(Reckoned to be the greatest Gospel Musician From Africa)
With over 13 albums and numerous accolades, Dr Panam Percy Paul is an icon in the gospel industry within Africa and an inspiration to all generations, worldwide.
HIS EARLY YEARS & RELEASES
Dr. Panam Percy Paul (PhD) – Dr Panam for short as he is popularly called, was born in 1957 to Major Paul and Paulina Mokungah of then Gongola, now Adamawa State; He attended Second Baptist Primary school,
St. Paul’s College, Zaria, Kaduna State, Government Secondary Technical School, also in Soba. Then Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna, Kaduna State.
He initially worked as Production Supervisor /Engineer, Radio ELWA Christian Communications and several other places before opening his own studio Panam Music World , and Panam College of Music Ministry in Jos which since inception in 1998 has graduated over 2,000 students.
For Panam Percy Paul, music was a family thing, having been taught how to play the Organ by his father. Panam Percy Paul went ahead to record albums at age 20. He has released several hits which include Bring down the Glory 1; Bring down the Glory 2, Bring down the Glory 3, Bring Down the Glory 4, Cheer UP, Return, Master of the Universe and Destiny.
HIS DISTINCTIVE PECULIARITIES
Dr Panam has been a prominent figure in the African gospel music scene for 4 decades and is widely known for never releasing cover version songs – All his songs are new materials retaining his originality in lyric and song composition, arrangement, tempo, style and delivery in spite of changes in popularly accepted music over the last 4 decades. Though there exist varied music genres, Dr Panam has stayed and performed solely gospel music and isn’t credited with any other material outside of it – a commendable service. In his own view, “The Gospel is an eternal one and there’s more than enough to write and sing about in the gospels alone”.
UNDERSTANDING DR PANAM MUSIC FOCUS
The Music from Panam Percy Paul encourages all believers towards being steadfast in the fervent and righteous way of our lord Jesus Christ. It has in it a very passionate feel that basically overwhelms you. He creates innate desires within of the need to reach out and be touched by the Lord who through you will as well work to be a blessing to others. By the time you have listened to any of his Albums, you’ll definitely be yearning for more and will quickly dash to acquire other Album Releases of the same Artiste with whom it is globally known that the newer his Album Release, the better the music, passion and overall production – A feat which makes him stand out internationally as one of the best Gospel Music Artistes of Our Time.
INFLUENCE OF MUSIC ON HIS FAMILY
In talking about Music and his family, Dr Panam has this to say:- “God has been faithful to me. I am blessed with a good family. My wife, Tina, has always been my greatest support. We have been married for over 33 years and at this point, we have about 18 grand children. We have four children, inherited four and adopted six. It has always been a full house, but right now it is only my wife and I that are at home because every one of them is married. All my family members both married and single are all gifted with music. My first daughter read law, and cinematography. She is married with three sons; my second is in the UK, the third is the only boy, and now the director of Panam Music, and one of the finest drummers you can find in the country. And all of them sing. The last is a girl, Lorraine and she is an incredible singer. And they all sing with me. They all started from the age of nine, singing in my studio. Whenever I do a studio recording, they are always there until they grew up. When we recorded Bring Down the Glory, Volume 4, they sang with me LIVE “.
DR PANAM ON HIS OTHER CHALLENGES IN LIFE
“Nobody lives without challenges; they are just a part of life. My greatest challenge was the rejection I
had from my parents, especially my father who deleted my name from his will, as punishment for choosing music as a career. I don’t think there is anything as painful as that. But thank God we reconciled in 1997 and we eventually moved on with life.
Right now I am the will of the whole family and my parents are really proud of me. They are always joyous to describe me as Dr Panam Percy Paul”.
ABOUT DR PANAM’S MANY CONCERTS / LIVE PERFORMANCES
In 1997, Dr Panam performed for the first time in his home state of Adamawa, it was “Master of the Universe” release Concert, in a hall sitting 3,000 but there were about 24,000 people that day, blocking every entrance and windows. Included in the audience were some five chiefs from all the neighbouring tribes of that locality. You know the song refrain is in his local Mbula dialect and there is a particular dance and beat for it.
Many thought because of his name and accent that Dr Panam was black American, but when they heard him sing the refrain in his local dialect they joyously bestowed him with several gifts and money.
For these persons it was with a sense of ” this is our son”, it was that feeling of when the Lord is proud of you. He says “this is my beloved son”.
On his foreign performances, Dr Panam has this to say “I also like to recall, my first tour abroad, to the USA. It was 1985/86. I did not know the people. They had heard about me, and went all the way to the late Archbishop Benson Idahosa in Benin, Niger Delta region of Nigeria to inquire about me and papa told them, I was the bomb and he got across to me. It was one of those moments, need I say that God has been faithful. I was viable locally so I could be exported. I had to discover what I was worth to the society.
ON HOW HE BECAME A FULL TIME MINISTER
“I got Born Again in 1974 when I met Uncle Bayo Famanure of CAPRO. His selfless lifestyle and teaching of the Holy Bible encouraged me to desire nothing else but God. So in 1976 I decided that this was what I would be for the rest of my life”.
ON HOW THE LORD HEALED HIM
Dr Panam would have died before fulfilling his destiny. Sick and poor in health at a young age, the doctors gave up on him but the Lord turned Dr Panam to Himself, that he may seek His help at that time. Dr Panam called on God and was miraculously healed. In his own words – he reveals “”My salvation was a challenging period, Yeah. I was desperate because everybody had the opportunity to write their WASC Examinations but I could write only 2 papers and that was it. I was always sick periodically, between April and July every year for six years
That same week I was discharged from the hospital to go home and die, the CAPRO (Calvary Production) then headed by Bayo Famunure, who incidentally was my teacher in the secondary school, was organizing a film show and what they showed was a T. L. Osborne’s crusade films.
“In the film, I heard T.L Osborne say, “those of you watching, you can see how Jesus healed this boy whose leg was four inches shorter than the other, He can also heal you. So, just lay your hand where you have an ailment.”
“So, I moved my hand to my chest, loosed my two top buttons and slipped in my hand. The man prayed and I said ‘Amen.’ That was it. I felt as light as a feather and as free as air. The weight and congestion in my system just vanished.
For the first time, I shouted, jumped and started shouting, “I am healed, I am healed!” And they started chasing me about, probably wondering if I was mentally all right. Of course, I had to stop running because I was so fast; no one could catch up with me. It is sweet narrating it now but it was tough”.
AWARDS:
* FAME Gospel Music Artiste of the year, 1992,
* Best Producer of the Year,
* Best Male Vocalist of the Year.
* Doctorate Degree in Music
* DMI Music Award for Africa in London, 1995.
* Adamawa State Award for Excellence
* Honorary Doctorate in Music (D.Mus.) degree ( Golden State University of California, U.S.A.)1992.
* Dictionary on International Biography from Cambridge
NEW AGE OF GOSPEL – Lifetime Achievement Award.
Published Books: Bring Down The Glory
Discography: 13 albums
ABOUT – Panam Music World
“Panam Music World is an organization set up to facilitate the education of the musicians. Facilities are available for good evangelism, and a springboard for any musician whether there is cash or not. We also run a college, the Panam College of Music Ministry. Now Panam College of Music Therapy
ON DR PANAMS MANY GIFTS/TALENTS
” I compose, arrange and produce my albums single-handedly. I also arrange and/or produce for many gospel musicians. In addition to my own compositions, there are video tape recordings of my performances. I also publish sheet music for church choirs for them to render my gospel songs correctly.
CONCLUSION
“I am grateful that people of different ethnic groups, tongues, Diversities and Nationalities are listening to my recordings. My aim as a gospel music minister is to lead non-Christians to be interested in the gospel message and to draw them to the true knowledge of our saviour Jesus Christ. My gospel songs are a way of worshipping God and establishing an intimate relationship with Him.
Till date, Dr Panam is still in ministry and is an exemplary legend for many musicians of this time.
