Chidinma says she tried to settle abroad before gospel switch

Singer Chidinma Ekile has said she once left Nigeria hoping never to come back, and only returned after encouragement from the head of her gospel record label.

She spoke at an event held by Eezee Conceptz, the gospel label she is signed to, according to reports by Daily Post, PM News and Naija News.

Chidinma said she travelled abroad and was processing papers to stay there permanently, but the plan did not work out.

"I travelled. I ran away from Nigeria. I was processing my papers not to come back to Nigeria, but for some reason, it didn't work."

She said that while she was away, the CEO of Eezee Conceptz was the only person calling her from Nigeria, and that his encouragement gave her the strength to return.

Why she chose gospel music

Back home, Chidinma said she asked the label boss for a gospel contract because she wanted to spend time with God.

She described the deal she got in striking terms: "He gave me a contract that even my lawyer said seemed like a charity."

She also said her move into gospel music was not about the genre itself. "I didn't transition into gospel music because I wanted to make gospel, but because I wanted a serious relationship with God," she said.

The singer, who built her name in secular music before switching to gospel, did not say which country she travelled to or when the trip happened. The reports did not give those details either.

For many young Nigerians, her story will sound familiar. Leaving the country for a better life abroad, often called "japa", is a common goal, and failed visa or residency plans are a frequent heartbreak.

Chidinma's account also shows how a single persistent phone call can pull someone back home. She credited the label CEO with that role but did not name him in the reports.

She has not said what comes next in her music career, and the label has not announced any new project.