For decades he has been in showbiz, doing the best he can both in music and movies. As if deliberate, he had remained unsung even when he had done great things. Just imagine someone that discovered the Plantashaun Boiz, and originated the concept of ‘African Queen’, TuFace award-winning song that launched him into the space of glory and fame. A great believer in advocacy projects, Ambassador Willie Workman Oga who’s stage name is Willie Workman, is not only ‘defending’ Mother Earth against abusers of all kinds, the musician/filmmaker is also fighting for oppressed widows and orphans dispossessed of their inheritance. .
What award did you win recently; how and when did you get involved in such an endeavor?
The award was given organised UNIFIED FILMMAKERS FilmFreeway International Festival held in Germany and the category is Genre Award Best Music Video on climate change first of it’s kind won by a Nigerian and African. Am also Global Goodwill Ambassador, Global Conscience Ambassador, a humanitarian and climate change activist. Actually, I did a song entitled ‘Mother Nature’ It is about the dangers and effects of climate change and suggesting some possible solutions to avert a climate disaster.
Being a global citizen, I got inspired as a creative artiste and a song-writer. So I decided to use my art forms – music and film-making – to push the narrative of the dangers and effects of environmental degradation caused by human activities.
It’s also my way of expressing my displeasure by the ways humankind handles environmental matters as they affect our Mother Earth – our only planet.
But who are the actors ignorantly or recklessly destroying the Earth or actors refusing to acknowledge the reality of climate change?
Some of these actors are CEOs of fusil fuel corporations. Individuals, some Government agencies,those manufacturing plastics and not encouraging recycling and those dumping toxic wastes into oceans and rivers affecting aquatic lives.
Also, we have the issue of deforestation – depleting the forest – especially the Amazon Forest, which aids in replenishing our eco-system. There are several other factors contributing to the destruction of the environment.
Talking about winning an international award with a song, are you a musician?
Yes.
How long ago did you discover you’re musically talented?
Over 35 years.
Have you ever had a release before this?
About three years ago, and the album was entitled ’Virtuous Woman’.
Why that title?
It is because women are just like Mother Earth. They multiply, care for us and nurture us. They take all the pains as mothers for us to live, just like Mother Earth is pummeled with various aggressive disruptive environmental activities, scientific and man-made.
What was your first attempt before three years ago at releasing a song or songs in an album.
I had been at the background writing songs, doing back-up vocals for some artistes. And I had also been doing radio and TV commercials. I sing on commercials, doing that on the side. And I had done performances for a few concerts here and there.
Can you remember any song you had written for a topnotch musician?
I am the brain behind the concept ‘African Queen’. I actually gave the concept of the song to Plantation Boiz when i discovered them. It was actually a soundtrack I wanted to use for my series during the Abacha regime while i was managing them.
With the international acceptance of the award-winning song, did you regret giving out the ‘African Queen’ song.
No, I felt so good that God used me to be part of that global success of TuFace Idibia.
And did TuFace ever acknowledge you as the originator of ‘African Queen’.
no only Blackface has acknowledged me as the brain behind the song.
Was there any monetary attachment to your award in Germany?
No. but of course, it will definitely open doors. That means that in the climate change advocacy around the world, the song can be used in schools and the world in general as a tool to keep spreading the danger of climate change, and why we as humans must change the ways we handle our planet.
What other things are you into?
I am also a filmmaker.
What films have you produced?
‘Indecision’ – a short film about irregular migration. Incidentally, all my jobs are advocacy projects in both music and film-making. That’s my own tool as a change maker, in making the world a better place.
The other film that also won a global award is the ’Widow’s Son’. That dwells on the issue of widowhood in Nigeria. It actually deals with the issue of a widow – Ada – who was denied inheritance of her late husband’s estates. And she met a lot of life’s challenges that took her to the brink of death.
What else do you expect to achieve with your climate change award-winning song Mother Nature?
In the song I appealed to world leaders to come together and implement all climate change agreements and proposals to reduce the various causes of climate change
I have also set up a persuasive movement made up of individuals of like minds called ‘I – REP MOTHER NATURE. It’s a movement where we use music, films, poetry, mentorship and dance to create awareness about the dangers of climate change, and how we can become change makers as regards reducing the causes of environmental degradation.
How are funded?
I don’t have any form of funding for now, I use my personal small funds to run the projects for now, we are looking out for partnership opportunities in terms of funding, networking to upscale our activities to reach a larger audience.
Any parting shot?
As a climate change activist my sincere advice to climate change denials is that if we don’t act now, when mother nature eventually vents its anger, it will destroy everything and everyone in sight including the sceptics.
We only have one habitable planet which is Mother Earth we must all ensure to nurture and protect it by promoting bio-diversity, clean energy and much more for a cleaner and greener planet.
