One of the earliest and fondest memories I had while growing-up was that of my father playing King Robert's songs in his old turntable record. And with two big mean looking speakers blasting at full volumes, our loud Yoruba neighbours didn't stand a chance.
I was born and bred in Lagos, and both of my parents are indigenes of Bayelsa State; Amassoma to be precise. Therefore, it was an irony that I couldn't speak my own language as a child nor teenager. In fact, the strongest connection I had to my roots in those early years, was the sonorous voice and captivating beats of King Robert Ebizimor's songs. The second was the 'kekefie' meal my mother cooked occasionally.
But while my love for KKF is temperatly moderate, for some odd reason I found myself falling ever in love with the music of this Izon icon. And even though I could barely understand most of what he was saying back then, it didn't stop me from being charmed and in awe of his original Owigiri music! And that love has followed me to adulthood.
Today, there's' no single day I don't listen to the music of KRE, and frankly speaking, that consistency is one of the main reasons I'm 60% better at communicating in the Izon dialect. To me, King Robert Ebizimor is not just a songwriter and composer; he's a philosopher. His songs are filled with deep truths about life and the human race in general. Unlike all the sex and alcohol talk of today's Izon music.
So, thank you King Robert Ebizimor for not giving up on your dreams and chosing to pursue your passion for music. It's because of you that people like me is not completely lost to the Izon culture. Nua o!
{King Robert Ebizimor 1943 — 2014)
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