After the successful completeion of his Bachelor’s degree at the University of Bradford UK, Leonel, son of legendary Nollywood actor Zack Orji is now ready to pursue his dream in music after releasing two hit singles “Baby Joor” and “Rockstar”.

On why he shunned acting, a turf his father made his fame and fortune, Leo’nel said “Music has always been what I wanted to do even though my dad tried to encourage me to go into acting by giving me scripts when I was much younger. I actually was to play a lead child actor role in a big movie that my dad was the lead actor, but somehow I could not bring myself to do it because acting is not in me.

Music is my life so I had to wait till after my university education to begin my career proper because that is the proper thing to do. I am now mentally and physically ready for the challenges of Nigeria ’s music industry and with God on my side, I will make my mark the way my dad made his on the acting turf. In fact, my dream is to surpass my dad’s records in Nollywood, in the music scene.”

Was Zach Orji not disappointed in his son’s insistence on playing music instead of acting?

“No, many people don’t know my dad. They do not know that he is a perfect gentleman outside the screen who will respect anybody’s choice in life. He is not a domineering person and that is why he is my mentor, dad, manager, motivator all rolled into one. He respected my choice of music and he had been so supportive that even a manager being paid a million pounds a year won’t have achieved what he has achieved for me within this short period of time and I am always grateful to my dad.”

Leo’nel does not have any problem being Zach Orji’s son. “His name opens certain doors for me and I am lucky to have a dad like him but there will come a time soon when I will drop this ‘Zach Orji’s son’s’ toga because I will have to be my own man. Yes, for now, I need him and his name but that cannot go on forever, I will have to be just LEO’NEL’ soon. I am lucky I have a dad that has a name, I guess most upcoming artistes are not as lucky as I am, but will that stop me from working hard and marking my own mark? No, rather it will encourage me to surpass his records.”