Let's preach peace and security through music - Music Entrepreneur

Henry Izuchukwu Ukachukwu, CEO, Henry B Klassic Entertainment, is from Imo state, but was born and brought up in Anambra state. In the following exclusive interview with O'star Eze of Orient Daily, his Odyssey into the music entrepreneurship was explored as well as the Peace and Security concert that he conceived and is on the verge of launching. Excerpts:

Can you share your antecedents?

I started school in St Faith, Awka and from there i moved to St Paul's Primary School. Then, when they transferred my dad, who is a clergyman, to Ekwulobia in Aguata Local Government Area, our family had to relocate there and i started schooling at St Catherine's Comprehensive Secondary School and then finished secondary education at Urban Secondary School, Ekwulobia, where i wrote my WASCCE. Then i gained admission at Federal Polytechnic, Oko, where i studied Business Administration. I graduated in 2006. But in that year, we had an entertainment club we were managing. So, when we were about closing down the club, given we were graduating, we decided to organize a life show that would bring a lot of people. Then Cosmo FM was in vogue. So, we discussed with the Cosmo FM management, liaised with their DJs, got the partnership of very big shots in Oko, including the Director of Rozander Hotel. The show was such an explosive success. I had not been to Lagos before then but that show took me to Lagos where I contracted Sample (Ekwe). Then he was at the prime of his career as a music artiste. We brought him down to Oko them for the show. The show was a grand success. It was Sample that first observed that i was not stuff for Anambra state and that i should come up to Lagos where my Entertainment promotion and organisation (which he was obviously impressed with) would be better appreciated.

From the origin, i had always been a music enthusiast. I enjoyed and played all kinds of music; Reggae, Highlife, Hiphop, excetera. A habit that always got me in trouble with my father who was  a conservative given his religious vocation. I also was a vocalist in church. So, music was a natural flair. But i never wanted to be a public figure.

So, following my passion, I went to Lagos after graduating from Fed. Poly. Oko and in 2009, I launched myself formally into the music industry in Lagos. I hosted 120 DJs, 12 media houses and a lot of other entertainment firms in Lagos state to launch Henry B Klassic Entertainment into the Music Industry. From there, i started running shows, both on the streets and in establishments, managing artistes and suchlike. That was how we got into the music industry and it has been a rich and profitable experience all the way. These days, you find that music is the in-thing. Back in the days, when you indicate interest in music, your parents and relatives would tag you wayward, 'ofeke', but these days, football is the order of the day. These days, everybody would want to associate with musicians and musicians are big boys. We show promoters have all their contacts.

Presently, i want to break the jinx of Showbiz in the South East and make it a big deal, just as it is in Lagos. 

Now, let us talk about your Peace and Security Concert. When and how did you conceive the idea and what is all about?

The Peace and Security concert. Yes, i have been seeing a lot of crisis in the society.  A lot of people die, are maimed and are rendered homeless as a result of conflicts and wars. We got really concerned about this and started thinking of how we can reach the youths who are the primary target of conflict and instigators. We now perceived that it would be good if we go to the society with the language of music to preach peace and security.

And you know that whenever a country is at peace and secured, a lot of investors come in. Business will be flourishing and development is facilitated. So, we decided we would marry showbiz with the message of peace and security, a strategy we believe would drive the message home better. This birthed the concert of peace and security.

We want to use known faces in the music industry, draw the crowd and we would now pass the message of peace. People should be security conscious, promptly report any suspicious activities in their environment to the security agencies. We don't want to hold a conventional show where people just come, pay gate fee and get entertained. The event is a free show.

So far,  a lot of people want to be part of Peace and Security Concert and more people are invited to partner with it to make it a resounding success.

I understand that there is such a concert in the Offings.  Can you share with us how far you have gone and when we should be expecting the show in Anambra state?

So far, we have been able to break into the Anambra state government. We introduced the idea to Anambra state government, they set up a committee to look into the project and saw that the project is good to the society. So, they now endorsed it. We have the endorsement letter with us. The government now propelled us to package our materials, source for funds from the private sector and carry out the event. We have talked to our artistes and to some media houses to partner with us, given it is more of a humanitarian outing seeking to impact the society positively. We want to also use the platform to appreciate the governor for how far he has gone with security in the state. People now talk about Anambra in Lagos and elsewhere, that it is now a safe economic hub for investment. So far, we are looking for more sponsors to come in and partner with us, because we already have our team ready, our materials set and our artistes on standby for mobilization. There is also going to be a PowerPoint projection of the old Anambra before the present Administration with it's security issues and then the present security status of the state courtesy of the present administration.

So we have work plan for the event and we have a lot packaged for the day. What we have been waiting for is here already, which is the government's endorsement letter. It is here now, so we are good to go. We therefore call on individuals, firms, brewery, telecommunications, to partner with us. Let us preach security and peace to our people through music.