By Gesikeme Akparakata
There is no doubt to the truth that the genius in Jking Alfred Izonebi is re- inventing and re- recreating itself, replicating a better version of his personality. The reason for this is clear, he was a child who never saw his childhood, who traded his youth to hardwork and dedication and service. He was the child who never had a childhood friend but forced to think like an adult in the midst of the elderly. He was the child who was like a girl under age, betrothed to marriage by her parents to late King Dr. Robert Ebizimor at a very tender age. That was what changed everything. Destiny has taken it’s natural course. He shall never be the same again. His biological parenthood had been altered by another fatherhood, so much so that the former had taken a hold of the boy. So instead of thinking like his peers, he was not. To them, he was not normal. A child joins his peer group to the football field, move around having fun, flirting and having free times to enjoy their youthful exuberance, yet he was not found among them. He was lost to hardwork and determination. To them he was too archaic and old fashioned to be a child.
Like every thing in life, there is a law that binds us and all things through. Nothing in life is lost in vain The universe is dynamic. It pays every one his or her own sacrifice in full at the right time. Nothing is lost to it.
Many times, we may think God is wrong, that His judgements were sometimes too harsh. We have questions like, why would He take our King Dr Robert Ebizimor from us at such a time? But Jesus said, ” I must go for the greater blessings to come. Except a grain of seed dies, he cannot multiply into many”.
No doubt the death of King Robert Ebizimor has given birth to many icons in the Ijaw music industry, especially the three Gs ( Great’s) as I called them, in King Pereama Freetown, Chief Barrister S. Smooth, Jking Alfred Izonebi. In talents, no man is more gifted than these threesome Great’s. Dr. Robert Ebizimor has multiplied himself in millions of men, living in time with the infinity of eternity and ever present through his works.
But that is not the reason of my article. My article this time is on the genius Jking Alfred Izonebi, the young man who like the Phoenix of a bird burnt himself in the fire of rebirth to recreate himself. The creative process was captured in his new song, titled ‘ E Dibi’. I listened to it over and over again, and I think it’s a sin for the young talented artist to remind the living that what the dead prays for is to be buried, and no matter what we do, it has no benefit to him, rather a waste of time and resources. How sad this could be to the ego of men. Then I know what King Robert Ebizimor had planted in this young genius was beyond music but a great philosophical institution.
However, like a night wanderer wandering and delving into issues that do not concern him, I observed one thing about the budding genius called Izonebi, his re- inventive power of creativity. It seems he understood life like Michael Jackson and other great artists that talent alone is not enough for any artist to shoot himself to the top. And because many talented artists were not aware of this salient truth, the graveyard is today made the greatest treasure filled with unfinished songs, footballers, dancers, writers, and orators who did not achieve their dreams.
Alfred Izonebi to many is a mastermind of the old generation musicians and the new. Like a woman gifted with the power of medium, it seems he is hearing from the dead, and beyond. He seems to be operating in the ministry of reconciliation between the living and the dead. The excellent combination of the old music blended with his inspiration makes him a perfect example of Robert Greene ‘s 48 Laws of Power that says:
“Do not accept the roles that society foists on you. Recreate yourself by forging a new identity, one that commands attention never bores the audience. Be the master of your own image rather than letting others define it for you. Incorporate dramatic devices into your public gestures and actions – your power will be enhanced and your character will be seen as larger than life.”
In terms of originality, I don’t think anybody could doubt the creative power of this young artist who sang his first albums that shook the foundation of music in the land; songs like Brake Orua, that the devil is a man and all our actions were calculated to destroy one another here on earth. But he was thought by his master King Robert Ebizimor that talent is not ENOUGH, that if a child wants to go far in the future, he should revisit the ancestors for advice and corrections and directions.
Alfred Izonebi is doing a great service to the Ijaw Nation for re-awakening the memories of the old in which many are forgotten. We cannot forget in a hurry how the young man recently consulted and formed a formidable ally with the great Koro- endi, Ball ere, (ancestors) to the studio and made the war song for the reason why the Ijaws in Delta state should produce a Governor this time. That song brought a complete preparedness for people like Chief Broderick Bozimo and others to wake up to fight for the common interest of the Ijaw Nation.
In him we have a reflection of the past and the present crop of musicians in the industry. Sadly many of those artists are lost to time. The critics should stop the accusations and persecutions, for the law of originality does not come alone without the fire of re- invention. Every theory propounded by one has to be improved by another for the sake of continuity and by keeping the memories of the legacies of the first. Without this, life has lost its purpose and meaning. A good example is Thomas Edison who created the invention of the lightbulb but before his was Isaac Newton, and Michael Faraday all contributed to electricity.
Just like we all would agree, without King Robert Ebizimor, hopefully, nobody today could have known a musician called Osundu. Interestingly, whether we may like it or not, we all climb to the mountain top on the shoulders of the giants before us. If Jking Alfred Izonebi is guilty of this sin by bringing into his expertise some lines of other past musicians, either in beat or lyrics, then every artiste alive or dead is guilty of the same sin.
Once again, “E Dibi” is not Chief Echo Teikumor, song, but is a different style mixed with several other sound codes, with respect to Echo’s musical theatrical touch of lyrics and rhyme which is natural with every creator. It is surely a perfect blend of talent, and originality, and the song is indeed a hit.
However there is a danger to what we do in persecuting our talented artists. If we disallowed the muse in Izonebi not to promote our old musicians, then in no distant time, all our old musicians will be lost to history, and I have my doubts there is any producer to bring their memories back to remembrance. I can hear the dead crying again and again, “E Dibi”, allow the dead to stay in peace! And if there is any legacy we can owe them is to remember them, in songs and write ups.
Leave Jking Alfred Izonebi alone, he has truly put a smile on the faces of the dead and the living, and we are happy.
Leave our Ijaw musicians alone to do their things!
