Born in Kaduna, Nigeria to parents of Abia State origin, Buchi's early education began in Enugu and took him through Methodist College, Uzuakoli and Federal Government College, Enugu. In 1983, he came to Lagos to study English Language and Literary Studies at the University of Lagos, obtained a BA in 1986, MA in 1988 and later same year took up an appointment to lecture at the same institution alongside a PhD programme. Buchi remained at the Department of English until 1994 when he yielded to the higher calling to propagate the gospel of Jesus through writing and singing same in the reggae genre. While in the university, his casual involvement in black activism, through reggae club grew more intense after listening to Oliver Thambo and the officials of ANC (African National Congress) from South Africa, during the club's exhibition on "Apatheid in South Africa". Again, having studied the black activist literature of Dennis Brutus, Wole Soyinka, Muta Baruka and the likes, Buchi's preoccupation with reggae music as an 'outcry against oppression' became deeper. Little wonder he also became involved in one of the campus confraternities which at the time prided themselves as anti oppression movements only to discover that there was more to it than met the eyes. This preoccupation with reggae music took a new turn when his friend Ras Kimono invited him to join the team of deejays on the floating Bukka -- a reggae nightclub situated on a docked vessel on the Marina, Lagos Island. Foremost on the list of Buchi's strong musical influences are Eric Donaldson, Joseph Hills, Burning Spear and Frankie Paul. In 1992, Buchi gave his life to Jesus in Christ Embassy Church and transited from nightclub to the choir of the ministry, where he has remained till date. Buchi's first album, These Days, was released in 1999. His second album, So Beautiful, was released in 2002. The Third one, What a life! was released in 2005. In 2008, he released his fourth album, Sound of Life and in 2011, the fifth album Judah! was released. Married to Jane with four children, Buchi has ministered in church concerts, crusades, gospel music festivals in many countries around the world. He has won several awards including the prestigious AMEN for Best in Gospel Category, FAITH, POMP and TOMA Awards for Best Artiste, Reggae Artiste and Gospel Album of the Year variously. Having been involved in the dangerous misadventure of cultism and violence as a student and later, as a lecturer, Buchi understands the emptiness of the life of a cultist and as such has a passion to enlighten young people of the destructive and counter-productive nature of cultism and all forms of social violence. This passion resulted in his first novel Ceasefire!, a narrative which has been variously described as RIVETTING, CAPTIVATING, COMPELLING, UNPUTDOWNABLE and IRRESISTIBLE. The book has received very encouraging reviews from the media. Ceasefire! is the heartrending story of Maha, a brilliant, young undergraduate who gets entangled in the hideous underworld of campus cults. It is a cry to society, to parents, governments, the youth and everyone that has an ear that there is a lurking, potent and raging danger called cultism which is still very present as newspaper reports continue to show.

• published: 13 Mar 2014
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