I did not give myself Okoro Junior. Rather, it all started in the 1970s in a disco party and I had requested for African music that looked strange to the party scopers. From that point, people started calling me Okoro Junior. For them, it was derogatory; but I was challenged to take up African music and indeed I made

success stories out of it.

Bright Chimezie is a soul that incarnated from Igbo. We say ‘nwa di nma Chimezie , which means something bright, good and sparkling. You see that when one tries to change his native name to English, distortion may set in. But in this case, the meaning is not affected. In my music, I try to take things the way they are because I have set my feet down to promote some of our values.

I’m from Umuahia in Abia State where I was born, brought up and schooled to some extent before I moved into the world of music.

On education, I believe book is not the yardstick for measuring ones education. I never attended any university, maybe I will in the future. However, I know what is good from what is bad.

My brand of music is known as Zzigima music. I have chosen this brand because I am an African. I refuse to fall into the category of those who believe in commercialism just because you want to sell an album, you start calling it hip hop. Zzigima is from the phrase ‘Ozi-igama’ meaning ‘the message you are supposed to know’, this is the message of Africa. The Almighty said you should develop from the level you are. I mean conscious development.

I have never seen music as a trade but the vibration of my spirit. It rises to the level of a trade when I became conscious of my talent which I believe if well pampered and nurtured will yield Zzigimatic dividends. I started music when I was in school and went into it full time immediately after my secondary school.

I’m doing everything possible to make sure that Africa’s cultural heritage doesn’t go into extinction, at least not in music. Singing is a thing of the spirit. You see, I am an embodiment of my thought; and I am what I am telling you now.

Commercial music and interest have both taken over things. People want to sell without knowing what to sell. Many of my contemporaries have deviated, I don’t blame them though. Every society starts from the home.

I did not give myself Okoro Junior. It all started in the 1970s, in a disco party. I had requested for African music. From that point, people started calling me Okoro Junior. For them, it was derogatory; but I was challenged to take up African music.

My other brand name ‘Duke of African Music ‘, came when I was sitting in my house one particular day and three men from the Nigeria Union of Journalists’ came with a letter and said; “Looking at your fame, impact, performances and how dedicated you are to Africa, you deserve the title ‘Duke of African Music ‘. At first I rejected the letter because I hate ceremonies of that kind. But they started persuading me that it’s not going to cost me anything. I was told Elejigbo of Ejigbo would confer me with the title. The conferment was held at a hall in Adamasingba in the city of Ibadan on the 14th of February 1988.

Interview by Oboh Yakubu and Deji Merotohun for PRIDE Magazine