Bright Chimezie, Nigeria’s legendary social storyteller and highlife maestro, has spent decades turning history into harmony. With his iconic Zigima sound, he stitches laughter, critique, and groove into songs that outlive trends. Now, he revisits one of his most powerful tales, Because of English, stripping it down to an acoustic rendition that hits even closer to the heart. Originally a witty yet biting commentary on colonial-era language shaming, Because of English recounts Chimezie’s school-day humiliation, punished for simply asking, “Chinyere, nyem pencil mu o?” (Chinyere, give me my pencil) in Igbo. The acoustic version amplifies the song’s emotional weight, trading Highlife’s buoyant guitars for raw, resonant strings. The result? A hauntingly beautiful protest, one where every pluck echoes generations of children forced to abandon their mother tongues.
Bright’s storytelling is on full display, music meets monologue, laughter meets reflection. Beneath the chuckles, there’s a message: our languages, our identities, matter. And when he sings “Because of English, my teacher punished me,” it becomes both a throwback and a wake-up call.
Because of English (Acoustic Version) is available now on all streaming platforms.
