Chibogu ‘Chibs’ Obiesie – Striving for Musical Excellence to Inspire Others.
Chibogu Obiesie aka ‘Chibs’ was first introduced to music at the tender age of 4. The recorder and guitar were her first musical instruments and Chibs had a smirk on her face when she said that she absolutely hated them. It was not until she was 7 that she encountered the steelpan when she saw a performance by their school’s steel orchestra and knew instantly that she wanted to play.
She started to play in the Summer of 2013 with Mr Paul Dowie at Fairchildes Primary School and the first steel orchestra she played for was Croydon Steel Orchestra (CSO) and represented CSO as a member of the 100 strong UK All steel Percussion Orchestra (UKASPO) who played at the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Jubilee on the 5th June 2022 outside Buckingham Palace where they played Pan in A minor and London is the Place for Me by the Late Lord Kitchener ( Aldwyn Roberts) in the centenary year of the Grandmaster’s birth. Chibs currently plays with Endurance Steel Orchestra.
Chibs at Endurance Winter Concert 2025.
Chibs fondly remembers performing publicly for the first time with CSO in Bromley. She absolutely loved being in front of an audience and watching them be intrigued by their musical renditions on the steelpans. She would love to perform with BP Renegades which she classed as her a dream of her’s that she would love to fulfil.
Chibs has performed at every UK National Steelband Panorama competition since 2015 except in 2020 owing to Covid. She also performed at Steel the Show 2021 and UK National Junior Steelband Panorama in 2025. Sadly, she stated that she has never travelled with any steelband to perform but would love to do so in the near future.
Chibs performing at UK National Junior Panorama 2025.
She is currently a band member of Endurance Steel Orchestra and cited the most challenging thing she has done with the steelpan as having to arrange ‘Can We Talk’ by Tevin Campbell for Endurance steel Orchestra’s 2025 Christmas Concert. She finds it very inspirational seeing other people she learnt to play with developed so well in the steelpan industry. This has been a big eye opener for her.
Chibs being recognised for arranging ‘Can We Talk’ for Endurance Steel Orchestra Winter Concert 2025!
Chibs as a member in Endurance Steel Orchestra cited her favourite pan to play is definitely the four- pan, even though she is proficient on the tenor. Having played with the different steel orchestras, she believes that as player it requires you to be a fast dedicated learner and performer. Her advice to beginners who want to play the steelpan instrument is to treat it with respect like any other musical instrument and establish if it’s the right instrument for you.
Duvonne Stewart and Marlon Hibbert are her musical inspirations and would like to see the steelpan instrument become more mainstream and to see more bands to participate in the UK National Panorama competition. Chibs also added that there needs to be an increase in opportunities to showcase what the steelpan instrument actually is and its capabilities in the world of music alongside conventional musical instruments.
Chibs at Notting Hill Panorama 2025!
In closing Chibs stated that she wants to be the best steelpan player she can be and hopefully be an inspiration for others in the future.
Panpodium salutes this very talented, aspiring and developing musician who is poised for greatness.
