Zaaki Azzay is one of Nigeria’s prominent entertainers. He’s a musician, TV producer-presenter and record label proprietor. He became a household name with his monster hit, Marry Am. A native of Benue State, he speaks with OSEYIZA OOGBODO on the mass killings rocking Benue State and other sundry issues. Excerpt:
What’s the latest about you?
Well, the latest is, for the first time, I did True Nigerians Awards I’ve always been wanting to do, an awards for the TV programme that’s been going on for a while, and it was very successful, by the grace of God, in Abuja.
When did you hold it?
It held on the 31st of October last year (2017).
How many ‘true’ Nigerians did you give awards to?
I gave to Mike Adenuga, Maitama Sule, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State, Onyeka Onwenu, Nasir el-Rufai, who was the only person that didn’t come for the event. So, that tells you how successful the award was.
The first edition of True Nigerians Awards held last year. Is it going to be an annual event?
Yes, sir. Yes.
So, it will hold again in October?
Yes, same October. Every October ending, we’ll hold the event. The next one is still in Abuja. But it’s not always going to be in Abuja. We’re looking at having it next in Abuja or Lagos, for now.
As a long time entertainment practitioner, you know very well that awards hold for some time and then suddenly die. What’s your plan to sustain TNA?
TNA is a passion. It’s something I’ve always been wanting to do. I’ve been running the TV programme for up to 10 years now. And I mean, if I’m able to sustain the programme for up to ten years, by the grace of God, I should be able to sustain the awards, because the awards is what I actually wanted to do. The TV programme is just a buildup to the awards. So, the awards is what I really wanted to do because I strongly believe in my heart that the only way to correct and make Nigeria a better country is to celebrate those people who have done us well; that the younger ones coming up will emulate and do the right thing.
You’re from Benue State, and quite recently, your state has been in the news for very tragic reasons. How do you feel about the mass killings of your people in your state?
I am speechless, I’m shocked and it’s devastating. I don’t even know what to say. I don’t even know what to do. I don’t know who to blame, I don’t know where it’s coming from. I don’t know why innocent people have to die like that for no reason. If it’s political, I’m very sure that God will punish whoever is behind it. I’m very sure of that. You know, when we do things, politicians, particularly, who are our leaders, when they are about to go into an office and they’re swearing oath, they use the Koran and the Bible, but they always underestimate the power of the oath that they swear. You know, once they get into money, they forget. They are not human beings anymore. I know that whatever happened in Benue could have been avoided if the right people are doing the right thing. When it first happened in Agatu, nothing was done. It’s been happening, nobody’s arrested, there’s no face to it, we’ve never heard that a Fulani herdsman or somebody has been paraded or arrested. You know, we don’t see these people, and they keep committing these atrocities, they keep killing innocent people who have nothing to do with anything. It’s very sad. It’s as if all my efforts to make Nigeria a better country is a waste. I feel very bad, and I don’t really know who to take it out on. So, my own prayer is that our leaders, particularly in Benue, should speak with one voice. That’s Akume, David Mark, Suswam, Ortom. I think those people should come together and unite as one voice. I think also it’s the lack of unity amongst us that’s causing that kind of a thing.
As a musician, do you intend to sing about it?
Obviously. I’ve already sang about it. We’re just waiting for it to come out. I did a song that has O.D. Woods in it and some other people, some Benue people, we did something about it, and we’re also going to do more about it in the papers, on TV, I’m going to campaign about it, for the rest of my life I’ll campaign about it. In fact, if you watched my programme last Saturday (January 27, 2018) on AIT Network, I was campaigning against it.
You’re obviously a man who plans ahead and projects into the future, from the way you planned your awards through your TV programme and the way you’ve always crusaded for human rights. Are you eyeing any political office in Benue State?
No! It’s not about political office, but my people who are dying. What is political office? No! My interest is, I feel that every, well I don’t know, but I think that you don’t have to be a politician or be in a political position to be able to contribute to the well-being of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. You don’t have to be a politician. You don’t have to hold an office with the state or federal government to contribute to Nigeria. I think one of the greatest problems we have as Nigerians is our attitude. Our attitude towards ourselves and our country. That’s why there’s a lot of corruption. All these things happening are also rooted in corruption. So, everybody must not go and join politics and be in one political office before they can do something. That’s why I’m doing True Nigerians. I can choose to do any other thing. I’m still a musician. I’m performing everywhere, you know. So, I think that Nigerians should generally change their attitudes towards one another and towards Nigeria.
How do you remain musically relevant after many years when many others who came after you have fallen by the wayside? What’s your secret?
I’ve always said it. You see, the manual of life is the Bible. If you get an equipment and you don’t follow the manual, if you get drugs and you don’t follow the prescription of the doctor, the drugs will kill you. You can imagine you’re taking an antibiotic and then you take all the tablets at the same time, you’ll die. You must follow the prescription, you must follow the manual of life which is the Bible. You see, it’s when you seek God, God in return gives you wisdom. It’s that wisdom you’ll now use to operate in whatever situation that comes, throws itself at you. That’s how I see it. That’s just what my principle, or my faith, has been. Right now, they call me Last Man Standing everywhere I go. It’s the grace of God.
