Legendary highlife musician Bright Chimezie has called on Africans, especially the youth, to rethink their obsession with leaving the continent in search of success abroad.

Speaking on the latest episode of The Honest Bunch Podcast, the Ziggima Sound creator delivered a passionate message about self-reliance, cultural pride, and Africa’s untapped potential.

Chimezie lamented that many young Africans have fallen into the trap of believing that prosperity only exists outside their homeland.

“We Africans must find a way. Our problem is here. We are helping those people over there,” he said.

He went further to describe the illusion of greener pastures abroad:

“We always feel that the grass is greener outside. The grass is not greener there. I don’t travel small — in fact, you walk. No more opportunities there. This is one Africa where you can come, develop this, develop there. If you go there, it is salary they will pay you. And you have to start from washing toilets,” he added.

The veteran musician didn’t stop there. He also blamed colonial influence for Africa’s long-standing psychological and economic dependence on Western nations.

“I blame the white man for it, I’m sorry to say it. Because of the pattern they used to package Africa. When the white people came, the kind of asset affected our psyche, seriously,” Chimezie explained.

In his trademark mix of wisdom and wit, he pointed out that if Africans pursued science and innovation with the same passion they show for religion, the continent’s development would skyrocket.

“The way we read Bible here, if we read biology books and mathematics like that, Africa for don move,” he quipped.

Opinion: Bright Chimezie’s Words Hit Home — Africa’s True Power Lies Within

Bright Chimezie isn’t just singing melodies; he’s echoing a deep truth that many young Africans need to hear. His message isn’t anti-West — it’s pro-Africa. It’s a wake-up call to realize that the continent’s wealth doesn’t lie in foreign lands but in its people, culture, creativity, and resilience.

The rush to “japa” (emigrate) has become the modern dream, but Chimezie reminds us that not everyone who leaves truly lives better. Many end up doing menial jobs, chasing survival instead of fulfillment.

His call challenges us to shift focus — to build, create, and invest here. After all, every nation that’s now “developed” once started by believing in itself.

Maybe it’s time Africans stopped exporting their best minds and started exporting their best ideas instead. As Chimezie said, “Our problem is here.” But perhaps, so is our solution.