# Felix Lebarty > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Felix_Lebarty > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Felix_Lebarty.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felix_Lebarty > Source revision: 1353524140 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Nigerian pop musician, singer, songwriter, and producer}} {{Use British English|date=May 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}} {{infobox musical artist | name = Felix Lebarty | alias = Lover Boy | birth_place = [Edo State](/source/Edo_State), Nigeria | instrument = Vocals, guitar | occupations = Singer, musician, pastor | label = Tabansi, [EMI Nigeria](/source/EMI_Records) }} '''Felix Aigbe Libarty''', professional known as '''Felix Lebarty''' also known as '''Lover Boy''', is a Nigerian singer/songwriter and [record producer](/source/record_producer), best known for the 1989 single "Ifeoma" from the ''One Life To Live'' album. He has since reinvented himself as a [pastor](/source/pastor), and currently runs his own Christian ministry.{{Cite news |date=3 March 2012 |url=http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/nigerian-idol-celebrates-onyeka-onwenu-ksa-felix-liberty/110548/ |title=Nigerian Idol Celebrates Onyeka Onwenu, KSA, Felix Liberty |newspaper=[This Day](/source/This_Day)|access-date=9 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518084243/http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/nigerian-idol-celebrates-onyeka-onwenu-ksa-felix-liberty/110548/ |archive-date=18 May 2015 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |first=Kazeem |last=Popoola |url=http://www.nigeriafilms.com/news/11530/29/music-stars-of-yesteryears-2-where-are-they-now.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110506051944/http://nigeriafilms.com/news/11530/29/music-stars-of-yesteryears-2-where-are-they-now.html|archive-date=6 May 2011|url-status=dead |title=Music stars of yesteryears 2 ..Where are they now |website=Nigerafilms.com |access-date=28 July 2016}}{{cite web |url=http://jaguda.com/2014/09/18/throwback-thursday-felix-liberty-ifeoma/ |url-status=dead |title=ThrowBack Thursday: Felix Liberty – Ifeoma |author=Aribaba |website=Jaguda.com |accessdate=28 July 2016 |archive-date=19 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160719151103/http://jaguda.com/2014/09/18/throwback-thursday-felix-liberty-ifeoma/ }}{{cite web|url=http://www.thenigerianvoice.com/movie/171546/3/i-regret-not-being-able-to-provide-for.html|title=I Regret Not Being Able To Provide for All My Children...Pastor Felix Liberty|via=The Nigerian Voice |work=Nigeriafilms.com |first=Nathan Nathaniel |last=Ekpo |accessdate=28 July 2016}} ==Music== Lebarty initially gained music experience with his older brother, [highlife](/source/highlife) musician Aigbe Lebarty,[https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/03/most-young-musicians-are-half-baked-aigbe-lebarty/ Most Nigerian Musicians are half-baked] performing as guitarist with the band Aigbe Lebarty & the Sex Bombers, and on [Kris Okotie](/source/Chris_Okotie)'s album before embarking on his own solo career. His first release was the album ''Girls For Sale'', but achieved his breakthrough with 1982's ''Lover Boy'', with the title track becoming his showbiz [moniker](/source/moniker). Lebarty's music was well received in Eastern Nigeria, particularly within the [Igbo](/source/Igbo_people) community, and some of his songs were odes to Igbo women, including "Ego", "Chi-Chi", "Ada", "Uchenna", Ngozi,[https://thenationonlineng.net/ngozi/ Ngozi] and "Nneka". In 1989, a decade into his career as a recording artiste, Lebarty released the album ''One Life to Live'' which featured what would become his signature song, "Ifeoma". It would later be heard during the nightclub scene in the 2021 film ''[Swallow](/source/Swallow_(2021_film))'' despite the 1985 setting, as ''One Life to Live'' was released four years later. Following the release of his final album as a secular artist, 1992's ''419'', Lebarty relocated to the [United States](/source/United_States) where he established a [taxi firm](/source/taxi), returning to Nigeria five years later.[https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/02/fathers-lifestyle-affected-childhood-felix-libertys-daughter/ My Father's Lifestyle Affected My Childhood][https://www.thenigerianvoice.com/movie/4976/i-became-a-taxi-driver-in-the-us-because-i-didnt-want-to-se.html I Became a Taxi Driver in the US Because I Didn't want to Sell Drugs] ==Ministry== Born into an [African traditionalist](/source/Traditional_African_religions) family, Lebarty converted to [Islam](/source/Muslim) at the height of his fame but became a [Christian](/source/Christian) in the late 90s. With the support of fellow 80s singer-turned-preacher [Chris Okotie](/source/Chris_Okotie), Lebarty attended [bible school](/source/bible_school) in America and is now the pastor of his own ministry.[https://onlinenigeria.com/nm/templates/?a=13915 I Am A New Breed] ==Personal life== Lebarty, whose father died when he was 3, is the father of 19 children by seven different women.{{Cite news |url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/02/polygamy-almost-ruined-life-says-felix-libarty/ |location=Lagos, Nigeria|title=Polygamy almost ruined my life, says Felix Libarty |date=11 February 2017 |access-date=5 June 2022 |newspaper=[Vanguard](/source/Vanguard_(Nigeria))}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/02/fathering-children-i-cannot-take-care-of-remains-my-greatest-regret-felix-liberty/|location=Lagos, Nigeria|title=Fathering children I cannot take care of remains my greatest regret – Felix Liberty |newspaper=[Vanguard](/source/Vanguard_(Nigeria))|date=28 February 2015 |first=Benjamin |last=Njoku |accessdate=28 July 2016}} He is now legally married to Rosemary, the mother of his first four children including fashion designer/singer Ivie - the couple initially split following Lebarty's numerous affairs with other women, but reunited after he discovered Christianity. Lebarty has since expressed regret over his former lifestyle, and now preaches against [polygamy](/source/polygamy) and [secular music](/source/secular_music).[https://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/02/fathering-children-i-cannot-take-care-of-remains-my-greatest-regret-felix-liberty/ Fathering Children I Cannot Take Care Of Remains My Greatest Regret] ==Discography== *Girls For Sale - 1979 *Don't Take My Girl (''as "Felix Lebarty and the Gang"'') - 1979 *Felix Lebarty & Dynamite Rock (''as "Felix Lebarty & Dynamite Rock"'') - 1979 *Lover Boy - 1982 *Lover Boy '83 (''Sequel album'') - 1983 *Bobo - 1984 *African Boy - 1986 *One Life To Live - 1989 *Better Be Sure - 1991 *419 (''Final secular album'') - 1992 {{cite web | url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/1315717-Felix-Lebarty | title=Felix Lebarty | website=[Discogs](/source/Discogs) }} ==References== {{reflist}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Lebarty, Felix}} Category:Nigerian male musicians Category:Living people Category:English-language Nigerian singers Category:Nigerian music industry executives Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Musicians from Edo State Category:Nigerian evangelicals --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Felix Lebarty](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felix_Lebarty) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felix_Lebarty?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.