Ebuka Songs

Ebuka Emmanuel Hillary, professionally known as Ebuka Songs, is a Nigerian gospel singer, songwriter and worship leader whose music has become closely associated with prayer, spiritual hunger and contemporary Christian worship. Born and raised in Obinze, Imo State, he developed an interest in music from an early age and eventually began leading worship while studying at Imo State University. His music is characterised by passionate vocals, worship chants and lyrics centred on Jesus Christ, prayer, surrender and the Christian life.

Ebuka Songs first attracted widespread attention with “I Will Pray,” a song that became a major turning point in his career and introduced his distinctive worship style to a much larger audience. His music often moves beyond conventional song structures, incorporating spontaneous-sounding chants and extended declarations that have become part of his artistic identity. Songs such as “Calling My Name (I’m a Soldier),” “Jesus Oh,” “I Will Pray,” “What I Preach” and “New Generation” have helped establish him as one of the notable younger voices in Nigerian gospel music.

His career entered a new phase in 2023 when he joined Spotlite Nation, the gospel music label founded by Moses Bliss. During his time with the label, he released several successful projects and collaborated with other contemporary Nigerian gospel artists. He has since continued developing his music and ministry through solo releases, live worship recordings and collaborations, building an audience that extends beyond Nigeria.

Quick Facts

Early Life and Background

Ebuka Songs was raised in Obinze, Imo State, in a Christian family. His upbringing played an important role in shaping his interest in worship and ministry. From a young age, he was exposed to Christian music and church activities, experiences that eventually influenced his decision to pursue music as a form of ministry.

Although his professional career is relatively recent, his involvement in worship began before he became known publicly as a recording artist. During his university years, he became involved in Christian fellowship and served as a worship leader. Those experiences gave him an opportunity to develop his voice, songwriting abilities and approach to leading people in worship.

His early ministry was therefore built around service in church rather than the pursuit of commercial recognition. This background remains evident in his music, which tends to place spiritual expression and the message of the gospel ahead of conventional pop songwriting.

Education and Musical Development

Ebuka Songs studied Theatre Arts at Imo State University and graduated in 2019. His university years were particularly important to his development because they brought together his academic interests, performance skills and growing involvement in Christian music.

Studying theatre also gave him exposure to performance and creative expression. At the same time, his involvement in worship ministry allowed him to develop a different understanding of performance, one centred on leading people into worship rather than simply entertaining an audience.

It was during this period that his musical identity began to take clearer shape. He developed an approach built around expressive singing, prayerful lyrics and worship chants, characteristics that would later distinguish his recordings.

Beginning of His Music Career

Ebuka Songs’ professional music journey began taking shape in the early 2020s. His first major project was Midnight Cry, a body of work that introduced the central themes that would continue throughout his ministry. The project focused heavily on spiritual awakening, prayer and a renewed hunger for God.

His breakthrough came with “I Will Pray.” Released in 2023, the song connected strongly with Nigerian gospel listeners and became the recording that brought Ebuka Songs to wider public attention. Its simple but intense focus on prayer helped distinguish it from more conventional contemporary gospel releases.

The success of “I Will Pray” coincided with a period of rapid growth in Nigeria’s digital gospel music scene. Social media, streaming platforms and online worship communities gave emerging ministers new ways of reaching audiences, and Ebuka Songs benefited significantly from this environment.

Career and Breakthrough

Following the success of “I Will Pray,” Ebuka Songs became increasingly visible within Nigeria’s gospel music community. His recording of “Calling My Name (I’m a Soldier)” became another defining song, combining a worship message with the recurring image of the Christian as a soldier committed to God’s work.

In 2023, he joined Spotlite Nation under the leadership of gospel artist Moses Bliss. The partnership marked a major stage in his professional development and gave him access to a larger production and distribution platform. During this period, he released music including “Jesus Oh” with Moses Bliss, “Total Submission,” “If No Be You” and other songs that expanded his audience.

His catalogue continued to grow through projects such as Midnight Cry, Vol. 1 and Jesu My Love. He also became a regular collaborator with other gospel artists, appearing on live worship projects and recordings that connected him with the wider Nigerian Christian music movement.

Musical Style and Influences

Ebuka Songs’ music is firmly rooted in contemporary Christian worship, but his approach differs from conventional gospel pop. His recordings frequently combine structured songs with chants, repeated declarations and extended vocal passages. This gives his music a strong devotional quality and allows individual phrases to develop into extended expressions of worship.

Prayer is one of the most consistent themes in his songwriting. “I Will Pray” is perhaps the clearest example, but the same emphasis appears throughout his catalogue. His songs frequently address God directly and encourage listeners to pursue deeper spiritual commitment, surrender and dependence on Jesus.

His vocal delivery is equally important to his sound. Rather than relying entirely on polished studio arrangements, Ebuka often allows emotion and spontaneity to remain prominent. His music therefore occupies a space between recorded gospel music and live worship ministry.

Notable Songs, Albums and Collaborations

Ebuka Songs has built a catalogue that includes studio releases, live recordings and collaborative projects. Among the songs most closely associated with his name are “I Will Pray,” “Calling My Name (I’m a Soldier),” “Jesus Oh,” “What I Preach,” “New Generation,” “Jesus Christ Is Seen,” “If No Be You” and “Total Submission.”

His Midnight Cry series has been particularly important to his ministry. The project reflects his recurring emphasis on prayer, spiritual awakening and a desire for deeper fellowship with God. Jesu My Love, released in 2023, further established his worship-centred approach.

Collaboration has also played a significant role in his career. He worked with Moses Bliss on “Jesus Oh” and has collaborated with artists including Minister GUC, Sunmisola Agbebi, Victoria Orenze, Ema Onyx, Peterson Okopi, SteveHills and others. His appearance on “Undefeated Warrior” alongside Joepraize and Eben also connected him with established names in Nigerian gospel music.

Awards and Recognition

The rapid rise of Ebuka Songs has brought recognition from gospel and entertainment organisations. In 2023, he was recognised at the CLIMA Africa Awards, where he received the Africa Best Male Gospel Award and Africa Rising Star honours. He was also named Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the Galaxy Music Awards.

Beyond formal awards, his growing influence has been reflected in the reach of his songs and collaborations. In 2023, he was included in YNaija’s list of 150 Most Interesting People in Culture, an indication of the attention his music and ministry had begun receiving beyond the strictly gospel music audience.

His greatest recognition, however, has come from the rapid growth of his listener base. Songs such as “I Will Pray” and “Calling My Name” became particularly prominent among younger Nigerian Christians and helped establish his distinctive worship style.

Recent Career and Influence

Ebuka Songs has remained highly active since his initial breakthrough. His recent catalogue includes the Midnight Cry series, “Revival Is Calling,” “Mountains Tremble (Live)” with SteveHills, My True Existence (Live) and Taking Charge. In August 2026, he also released “Whatever (Acoustic Demo),” demonstrating his continued activity as a recording artist.

His recent collaborations have included Peterson Okopi, Ema Onyx, King Fred Paul, Jayclef Adewale, SteveHills and other gospel musicians. These releases have allowed him to explore different sides of his worship ministry while maintaining the prayerful and devotional character that first attracted listeners to his music.

Ebuka Songs has emerged at a time when Nigerian gospel music is becoming increasingly global, particularly through streaming platforms and social media. His success demonstrates the growing appetite for worship music that is direct, emotionally expressive and easily adaptable to personal prayer and devotional settings.

His career is still developing, but his influence is already evident in the popularity of his songs among younger Christian audiences. By combining contemporary gospel production with chants, prayer and an intensely personal worship style, Ebuka Songs has created a musical identity that is recognisably his own. His journey from a university worship leader in Imo State to an internationally heard gospel recording artist represents one of the notable recent stories in Nigerian Christian music.