I honestly don’t know where to start. So on Friday evening on my way home in traffic, I had tuned in to 93.7 Rhythm FM as usual every 5.30pm to listen to sharing life issues with Chaz B in collaboration with Chike and Stephen with the ‘PH’… You see I was one of the faithful listeners and never really got around calling, but I was impacted by listening.
For all those who never got to hear about Chaz B here is a little something about him;
Charles Bruce Chukuma, popularly called Chaz B by his radio audience, hails from Delta State, Nigeria. With over 20 years of experience in the Hospitality Management Industry of the United States of America, Chaz B consults on management turn around in the hotel and entertainment sectors in Nigeria. An ex-student of Kings College, Lagos, he holds an Advanced Business Management Certificate from North Technical Education Centre in Florida and an Associate of Science Degree in Hotel, Travel and Tourism Management from Miami Dade Community College (North), Florida, USA.
Before he left Nigeria in 1979, Chaz B had moved within the entertainment world. He worked with his cousin, Ben Bruce, former Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), back in 1975 when Ben owned the Fantasy Night Club in Yaba, Lagos.
He returned to the entertainment business in the United States of America running a limousine and bodyguard service catering just to celebrity and VIP clientele. Through that business he came to know people like Donald Trump, Renee and Celine Dion, Natalie Cole and other world celebrities on a personal basis.
With a distinct voice purring through the Lagos airwaves, Chaz B’s hallmark show is “SHARING LIFE ISSUES WITH CHAZ B”, which earned him the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Awards for 2010 as the best On Air Personality in Radio and the show is rated the number one show across the city of Lagos.
‘Listening to Chaz B during our conversation was like listening to a clergyman, a man of strong moral conviction and religious beliefs. And you begin to wonder if he is an ordained priest, and if he is, what is he doing in broadcasting’ (Culled from his interview with digicast magazine).
On Saturday, I noticed the first dp change on my Bbm from a friend stating ‘RIP Chaz B’ and I looked away hoping it wasn’t the same one who happened to be the only one I knew. Then got another dp change, believe it or not I still hoped it was a lie. Not until my boyfriend calls me and says ‘Bae I learned Chaz B had died’…gosh! I had to believe this one. So I thought to ask google, and there it was all news flying around 🙁
Charles Bruce, aka Chaz B, died on the morning of November 22nd from kidney failure which he had been battling for a while..
Naaaa I refuse to be sad cause you know what people, Chaz B was a blessing and a hero. He lived a fulfilling life, he spread the word, he touched lives and helped a lot of people. He was never ashamed to talk about Christ, he would always back up all he said with the word. His program was targeted to everyone both muslim and Christian. I remember once when a caller mentioned that he believes his program is only targeting Christian audience and Chaz B told him clearly that he was wrong. On Friday the last day he was on air, I remember a muslim sister called in to share a story and mentioned that his show had helped in a lot of ways.
During his radio show ‘Sharing Life Issues’ last week Monday, Chaz B’s daughter called in and they had a lovely conversation. He told her that if he had to go into a room full of daughters, he will search the entire room and choose her over again. He then asked her how much she loved him and she said Infinity. He tried to get his wife on air, but she would not speak (bless her).
I can go on and on but there’ll be no need. All I would say is that Chaz B will never be forgotten and will be missed! May he rest in the bosom of the Lord (Amen). Till we meet to part no more…
Now the question to ponder about is what are you doing in your own little way to impact lives? Remember that this world is not our own, we are all just passing by!
May God console his wife, children (I stand corrected if its just one), friends, family, and fans out there….
As Chaz B always said after every show; “Guard your heart with all diligence for out of it flow the issues of life. If each one could reach one and if each one could teach one…..what a better nation Nigeria would be, remember that you are your brother and your sisters keeper”…
REMAIN BLESSED!
