Kemi Amos left Nigeria at 17 to study in the United Kingdom and later got admitted into Thames Valley University to study Psychology and Counseling. Along the way, she developed a passion for charity-related projects, after working as a psychologist and counselor at different times in the United Kingdom (UK). She is now the Chief Executive Officer, Chase Entertainment based in UK. Following a charity programme Kemi Amos spearheaded recently in Lagos, she spoke with KINGSLEY JEREMIAH on her dream for the less- privileged in Nigeria, especially orphansIT can be hard to see any link between music and the welfare of orphans. But Kemi believes that music can be of immense value in helping less-privileged Nigerians.Her dream is to penetrate Nigerian orphanage homes to introduce a system whereby the children are sponsored in their education from the elementary level to the point of getting into their careers.A songwriter, producer and singer, Amos affirms that music can come to the rescue of orphans.The fifth of seven children of Wole and Esther Ogunpehi who hail from Ogun State, Kemi recounts that her parents were the brains behind her success, as they never interfered in her choices in life. She has four brothers and two sisters.'I appreciate my parents due to their contributions to our success. They reserve the right for us to become whatever we wanted to be and believe in our choices. They always give us the encouragement to pursue our dreams,' she says.With her wealth of experience in Dagenham, UK as Childcare's Assistant Manager, Elite Community Centre, (2004-2005), Reading Analyst at Mont-eagle School, Dagenham, (2009 and 2011) and Mentor /Supervisor, Rethink Mental Health Organization, she is strongly of the opinion that music is one of the best means to impact the lives of vulnerable children in Nigeria.She informs: 'The power of music is great and universal. It has the capacity to influence people positively, and negatively and that is why I believe charity and music are intertwined.'Graduating from Unique Heights College, Ikeja, Lagos, she opted to study Psychology and Counseling because of her zeal to know more about people and their inner minds.'I was always passionate about people from my tender age. I am curious to know how they think and how they feel, particularly children. This is why I went in for Psychology and Counselling, though my daddy wanted me to be a linguist.'While admitting that life for her has been a jolly ride, her exposure to violence suffered by children and women on the television prepared her for the challenge to improve the lot of the less-privileged.'I have always watched people being defectively treated though I never believed those things were real. Then, I questioned why those things happen. But I grew up to get my answers that such is life; while some are born with silver spoon, others are tied by sour experiences, bigger than what they can handle.'She believes that no matter the perplexed situation of people, they nurse better dreams deep inside them. This is what she seeks to explore in children in difficult conditions.'I really want to see how I can help people, I want to make them feel better and help them live their dream lives. I discovered people have something greater in them than what is written on their faces; I mean something better than their stature, whether they are rich or poor, it doesn't matter.'By founding Chase Entertainment, she seeks to hunt for talents on Nigeria's streets and nurture them to prominence at the local and international scene. She also believes it has been difficult for Nigerian musicians to be recognised internationally in their music career.Hence, Chase Entertainment is dedicated to bringing talents in the Nigeria entertainment industry to world recognition.With her experience as a psychologist with the UK government, she wishes to correct the notion that mental illness and other natural defects in children are caused by black magic.Amos said, 'These things happen as a result of defects in the brain and can be cured by science but many in the black continent have died from their ignorance and their secretive attitude on their health issues. They believe it is a magical problem, therefore other people must not know about it.'Do you think privileged Nigerians really help the vulnerable in the society' Amos is of the mind that most privileged Nigerians are in the habit of not assisting those who do not measure up to their social standard.'The privileged, I mean most of us are guilty in our giving habit. It is easy for the rich to forget the poor are out there suffering; very few of us put the less privileged at heart when we make our plans,' she says.She believes it is a problem which orientation can curb. Hence, she wishes the government could carry out continuous awareness to form this habit among the people as well as including this in school curriculum so that children would appreciate the need to give help to others when they grow up.A bit reluctant to speak about the regrets of her life, however, she expresses slight regret not to have learnt piano early in life. 'I never knew learning piano would be important to me. In Britain, when you discover your children have a particular skill, your parent will start investing money on you so that you can be better. Here, they just think they should leave us alone to become what we think we good at.'The other is taking lightly the warning by signing in with a bad management in the UK in her music career.Kemi appears best in short skirts and tights as well as corset with slight application of red lipstick as favourite make up. Kids are known for their likeness for cake, but Kemi's love for cake extended to adulthood.Her best music is rock and model artists include Fela, Judy Garland and Lauryn Hill. She also has admiration for other Nigerian musicians such as Tuface, Adewale Ayuba, Femi Kuti, Asa, among others.
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