Bigger Ibekwe is a celebrated gospel musician with many albums and singles to his credit. A graduate of Theatre Arts, University of Benin, he also studied International Relations and Politics, as well as Journalism. Ibekwe is a polyglot addition to his mother tongue; Igbo language and English language, he also writes and speaks fluently Chinese, Japanese and Tagalog (Philippines) languages. Besides language, the international businessman turned gospel artiste, believes strongly in music as a medium of communication and reorientation. He speaks with TONY OKUYEME on his latest single, Yahoo Yahoo, and challenges of gospel music among other issues
You have a new single, titled, Yahoo Yahoo, that you’re set to release. What inspired this single?
My new single, titled, Yahoo Yahoo, was prompted by the very ubiquitous conflicts between the Police and our young boys. When you pass through many of our highways you will see a lot of confrontations between the Police and our young men.
Particularly, I had an experience where I was driving with some young persons, and the Police stopped us and they were threatening me and the young men that were in the vehicle with me. They asked me to pull- over, which I did, because I was the one driving.
What then followed after you pulled over?
But as soon as we pulled over, they started shouting, ‘Come down! Come down! They were becoming very aggressive. I felt it was because they saw the young men inside the vehicle. We were actually going to do a video shoot on that fateful day.
So, when I came down from the vehicle, I asked them what the problem was. They started accusing us of being Yahoo boys. I was shocked. I told them that I am a gospel musician, that if they don’t recognise the name, at least they should have seen my face on television.
I told them that as a matter of fact, I am not such a young man as they could see. They said, it was not me but the boys with me. I explained to them that we were going to do a video shoot.
To cut the story short, eventually, they turned it into a joke and allowed us to go. This happened July last year. And this experience largely inspired this single, Yahoo Yahoo.
Beyond capturing your experience, what really is the message you are trying to pass across?
The message is that, first of all, it is not everybody you see that is a Yahoo Yahoo, which is a term in Nigeria for internet fraudsters. The second message, is to let Nigerians know that we should also not be so hard on the Police officers as well.
That they should remember the saying, that, ‘Police is your friend’. There are several legitimate ways of making money in Nigeria. It is not from engaging in fraudulent activities that you can make money.
So, the whole concept in the song is that it is not every man, especially young man, you see that is a fraudster; and that the society should also be soft on the Police. Of course, I am also calling on Policemen to take it easy too. Even when you are trying to do your job, do it in a civil manner.
When should we expect it to be released?
It is going to be out any moment from now. I’ m looking at before October. So, the single would be out in the market soon.
Which platforms are you focusing on to release the single?
We are presently working on producing a video and even a skit on it, something on Tik Tok to promote it. We are looking at platforms like Audiomack and others. As I said, we are presently working on the video – a visual interpretation of the work.
Last year, you released a single, titled, Umuaka, which is also not like the usual gospel music sound that you are known for, what informed this departure?
Umuaka is a song dedicated to children. Yes, it’s not purely gospel but it is somehow, because I was using the song to preach. Talking about the good things, about children and encouraging the society to treat children with love and affection.
What inspired Umuaka or is it also from your personal experience?
I love children. I am not so happy with the government’s attitude towards our children. If you travel out of the country, especially to South East Asia, there are social programmes designed to inculcate in children the ideas and sense of patriotism, of decency.
Children are not abused there. But here in Nigeria, there are so many cases of child abuse. So, I was trying to preach, telling people that children are gift from God. You cannot compare that gift with any other gift. Any home that doesn’t have them is lacking a very large chunk of humanity. Umuaka is a very deep statement on the weight of children as a gift.
You also have been able to combine English, Pidgin and Igbo language in your songs. Is this deliberate?
Yes, because I target a large spectrum of audience; people who can understand better in English; I target those too who understand it better in pidgin, and also my Igbo people.
I have song that I’m working on that will involve Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo and Chinese languages. It is going to be part of a six-track album.
Have you decided to do just singles for now or are there plans to release another album soon?
My last album was, Heaven’s Telephone Number. It’s a six-track album. It was after that I released the single, Umuaka, before this latest single, Yahoo Yahoo.
But after this, we are coming out with a six-track album that we’ll have tracks in Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo and Chinese languages. It’s going to be pure gospel.
Is gospel music making the desired impact in Nigeria?
The other day, I read where somebody was saying that if you want to make money in music, don’t go into gospel. But one thing I want to tell you is that most of us who do gospel, the money is not the target.
It is a calling through which we spread the message of our Lord Jesus Christ. I don’t do my gospel work focused purely on making money; I rather want to use it to reach out to some persons who I cannot talk to one-on-one about the love of God, the sovereign nature of God, and the works of God.
So, I use that as my own way to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. That’s basically what it is.
You also seem to blend your gospel music with a touch of hip-hop. Is this deliberate?
I have a song, titled, With Jesus A Dim Ok, which is like that. In fact, I was told that they play it in some night clubs. I said, good and fine, let them hear about Jesus. I don’t care about your wealth; I don’t care about your position.
What I am saying in that song is that, With Jesus A Dim Ok, which means, With Jesus I’ m Ok. What is your advice for budding gospel musicians? My advice is, be focused. It is a wonderful privilege that you have that creative prowess inside you. Don’t let it die.
Not every person is able to compose and write songs; not everybody is able to sing. It is a gift; and if you are privileged to have that gift, don’t let it die. The road is not so smooth, but don’t allow the roughness of the road to discourage or pull you down. Tough times don’t last; but tough people do.
So, if you observe that you are gifted, try, struggle. Don’t give up. Persevere, eventually, you will be surprised how God will bless you.