Widely known as African China, Chinagorom Onuoha has been in the Nigerian music industry for over a decade. The Ajegunle breed who is recognized as an human right activist through his music, is the brain behind Mr President among other hit songs. His debut album, Crisis remains undoubtedly one of the best sounds to come out of Ajegunle. In this explosive interview with Abiola Alaba Peters, the IMO state born reveals all that the world was yet to know about him
What's been happening to Africa China?
Well, everything good, I have been busy taking care of my business, family ust like that, I don't want to live in past glory, so I have been trying to stay strong in my career, busy and all. Nevertheless, I am still in love with my first love, which is music, don't forget that I am the CEO of my own record label, I've been the boss of myself for about 20years now, so you see its not easy, so, I have been good and busy.
You Said you've been your own boss for 20years, do you have any artists singed to your label?
Yes, I used to, I had two of them back then, but you see, you know the pproblem with our artiste, I call them prostitude or rather, artiste are prostitudes, one moment we are here, the next minutes we are there, some of us don't appreciate the record company that has been doing all the jobs for us, trying to promote your song, sorting for gigs for you and all, they don't appreciate it, after a while, you see them saying they want to leave , so its hurting, that was what played out in my own case, my artistes left because they saw other record labels who told them they throw money up and down and in my own label I had to tell them the truth, these guys are not ready for the truth and I am not ready to tye anybody down, I had to let them go. Although, we've spent some money on them.
Was there any single or album from them?
Yes they were singles which we already started promoting and that cost us some money but at the long run, I had to shut it down because they was no need for me to continue promoting the song that the artiste is no longer with me , so I said to myself, let me just invest this money on myself.
You don't think its time for you to sign another Artist?
Yea, I will, but when the time comes, I want to be very careful. like I said, the game changes and we have to change with it, I want to make sure that this time around when I am finding an artistes, I will make sure I monitor my money and be very careful this time.
Virtually all your song are targeted to the government, why?
That is because we all can not just keep quite or face a particular kind of music which you know. like me, I grew up listening to Fela Anikulakpo Kuti, if they don't like it, they should go and kiss the transformer or hug it (laughing) but for me, I have to tell the truth through my music, somebody has to speak for this country. like many times when I go for events, people sees me and they be like, oh wow! there is this kind welcomeni get and they go "oh China you said it" one of my song "food no dey" was done 18years ago, people didn't get the message, they were not paying attention to the environment, they were busy dancing to the beat and the rythem of the song, but you know what, somebody just has to speak up, that was what Fela did, and today look at us.
Would you say you saw the feature?
I think the spirit saw tomorrow, the spirit that lives in me is more than the spirit I know,the spirit saw tomorrow, I never saw tomorrow, if I tell you I did, I am lying, it was that spirit that asked me to speak for tomorrow and I did obey and the revolution started coming its a prophecy, so its wasn't me.
Being one of the pioneers in the industry with over 20years of relevancy, how would you describe the modern day lyric?
The thing is, we all can't follow the same trend, but what I know is that, after 5years from now we will all remember our past someday, we will all go to our archives. just like when you're growing up, you get to remember all you've done and you will start advising yourself and your kids . trust me, everybody will reap the fruit of his labour . time will come that that same artists will look back and shark his head.
Your latest single was directed to the president, have you been directly or indirectly confronted by any politician or from the office of the president?
They event try it, if they try it, I will do another song stronger than this, if they try it, that's going to be another song.
So you mean the government can't do it?
I am telling you that they can't, you see this government, they are smart people, and funny enough they listen to your song and they know you know what they are doing and what you are saying, they know you have fact. some of them are my friends on social media and they see my post and my post are political, so they can know, I usually give them a flashback of the promise they made to us, they know that I do my research, about 18years ago, all we do is read the newspaper and watch the television so that's where I got some of my messages from but these days, the internet gives us the platform for to get information.
You don't seem to have a video that promotes Nudity is any form like this days artist?
A lot of people has been asking me to go that way. I tried it sometimes ago and trust me, the response from my fans was not good, I had to apologise to them and promised never to try it again. I don't and can't compare myself to this days artist, my fans are die-hard fans, and other artists fans are those kind of fans that tomorrow if they have any scandals they will just disappear, check the handle of an artists when he or she hasn't had any scandal and check it after the scandal, they will leave them, but Africa China's fans follows me bumper to bumper, they are always there for me , with that alone, I don't have to disappoint them.
There is notion that artists who tackles the government don't get successful, what's your take on that?
I agree with you , they don't want to engaged you in their functions so you don't come to tackle them because they are all theifts, and I will keep saying it that they are all theifts, they don't want you to tell them that they are theifts which all they do is go there to theifts and to kill, because they kill to get to the position they are, you see the ones dancing to some song, you can tell the song they are dancing to, these are the people to lead us to where we are supposed to go then you ask yourself, where are we going. it is terrible.
Aside your music, what else do you do?
I run an event company, I am into properties, real estate , I have a saloon, I will soon open my lounge, I just acquired the property for itI am a business man in general.