By Providence Adeyinka

In this interview, Gospel music artiste, Mr Ezenwa Chinekezi, popularly known as Mr. Zico, called on government and well meaning bodies to encourage Nigeria gospel music artistes by supporting them to organize concerts to further grow the industry.Except:

Background

I usually celebrate my birthday on March 7 every year. For this year, I am launching my single titled:  “You are Mighty” taken from Psalm 93:4. I am using this medium to gather people so that we can do it together.

Last year I did a theme: “Jayamma,” in which I featured the gospel music giant Buchi to release Jayamma, while this year is You are Mighty. Each year have a theme and that theme is a song. 

What is the driving force?      

My motivation remains to give the gift back to the giver. I won’t say what I am doing is profit oriented because God has a way of paying us. Seeing people lifting hands and giving thanks to God drives me.           

What informed the title?  

 You are mighty is from psalm 93:4. So each year has a theme and that theme is a song. 

What are your expectations going forward?

 Last year was awesome; though it can only get better. One thing is this, if God gives you 200 years, one day it will finish. As long as I live, I will always use this carrier to prosper.           

As a gospel artiste, how do you want to evaluate the Nigeria gospel industry? 

It is unfortunate that what we describe as gospel these days is not gospel. People sing anything and manage to put halleluiah, and then it becomes gospel. But that is not my definition of gospel.

Gospel has to do with soul winning for Christ and glorifying the name of God. It gives me joy when some gospel songs are listened to and it touches and glorifies God. Not the kind of song that they would add hallelujah and sing what is obtainable in world.   

What is your advice for those who don’t sing real gospel?        

 When I got the vision to do this programme, it was at conception level for years. I could not start, then last year I heard start and I came back and went to my General Overseer to discuss with him because gospel is not an entertainment, I don’t collect gate fee.

It pays to be patient, when you look into it future you will know as an artist or a musician that you gain more from the little things you do.      

 What are the challenges of this industry?   

Corporate organizations cannot come into the kind of things we are doing for sponsorships, because they know they would not be able to display their products, especially those product which we do not welcome and also they don’t really see it as an avenue for money making.

Secular artistes would do the same thing and you would see the blue chip companies coming out to sponsor. I think this is a major challenge, until that orientation is changed it remains a big challenge.

People don’t believe that the gospel singers should enjoy financially, so until we Christians begin to embrace our own, and believe the gospel singers should be rewarded, we would remain where we are.   

Where do you think government can come in to support this industry?

Government can encourage gospel musicians by organizing gospel concerts. God bless Adefarasin, who is single handedly handling the largest gospel concert where people come from all over and get blessed.

If Government should come into such, by virtue of what they hear, crime rate will reduce, people will embrace God because if people keep going where they smoke weed, drink alcohol and at the end of the day when they get drunk they will begin to look for who to rape, it is a problem.

What is your advice to up and coming artistes?                 

People are after getting rich quickly, but forgetting that there are consequences. This, I am totally against. I have always known that if you put God first, he will not forsake you.

My advice for the upcoming artistes is to trust God, put Him first, be consistent, do not give up, if you know that God called you for this, you will do little and reap much.

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