the church embraced him and his family after the death of his father when he was just eight years old.
“I feel like it is important to give back because the church has embraced me, prayed for me, and has kept me very consistent with my spirit,” Rema said during his visit.
Rema went on to announce that he would be donating N85 million to the church and an additional N20 million to support a widow from the congregation. He specified how the funds would be allocated: N40 million for the construction of the church, N20 million for Rhapsody of Realities, a popular Christian daily devotional, and N25 million for infrastructure improvements in the church’s teen ministry, which he was once a part of.
“When I was 8 years old and I lost my dad, we felt very lost and abandoned, and all that we had was taken from us. I remembered that the pastors of this church opened a shop for my mum, and that was what she used in taking care of us and feeding us,” Rema shared.
Rema’s decision to donate to a widow in the church was a personal and heartfelt gesture.
“To add to that, I’m pledging N20 million to any widow in church today,” he added.
Rema’s rise to fame has been meteoric since he signed with D’Prince’s Jonzing World, a subsidiary of Mavin Records, in 2019. He has quickly become one of the most influential artists in the Nigerian music industry. His accolades include winning ‘Best Male Artiste’ and ‘Digital Artiste Of The Year’ at the 16th Headies Awards. Additionally, Spotify recognized him as one of the most exported artists dominating the 2023 charts in sub-Saharan Africa.
His sophomore album, “He Is,” set a new record for the biggest first-week streams on Spotify Nigeria in 2024, further cementing his status as a leading figure in the global music scene.