Musician, CEF, has explained why his music is rooted in the Igbo culture.
The musician, from Imo State, said there was a need to go back to one’s roots and explore the essence of the culture.
Speaking at a press briefing/album listening of his seven-track album JideOfor by Genti Music, in Abuja, CEF, said the world is interested in the originality when one establishes his or her true identity.
He said, “When you see nature, it is the perfect teacher. You can see the tree and the tree is rooted. It grows and starts to flourish and expands and has fruits and leaves and branches, but it is rooted. I am very Igbo. So for me it is important to take root in your cultural heritage. As much as we are lost somehow, there is so much, the culture is so potent that we have not done anything in terms of exploring the beauty, the sounds, the melodies, the rhythms, the spirituality, and the essence of our culture.
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“We are constantly confused by our educational systems, by our religious systems. We are constantly looking for every other thing apart from who we are and for Genti Music, that is part of our mantra to go back to the roots. Because when you take root, then you can grow. That is why the music is honest because it is rooted and we are Igbo people, so it is important for us to represent our culture but still interact with the world. We must understand where we are coming from and in doing that we must be rooted.
“I had a conversation once with Sir Demas Nwoko and he said when you are rooted culturally, then you can be universal. So when you understand who you are then you can go to the world. You do not need to constantly change your identity. You find yourself and you take that identity to the world and the world is interested in that originality. So that is what this music is about. It is about finding more and digging deeper. I am passionate about this. When you want to build, the foundation goes deep. The deeper, the more solid the structure, and so for us that is what we are doing. For us this is just the start.”
He also spoke about his reasons for always adorning white apparel.
“The essence of white is not because it is better than black. There are lots lessons I learn from wearing white. It teaches me patience and consistency. I cannot hide. I am aware of my faults and failures. When you wear white it is obvious and very clear. It is constantly reminding me of my frailty. It is reminding me of my form and who I am and the fact regardless of how much the dry cleaner washes it, it can still be stained.
“So I am aware of that, everyday. So for me it is a constant reminder to check yourself and clean your mind and that is what the white is about. It is a spiritual reminder. It is a spiritual consciousness to check yourself, to point fingers at yourself and see the stains on yourself. That is what the white about,” he said.