(A Grantee of US State Department, US Embassy, Abuja)

By Adeola Balogun
Punch, Saturday, 2 Jun 2007

Ibrahim and Michael, who call themselves Zulezoo, would always stand out in a crowd. They wear their hairstyle in a unique way .
Besides, their dance style is very energetic. Ibrahim, the shorter and stockier of the two, has a knack for acrobatic displays. The way the two guys twist their bodies, especially while dancing to their hit number, Kerewawa, confounds their fans. It has given rise to insinuations that they do their stuff after taking a large dose of Indian hemp.

But when Appetiser met the guys in Abuja penultimate Saturday, they dismissed such insinuations.

Ibrahim, who spoke for the group, said, “Our performance is a result of every day rehearsal. I believe that the pounded yam we eat too contributes to our energetic dance. We don’t smoke, but we drink a little. We don’t smoke Igbo (Indian hemp), our strength is natural. We don’t need anything to enhance our strength.”

Read Articles By: Godwin C. Nwaogwugwu

Youth Columnists

Ronica on 'This Day N Age'

The name they have adopted appears far-fetched, so, how did they come about it?

Ibrahim said, “Zulezoo is a name that came out of our long research. We are Africans, and when we started we thought of a name to bear. After our long research, we came about Zulezoo, meaning ‘forgotten soldiers never die’ in Tiv language.”

The two Benue State-born artistes told Appetiser that they had been together since childhood, doing what they love best.

Ibrahim said, “We were doing total theatre for 12 years before we veered into music. We met when we were in secondary school.

I am Igala, while Michael is Tiv. Michael has a diploma from the Benue State University. I have taught at the University of Lagos, but I have not myself gone to university. I went there to teach dance. For me, I don’t think I need to go to school with all the stuff in my head. For education, I went to the school of hard knocks; that is the place where you learn wisdom. There is no lecturer that can teach me any other thing.”

Although, both guys said they were not married yet, they noted that it did not mean they didn’t like women. “We like women because we are not gay. Only gays don’t like women.

I am about to marry, while Michael is still searching,” Ibrahim told Appetiser.

To the artistes, the notion that music doesn’t put food on the table does not hold water. According to them, music has gone a long way to make their lives better.

“Music is feeding us, music has provided the cars that we ride, music has provided houses that we live in, music has been feeding our parents,” Ibrahim added.

 

Send A Question

ImoOnline E-mail Contact: info@imoonline.org