In this interview with NAOMI CHIMA, popular actress and musician, Charles Okochaka, aka Amoshine, talks about his life beyond fame, his journey as a single father and how he managed to survive the obstacles he encountered on the way to realizing his dreams.
In 2015, you were hit by a stray bullet and in 2019 you also went to surgery in London. You were recently in an accident, how will you describe the experience of surviving all these disasters?
The first thing I would like to say is to thank God. I give God all the glory. I thank him for everything; everything shows that God loves me. If he hadn’t, I don’t think I’d be alive today. With all that had happened, some would not have survived. So God loves me. Hard things have always hit me, even before the shooting I had an accident. So it shows how much God loves me.
How did the accident happen? We saw the pictures you posted, how did they get you out of that car?
I actually went to FESTAC because I’m staying on the Island. We were leaving around 12:00pm when my friend asked me to join him in his car and I obliged. So he was driving and my driver was driving my car behind us, while another friend of mine was with his Mercedes Benz, he had just come from Austria.
My friend started speeding up and I was asking him to slow down, but it was as if I hadn’t started driving. And before we knew what was happening, the other car tried to pass us, and because they were going at speed, it was uncontrollable to hold the brakes and at that moment it failed and the next time the car fell and hit us. the barricades of the bridge. If it weren’t for those barricades, we might be in the river by now.
What lessons have you learned since surviving the accident?
I have learned a lot. It was a lesson for me because I was really with the car; I could have avoided the accident if I had gotten into the car. If I had known, I would have been in my car. But since he was my friend, get in the car and I agreed. You know, you’re not supposed to please people. I should have listened to my instincts too.
Although the other guy was wrong in trying to overtake us, if my friend hadn’t been speeding, we wouldn’t have had an accident, which is why they say speeding kills. So I learned that I had to listen to my instincts. It wouldn’t have happened because my driver or security wouldn’t have been speeding and they would have listened to me when I told them to slow down.
What were going through your mind while you were being rescued from the scene of the accident?
My beautiful children, the people I’m taking care of. Just imagine if you are not in this world, how they would feel and how things would be for them. This shows how careful we should be with our lives. We should also be careful with our movements.
What were your motivations for having two children and not marrying their mother?
I have two beautiful children; a son and a daughter. At the moment I am focused on taking care of my lovely children and that is enough. They are my kids and they keep me motivated.
How is life as a single parent? What are your reasons for still being single?
Actually, I have never married in my life and I am a happy man. You and I know what’s going on these days, you see a couple married for a couple of years and the next, they get divorced. People you look up to as role models are getting divorced and when you see them you’re like what’s going on? These are the people you’ve been looking for and now they’re divorced, how do you want to fit into this marriage?
Are you planning to get married this year?
Some people say I won’t get married. No! Don’t get me wrong, I’m definitely getting married, my kids are growing up so I need a partner who can take care of their needs and mine. I’m going to get married, but I’m just taking my time.
