Benue: Home of Entertainment
For decades, Benue has been a fertile ground for Nigerian music. From the soulful harmonies of Bongos Ikwue to the global stardom of Innocent “2Baba” Idibia, the state has continually offered the country talents that shape its cultural landscape. Yet, while Benue’s musicians have illuminated stages across Nigeria and beyond, the state’s chapter of the Performing Musicians Employers’ Association of Nigeria (PMAN) has been dimmed by internal wrangling. Rival factions, parallel leadership claims, and personality clashes have left the union more fractured than functional.
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Now, the man tasked with reconciling these divisions is Owoicho Wechi Josef Igomu, better known in the entertainment industry as Spitz.
At first glance, Spitz’s imposing 6-foot-4 frame and commanding presence might suggest a man built for combat, not conciliation. But his career tells a different story. With over 30 years of experience as an entertainment practitioner, brand strategist, and creative consultant, he has built a reputation not as a divider, but as a builder—of artists, of platforms, of bridges between creative talent and opportunity.
“Benue has so much talent, but talent must be nurtured and celebrated to thrive.” – Spitz
A Career in the Spotlight and Behind It
Spitz’s entertainment journey has been anything but narrow. In the early 2000s, he worked as the manager of Nigerian singer Kween Onokala, guiding her through one of the most competitive eras of Nigerian pop. He choreographed for international acts like Akon during Akon’s Nigeria tour and collaborated with some of Nigeria’s biggest stars—2Face Idibia, Blackface, Faze, Weird MC, Paul Play Dairo, and many others.
“I’ve always believed in blending artistry with structure,” he once told colleagues. That philosophy was clear when he coordinated 2Face’s ‘Grass to Grace’ album launch, an event that was as much a cultural celebration for Benue as it was a career-defining moment for 2Face.
But Spitz has never been content with just managing stars. His fingerprints are on some of Nigeria’s biggest cultural showcases: from serving as a dance choreographer at COJA 2004, to consulting for the Abuja International Carnival (2006–2008), to leading calisthenics displays at the National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST) in Kaduna and Niger States. Each role was a demonstration of his knack for uniting large, diverse groups of performers into a single, compelling vision.
Building Platforms for Others
While his collaborations with big names earned him industry recognition, Spitz has always been drawn to building platforms for others to shine. This is perhaps best illustrated by the “Woman on Fire” Awards, which he convened for several years starting in 2015. What began as a Benue-based celebration of 60 women grew into a national recognition platform, honouring hundreds of women across Nigeria for their impact and corporate social responsibility.
“Benue has so much talent, but talent must be nurtured and celebrated to thrive,” he said during the 2018 edition in Abuja. His “Made in Benue All White Party,” running from 2017 to 2023, further reinforced his vision of positioning Benue as a hub for creative excellence.
In 2023, Spitz added another feather to his cap with the Benue Musicians Capacity Building Summit, held on World Music Day. The summit drew artists, producers, and industry stakeholders together to discuss growth strategies, reinforcing his belief that the creative economy must be professionalised if it is to deliver lasting impact.
The PMAN Challenge
It is this blend of experience—working with stars, coordinating large-scale cultural projects, and creating spaces for dialogue—that Spitz now brings to unite PMAN Benue, an organisation that he is not, in the strict sense, a member of, rather Spitz has been a big influence on. But the task before him is anything but easy.
“I believe in facilitating collaborations with international platforms, opening new markets for Benue’s talent.”
For years, PMAN in Benue has been hamstrung by factionalism. Competing leaders have set up parallel structures, members have grown disillusioned, and the union’s ability to advocate for musicians’ welfare has diminished. Most times , successive leaderships have used the PMAN platform for personal aggrandisement. For an industry already grappling with piracy, poor infrastructure, and limited investor confidence, this internal disunity has been costly.
Spitz is under no illusion about the difficulty of his new role. “The challenge is not just to reconcile personalities,” he has hinted in a conversation with AkweyaTV about industry politics, “but to align visions. Musicians must see themselves as part of a collective with power, not isolated hustlers fighting for crumbs.” He wants to see not just PMAN, but a creative industry that delivers for individual artists and support systems, as well as delivering Benue more corporately to Nigeria and the world.
“I’m looking beyond PMAN,” he says to AkweyaTV. “In fact, I didn’t come to Benue with this assignment in mind. It was only coincidence that I was in town and was called upon to do this, and I can never turn down my state.”
Vision for Reconciliation
Spitz’s approach to reconciliation appears rooted in capacity building, inclusiveness, and economic vision. He understands that unity cannot be imposed; it must be cultivated by creating shared opportunities that musicians see value in. This is the focus of the reconciliation meeting he is convening for Saturday, September 20, 2025.
His growth agenda for Benue’s entertainment industry focuses on attracting investors and partners by showcasing the state’s creative economy potential, while also expanding job opportunities across music, film, fashion, and comedy. He emphasises the promotion of regulation and intellectual property protection to ensure that artists fully benefit from their work. In addition, he is committed to facilitating collaborations with international platforms, thereby opening new markets and opportunities for Benue’s talent. He says he hopes the artists at tomorrow’s meeting see this vision and how their unity contributes greatly to achieving it.
New Markets for Benue’s Talent
He often points to the broader economic significance of entertainment: in 2016 alone, Nollywood contributed 1.2% of Nigeria’s GDP, while music, comedy, and fashion continue to make significant inputs. “If Benue positions itself right, we can turn our cultural vibrancy into economic power,” Igomu insists.
One of Spitz’s unique strengths is his ability to bridge the old and new. He has worked with pioneers of Nigerian music as well as emerging stars. His personal story—growing up in Zaria, schooling in Makurdi, training artists in Lagos, and finally returning to build capacity in Benue—gives him credibility across generational divides.
In many ways, he represents the very reconciliation PMAN needs: a man equally at home on global stages and in local community halls; one who has navigated both the spotlight and the shadows of Nigeria’s entertainment industry. Benue also needs him, beyond PMAN.
Looking Ahead
Reconciling PMAN’s factions will require patience, diplomacy, and resilience. But if anyone embodies these qualities, it is Spitz Josef Igomu. His career has been about more than dance steps, album launches, or award ceremonies—it has been about creating platforms where individuals can thrive collectively.
The stakes are high. For the musicians of Benue, unity under PMAN could mean better bargaining power, access to funding, and stronger protection of their intellectual property. For the state, it could mean transforming its rich cultural heritage into a structured creative economy that attracts both national and international investors.
The man at the centre of this effort knows it won’t be easy. But for Spitz, reconciliation is not just about healing old wounds—it’s about charting a future where Benue’s music is not only heard but respected, protected, and profitable.
And if his past is anything to go by, he just might be the bridge Benue has been waiting for.
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