INTERVIEW: Why it’s delusional to think Nigeria’ll get better — singer Mr Lukeson
Mr Lukeson is a fast-rising Nigerian musician with several hit songs. The singer, whose real name is Onwuzuruike Lukeson Oguchi Luke, has continued to pull the weight of fame in the music industry.
The Port Harcourt-born artiste is also an activist who is passionate about a better society. In this interview with CRISPNG, he reflects on his music career, activism, among others.
Tell us about myself
My name is Onwuzuruike Lukeson Oguchi Luke, a native of Egbema in Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
A young computer science tech graduate of Imo State Polytechnic and a masters degree graduate of Shenyang Agricultural University in China.
A performing artist, music producer, songwriter, and an activist because people say I am one.
What’s your area of specialisation as an artiste?
I’d have simply said an R&B/Afro Pop singer but I’m way too versatile in this music thing so, I can perfect almost any kind of song. For this reason, I won’t say I’m stationed in any genre.
At what point did you kickstart your music career?
My love for music has been from childhood. Born into a family where even my granny was a known singer in the community and all my siblings and my mum are known up till date by close friends as good singers, I think this gave me the foundation i needed but more so, i got my polishing in the church until i decided to do my first recording in 2005 using a beat i made by myself.
Ever since, I’ve been on this thing and praying and waiting on breakthrough.
Tells us about some of your works
I have them many out there. They include:
- Someone Like you
- Dogo
- Ada Pitakwa
- Hangover and a lot more.
I have over 50 unreleased tracks because I don’t want to release them and not do proper promo like I did to others.
Are you working on anything currently?
We don’t ever rest on this thing even when we want to.
I was working on a project recently but it got stolen by an artist known as Dapro who was able to commit that theft with one of the big names in the industry (Young Skales) and when I contacted Skales, he asked for a prove which I provided and he later denied knowing that the song was stolen even before he dropped the song.
Saddest thing is, they messed up the song completely.
What do you aim to achieve with music?
I want to be able to put my city on the map. A lot of young talents are dying here for lack of no support. I’m hoping to get to limelight so I can be able raise a ladder for these young talents.
What’s your drive as an activist?
My major drive is the continual systematic marginalisation of our people. It has mesmerised our existence so much that so many of our people are now adapting to marginalization and poverty as a way of life. My biggest drive even is the realisation that our life expectancy here is presently within 50-55 years of age due to the activities of these oil companies here. The fact that government knows this open secret yet not making any plan for our future generation.
Anybody still believing in Nigeria is either delusional or just naturally wicked.
What is it like being an activist demanding a better Nigeria?
The perfect response is “SUICIDAL”.
Suicidal in the sense that you’re automatically marked for death either by the government of the day or by people directly gaining from the marginalisation.
To what extent are you joining forces with others to change the narrative for good?
We’re sold out to this! We’ll go any extent to see a better Niger Delta even though it gets tiring. I’m not married, have no kids presently so I’m living all for myself hence, have no reason to fear for the life of anybody.
How was your masters programme abroad?
I think my masters abroad was inspired by the need to escape from Nigeria. My parents started regretting raising us in Nigeria and they finally decided that no time is late. So, they made that move for my sister and I and it happened.
I came back late 2019 and have not gone back due to COVID-19
Do I regret coming back to Nigeria?
My return to Nigeria is my biggest regret since I was born.
Do I still believe in Nigeria?
Anybody still believing in Nigeria is either delusional or just naturally wicked. If a working Nigeria is viable, it won’t work in the next 50 years even.
Do you think Nigerian youths are doing enough to change the situation?
Nigerian youths are the biggest challenges the country will be facing in few years to come.
This generation has normalised crime and presently believe that school is a scam and a very sizable number of young Nigerian men are leaving school for internet scam which has become the latest crude oil.
What this simply portends is that we’re losing potential doctors, lawyers, engineers, pilots and etc to crime. By the next couple of years, we’ll be hiring from Ghana because we’ll be left we no specialist in almost every field.
This generation has normalised crime and presently believe that school is a scam
What should the youth should do in 2023?
The major question should be.
Is 2023 promised?
With government created problems here and there, I believe before 2023 a lot will happen unless for God’s intervention, the clamor for secession here and there and the present government funding chaos, problems can only grow.
What should your fans should be expecting in the coming months?
I’m taking a different approach this time and I’m gonna be giving them back to back. I already have chains of songs coming.
Below are few of his songs:
