Celebrity barman Cubana Chief Priest has opened up about his childhood, his late mother’s wishes for him, and how her passing changed the course of his life.
In a heartfelt post on Instagram, he shared that his mother longed for a child for over six years before giving birth to his elder brother, whom she named Onyinyechukwu, meaning “Gift from God.” A little over a year later, she welcomed him after a difficult delivery and named him Chibuike, meaning “God is my strength.”
According to him, his mother had promised God that if blessed with children, one of them would serve as a Catholic priest. With that vow in mind, she strongly desired for him to join the priesthood. Though he tried to gain admission into the seminary, he eventually could not continue on that path.
Next year will mark ten years since his mother’s passing, a loss he says reshaped his life in many ways—family, friendships, career, and wealth. Chief Priest admitted that he sometimes carries guilt for not fulfilling her dream of becoming a priest, but believes he is still serving God in his own way.
To honour her memory, he revealed that he has recorded a Catholic thanksgiving song produced by Masterkraft and featuring rapper Zoro, which he plans to release soon.
In his words:
“My mom wanted me to be a Catholic priest so bad because she promised God her child would serve Him. She wanted to be called Mama Father, but I became ChiefPriest instead. Still, I know I’m doing God’s work. To honour her, I had to record this thanksgiving song, thanking God for the blessings of family, fame, friends, wealth, and music. Indeed, joy is flowing in my heart like a river.”
