Nigerian citizens have for so many years endured the hardship that comes with bad leadership and very oppressive government regimes. Their endurance stems from hope, against all odds, that a Messiah would come to deliver them.
Unfortunately, as the years flew past, no Messiah came to deliver Nigerians. The process of adapting to survive eventually made many to be so beat down psychologically that the abnormalities of living without basic amenities/infrastructure like: constant electricity supply, pipe borne water, good road networks, healthcare, education, and security, became normal.
Without having these things that make the quality of life better, Nigerians found means to drown their sorrows; one of such means being through music. Music plays a big role in giving people an escape from the sometimes hopeless reality of Nigerian society, and many Nigerians love their music because of the energetic groovy feel that it’s known for.
Music can be used to pass across different messages, and so also has Nigerian music been used to pass across messages of defiance, as well as messages that remind them of the abnormal state of society.
The most prominent musician whose music always passed a message, and became a symbol of defiance — a defiance of the oppressive Nigerian government in his time — is the legendary Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Anikulapo Kuti. He was a trailblazer whose music aimed to awaken the national consciousness of Nigerians to the evils of bad leadership.
Fela always conveyed messages to Nigerians with his music, to either highlight the abnormal psyche of Nigerians that caused them to remain docile in the face of overwhelming oppression, or to challenge the government.
In his song “Shuffering & Shmiling” he criticized Nigerians for allowing religious leaders to cloud their sense of judgment, and passed a very strong message that the daily life of Nigerians was filled with unbearable suffering, and hardship which was painted over with smiles. He sang a roll call of all the abnormal experiences Nigerians endured every day, while he was backed up by singers singing ”suffering and smiling” after each call.
While using his music to speak to Nigerians in an attempt to shock them out of their slumber, Fela never shied away from also passing harsh messages to the Nigerian government who were the coordinators of the orchestra playing chords that spread decay across the country. Songs like “Authority Stealing”, “Army Arrangement”, and “Zombie” among others stood out as anthems of defiance.
As times changed, the Nigerian music scene changed, but the state of affairs in Nigeria remained as Fela left them.
Having lit up a path with his style that made him one of the greatest, if not the greatest, Nigerian music icon, it was only expected that the new generation of Nigerian musicians would adopt his style of putting out conscious music. His two sons Femi and Seun Kuti have succeeded in carrying on the legacy. Both have made several albums with the main focus of pointing out the corruption and oppression within the government and the country as a whole. Injustice, racism, corruption and crooked politics are at the core of every Femi Kuti song. His album “Africa for Africa” released in 2010 which earned him a Grammy nomination portrays that. In his 2018 album “Black Times”, Seun Kuti continued to carry on his father’s legacy. On the album’s title track which features Carlos Santana, the band sings “Are you ready to rise? To be free?” It’s the kind of simple but yet powerful statement that lit a fire under Fela’s generation, and is poised to do the same for Seun’s.
Other new generation artistes stepped up as well, and also made anthems of defiance. Songs like “Jaga Jaga” by Eedris Abdulkareem, “For Instance” by 2face Idibia, “Mr President” by African China, “Ole (bushmeat)” by Sound Sultan, “Jailer” by Asa, and other similar songs with messages about Nigeria, all served the purpose of reminding Nigerians about their reality.
“Mr President” would be an evergreen song of defiance for its raw lyrics that directly addressed the lead instruments of Nigerian’s present day troubles, as well as the injustice, and suffering faced by the masses:
“Food e no dey, brother eh water no dey, and our country no good oo…poor man wey thief maggi omo dem go show him face for crime fighter, rich man wey thief money omo we no dey see their face for crime fighter
Fuel e no dey, brother eh transportation no dey, and our road e no good oo, what about the Nepa people, we no get light, everybody just dey halla…
Many youths ready for work but as work no dey na how we wan survive… policeman go see white e go tell you say, I say that thing na red…
Make una lead us well, no let this nation to fall inside well, Mr President lead us well, if you be governor, govern us well, if you be senator, senate am well, if you be police, police well well nor dey take bribe”.
These songs would remind Nigerians while in their safe space trying to escape their harsh reality that theirs was a dysfunctional existence, and no matter how they tried to shy away from it, something would one day have to be done to correct it.
Recently, the numerous reoccurring cases of police brutality, and murder of young citizens by SARS, became the straw that finally broke the back of Nigerian youths. Across different states of the country, Nigerian youths went out in massive numbers to protest against the government.
While protesting with loud chants calling for change, the numerous sounds of defiance, old and new, by Nigerian musicians, blared loudly from speakers at the protest grounds; evidence that Nigerian music had indeed been stimulating the national consciousness of Nigerians. Now they had finally awakened from their deep slumber.
Written by : Osero Ojeaga.
