Gospel artist, producer and instrumentalist Enid Black paid a visit to the Sunny 88.7 FM studio this week, joining the Up Close segment on The IM Drive (The Inspirational Morning Drive) for a morning that mixed live music with a candid conversation about faith, calling, and the long road to stepping into the spotlight.
From "Black" the Nickname to Enid Black the Artist
Before the music, listeners got to know the man behind the name. Born Enid, he explained that "Black" started out as a school nickname — a nod to his complexion that stuck with him from his days as a guitarist, eventually following him into his music career. "I didn't have problems with it," he said. "I am dark."
Raised in a Christian home with a father who serves as a minister, Enid was introduced to instruments early, learning to play for church. But he was quick to draw a distinction between growing up around music and truly finding God for himself. That moment, he shared, came during a crusade in his final year of senior high school. "There was just something... a beckoning, like something was calling out to me that there was more to what this life was about," he recalled. "I don't know how I got to the front. I just found myself there and surrendered everything to God."
A Reluctant Artist Steps Forward
Despite writing songs and playing guitar since his school days, Enid admitted he spent years avoiding the spotlight, preferring to work behind the scenes — producing, playing instrumentals, and writing for other artists, including his work with La Famille music under Pastor Roderick, where he now serves as creative director.
The turning point, he said, was a persistent nudge that his personal journey needed to be heard. "It's easier to remember a song, but it's not easy to remember a sermon," he told host Chantelle, citing research suggesting listeners retain very little of a sermon just a day later. That conviction became the driving force behind La Famille's project of turning sermon messages into songs, starting with their debut album, Light and Love.
Since then, Enid has released the Ahava album (2023, nine tracks), two singles — Out of Water and Onimajimu — and most recently a four-song EP.
The Story Behind "Onimajimu"
Asked which of his songs best captures his personal journey, Enid pointed to Onimajimu, a Yoruba title meaning "the one who keeps covenant." He described writing it out of a season where he felt he had only God to lean on. "I felt like I only had God, and I called on Him, and He came through in interesting ways. That experience just transformed me. So I had to put that in a song."
Live in the Studio
The interview was punctuated by live acoustic performances, including Out of Water — a song born from an invitation to open for a friend's live project, written around the imagery of a deer panting for water — along with two more songs from his catalogue, one of which is featured on his recent EP.
Listeners responded in real time, with one message read on air capturing the moment: "It's between you and me, I have done my part, now Lord is in your hands. Today is my birthday. I've been through a lot — betrayal, pain — and it even affected my faith. But God helped me and now I trust Him more, and my faith has increased."
Gratitude and a Word of Encouragement
Reflecting on his journey, Enid took time to thank those who shaped it — his father, for starting him on the path of learning music; Pastor Roderick and the Christ for Youth International (CYI) family; sound engineer Cube Kwashi, who mentored him in production; and fellow musicians including Frank Nkunim.
He closed with an encouragement for listeners still finding their way. "I believe life without God is absolute death," he said. "If you've been feeling this nudge towards God, open up to Him and let Him in. And if you're already on this walk and it's been difficult — the difficulty of the journey is not a reflection of who God is. Once you yield to that, you'll find it's such a sweet and beautiful journey, and you never regret it."
The segment closed out with Privileged, Enid's collaboration with Luigi McLean — a fitting send-off after a morning that, as host Chantelle put it, helped "shift the atmosphere" on The IM Drive.
Find Enid Black's music on Spotify, Apple Music, and all major digital platforms, and connect with him on Instagram @enid_black.
Catch Up Close every weekday on The IM Drive, only on Sunny 88.7 FM — and watch it live on Sunny TV at sunnygh.com.