Enzo İkah
Peace and Refugee Rights Activist
Book writer, artist, musician, composer, songwriter, author, film actor, and director.
He is an educational psychologist and graduated from Sorbonne University, Paris/France in 2006.
MA program ''Peace and Conflict Studies'' from Hacettepe University, Ankara/Turkey.
Enzo Ikah Award: Earth Artist, March 1st, 2024, honored for his outstanding artistic contribution that Heals and Unites Humanity, Preserves and Renews Culture, and Regenerates our One Home, Earth. (Home for Humanity Paris)
Also winner of the “Humanitarian World Star of Peace” Award in 2015, based on a music documentary about his life called ''Refugee Here I Am'' (directed by Enzo İkah & Eda Elif Tibet).
Enzo İkah participated in chapters of the book titled, "The Makings of Justice" / collaborated with Dr. Eliza Garnsey / British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow | Department of Politics and International Studies | University of Cambridge, which will also be published later in 2024 with Rownan & Litlefield.
Author of the six-part fable series titled ''Makaku'', published with Puslu Publishing House in 2017.
Music Album in Turkey, his first solo maxi-single album “Kırmızı, Siyah, Beyaz” (2010). A year later, Enzo released the full album “Rainbow”. This was followed by “Welcome to Istanbul” (2013), “Evrim_Devrim” (2014), “Love is Love” (2016), and “Radio Weapon Machine” (2017) Armageddon 2024 & Homeless 2024.
I lost my father and mother when I was only 4 months old. My father was the private pilot for Mobutu's 'current Congolese Democratic President of Zaire' and my mother was a stewardess. Both were working on the same plane and died in a sabotaged accident.
I was a psychology student at Paris Sorbonne Pantheon I. After my master's degree, I wanted to write for my doctorate about the psychology of children forced to work in the workplace or in mines.
Later, I discovered the mine called KOLTAN and learned that 80% of the world's reserves are located solely in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo. I moved there for information, only to discover that 5.4 million children had died and 2 million women had been raped.
My stay in the Ituri region for 3 weeks was not easy because they could easily kill me. I met a 16-year-old boy (Paul) who was secretly guiding in this area. At the end of my journey, I promised Paul that I would tell the whole world what I saw there.
When I returned to Kinshasa, the capital of Congo, I began to raise my voice with the opposition media. After playing a song called "Wild Soldier" in a live program, I was arrested and sentenced to 10 years in prison without any legal aid, with only the judge and the magistrate present. I stayed there for 9 days. I had to choose between surviving or dying, so I escaped.
I couldn't find a direct flight from Kinshasa to Paris. On the flight connecting through Istanbul, I learned that I was expected in the Schengen area. I decided to stay in Istanbul. That's why I am a refugee here; because I kept my promise to Paul.
English
Enzo Ikah Life Story
Musician, Book writer, Activist for Peace & Refugee Rights
Book writer, artist, musician, composer, songwriter, author, and film actor, and Director.
He is an educational psychologist, in 2006 graduated from Sorbonne University, Paris/ France.
MA program ''Peace and Conflict Studies from Hacettepe University, Ankara/Turkey.
Enzo Ikah Award: Earth Artist, March 1th 2024, was honored for his outstanding artistic contribution that Heals and Unites Humanity, Preserves and Renews Culture and Regenerates our One Home, Earth. (Home for Humanity Paris)
Also winner of Award in 2015 “Humanitarian World Star of Peace” Award, based on a music documentary about his life called ''Refugee here I am'' (directed by Enzo İkah & Eda Elif Tibet).
Enzo İkah, participated in chapiters of the book named, the makings justice / collaborated with Dr Eliza Garnsey /British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow | Department of Politics and International Studies | University of Cambridge, will be also published later in 2024 with Rownan & Litlefield
Author of six series of the fable named '' Makaku'' published with Puslu yayin evi in 2017.
Enzo Ikah:
“I lost my father and mother when I was only 4 months old. My father was the private pilot for Mobutu's ‘current Congolese Democratic president of Zaire’ and my mother was a stewardess, both working on the same plane and died in a sabotaged accident.
I was a psychology student at Paris Sorbonne Pantheon I. After my master's degree, I wanted to write for my doctorate about the psychology of children who were forced to work in the workplace or in the mine.
Later, I discovered the mine called KOLTAN and learned that 80% of the world's reserves are only in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo. I moved there for information, only to discover that 5.4 million children had died and 2 million women had been raped.
My stay in Ituri region for 3 weeks was not easy because they can kill you easily, I met a 16 year old boy (Paul) who was secretly guiding in this area, At the end of my journey I promised him that I would tell the whole world what I saw there.
When I returned to Kinshasa, the capital of Congo, I began to raise my voice with the opposition Medias, and after playing a song called "Wild Soldier" in a live program, I was arrested and sentenced to 10 years in prison without any legal aid, with only the judge and the judge. I stayed there for 9 days, I had to choose between surviving and dying, so I escaped.
I couldn't find a direct flight from Kinshasa to Paris. On the flight connecting to Istanbul, I learned that I was expected in the Schengen area. I decided to stay in Istanbul. That's why I'm a refugee here because I kept my promise to Paul.”
