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Nigerian gospel singer Sammie Okposo reportedly passed away on Friday, November 25, at the age of 51. The news of his death was confirmed to The Punch by his project manager, Hillary Vincent.
"Yes it’s true. It happened this morning."
The confirmation of his demise was further announced in an official statement by his family, signed by Hecter Okposo:
“It is with a heavy heart but with total submission to God that I announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, brother, uncle, Minister of God, Sammie Okposo."
The statement further stated that details of the singer's burial will be "communicated soon" and requested that Okposo's family be allowed to grieve in peace:
"We are consoled because we know that he is with Jesus singing with angels. We kindly request that the family is allowed to grieve peacefully at this time."
Although no immediate cause of his death has been mentioned so far, PM News alleged that the musician slumped and died after suffering a cardiac arrest.
Prior to his tragic passing, Okposo had a close call with death in May 2020 when the propeller shaft of his car pulled off while the vehicle was in motion.
At the time, he thanked Jesus for being his "savior, deliverer, protector, and shield" and said the "devil and his cohorts" failed to cause him any harm.
Fans mourn the loss of Sammie Okposo
Sammie Okposo was one of the most prominent names in the Nigerian gospel music industry. The multi-award winning artist was a prolific singer, music producer, psalmist, performer, and also the CEO of Zamar Entertainment.
In the wake of his sudden demise, several fans and well-wishers took to Twitter to mourn the loss of the musician:
As tributes continue to pour in online, it is certain that Okposo will be missed by his fellow musicians, colleagues, friends, family, and fans. However, he will always be remembered for his work and cherished for his music by contemporaries and future generations alike.
A look back into the life of Sammie Okposo
Sammie Okposo was one of the most recognized Nigerian gospel music artists. He was born on May 30, 1971, and raised in the Delta State of Nigeria.
He began his career as a soundtrack producer in the Nigerian film industry in 1992 before releasing his own album titled Unconditional Love in 2002. Okposo garnered a lot of popularity with his hit single Welu Welu followed by his next album Addicted in 2004.
Okposo went on to collaborate with several popular gospel artists, including Marvellous Odiete, Kirk Franklin, Fred Hammond, Donnie Mcclurkin, Cece Winans, and Israel Houghton, among others.
The musician also performed across Africa, North America, and Europe and earned global recognition for curating a series of concerts called Sammie Okposo Praise Party or SOPP.
He has also earned numerous awards and accolades for his work in the gospel music industry. In January 2022, Okposo issued a public apology to his wife via social media following an infidelity scandal.
The singer also stepped down from the ministry to seek restoration and forgiveness. On the career front, Okposo's most recent album, The Statement, was released in 2018 and produced by Grammy Award-winning artist Kevin Bond.
