By Uzor Maxim Uzoatu
The debut album, “Igbo Rising,” by the phenomenal Gerald Eze, aka Ogbuoja-Eze, is a comprehensive delight to behold and cherish. The compelling 12-tracker released by Felbon Records grips you from the very beginning and never lets go until the last sound seeps into the bloodstream.
Gerald Eze, universally hailed as Ogbuoja-Eze, is a singer and multi-instrumentalist in both Igbo and Western musical instruments, but holds aloft majorly as the maestro of the Igbo musical instrument Oja, alongside Uboaka.
The exquisitely packaged “Igbo Rising” album of Gerald Eze kicks off with “Ogbuoja-Eze (Intro)”, produced by Anyi Nso with arresting Mbem Igbo chant by Fr Jude Adika. The signal offering is of course written and performed by Gerald Eze. Then follows the insightful song “Akachi.”
Gerald Eze’s “Igbo Rising” coasts home with a full array of songs, notably “Obia, Uchu, Ndidi, Mmiri, Oja Mmuo, Anya na Ana, Ogechi, Enyi and Omenka Njideka.” The captivating album rounds off with “Oja Dance (Outro)” featuring Oluoma with Dalor Beats as producer. All the songs are written by Gerald Eze, and its so sweet to the soul bearing witness to the soulful rendition of Oluoma, that is, Oluomachukwu Odimegwu, the female medical student Gerald Eze mentored in mastering the Oja instrument which delighted novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
Gerald Eze’s “Igbo Rising” takes inspiration from the “Igbo Landing” genie at Dunbar Creek on St Simon’s Island, Glynn County, Georgia, USA, where in 1803 captive Igbo slaves refused to submit to slavery by capturing the slave ship and opting for mass suicide.
In the words of Gerald Eze, “The Igbo people are resilient, industrious, intellectual, independent, dialogical and democratic. We are forged by and purged through fire. We emerge powerful always. This album is for the soul as it is for the mind and the body. It is not business as usual. It is music as our ancestors designed it. The Igbo spirit cannot be broken. For many years, I have studied Igbo music, folklore, musical instruments and dance. It is a time to share. I present to you my debut album ‘Igbo Rising’. Enjoy!”
The Oja instrument has taken Gerald Eze all over the globe, but he remains rooted down home, as he says: “Home is where we rise from. Home is the springboard for the sons and daughters of the Land of The Rising Sun. Home is where we find healing and meaning to our life. The power of Ọ̀ja music cannot be gainsaid. Igbo is such a beautiful culture.”
He recalls an encounter with the legendary Pete Edochie thusly: “Look at the smile on the face of Chief Pete Edochie! Just one instrument, Ọ̀ja, can make the Igbo smile, start conversations, make poetry flow, make an elder dish out wise words, prompt people to dance, etc. Ọ̀ja music brings communal healing and peaceful cohesion.”
“Igbo Rising” strikes at the very heart of Gerald Eze’s mission and vision. Hear him: “My mission as Ogbuoja-Eze is to heal and connect people all over the world, to make your spirit rise to the demands of the times.”
Gerald Eze has just returned from the United States where he excelled at the American Music Mentorship Program at the Recording Academy, Los Angeles. He makes this revelation: “Every word I speak, every step I take, every thing I wear, and every music I play speaks of where I come from. I am Igbo. A bu m Nwafọ Igbo. And I am happy to always engage the world with music from Africa because music is a great diplomacy.”
Against the background of his tour of duty in America, Gerald Eze says: “Indeed, it is tough to tell the story of this amazing experience I had, meeting the best musicians, leaders, music business executives, and creative minds from across the world. I have just decided to start from day one. Does it mean that tomorrow will be day two? Yes.”
He is full of gratitude to Ubuntu Elite Styles, his official stylist. He volunteers further: “I thank God who has brought me this far, and all of you for your positive energy and support towards my music and journey. I feel blessed and privileged to be in this beautiful position where I continue to put Igbo music and other Nigerian traditional music on the global map. Yes, of course, someday, someone will bring the Grammy home for doing authentic Igbo Music, amongst other important possibilities.”
One of the highlights of his experiences in the AMMP residency was the meeting with his mentor, Loretta Muñoz. According to Gerald Eze, “The truth is that I know what I want in life but I don’t dictate to God where I go. I am always led well into the right place and into the right hands. Meeting Loretta was so apt. During our first meeting, she listened a lot with intent and good disposition, and we exchanged knowledge, stories, and history from my Igbo roots to her Mexican roots. And she understood me before I completed any sentence. Knowing where a mentee is coming from and where s/he is going is key assurance of successful mentorship.
We took pictures with the Oja and Uboaka handmade in Nigeria by Ichoku Academy, and I believe that the sounds of these instruments will increasingly and significantly continue to contribute to global well-being.”
He stresses: “My approach to music as diplomacy is to leave a footprint of my culture wherever I go, and I left a mark of the Uboaka and Oja in LA to a well-deserving mentor. Indeed, it was all well-rounded cultural exchange. I don’t just praise people. I tell the truth about who they are. I am lucky, always lucky, and blessed. We are all beautiful and blessed, and uniquely gifted. We only need to stay long enough on your unique path and the spirits will always lead us to the right place to meet the right people at the right time.”
Ogbuoja-Eze has paid his tribute to the Igbo legendary folk musician, cultural archivist, and educator, Gentleman Mike Ejeagha. He remembers meeting the icon in his house, and he said to him in Igbo: “Gaa kuziere umu Uwa egwu. Gaba n’iru egwu adiro ya”, which translates to – “Take your music to the world. Go on, there should be no fear.”
Gerald Eze continues: “Indeed, remembering those words, I will never let any voice that is of fear speak to me. When I visited him last year, and after performing his music for him, he looked at me in a way that spoke volumes. Maybe a handover…”
Gerald Eze had a hit performance at the Independence Day Celebration of Nigeria and reopening of the National Theatre, now renamed Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts. He “felt blessed and honoured by my ancestors to bring the Igbo Ọ̀jà, Uboaka and folklore performance to the national stage before President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka, the Governor of Lagos State Babajide Sanwo-Olu (CON), Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria Dr. Olayemi Cardoso, the Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture Chief Obi Asika, among other distinguished personages.”
With the launch of “Igbo Rising” by Gerald Eze, aka Ogbuoja-Eze, music of the homeland has soared into the stratosphere.
