Thursday 5 November 2020

Nigeria Need The Conscious/Revolutionary Artistes Again

 


Nigeria Need The Conscious/Revolutionary Artistes Again

It’s no news that the average Nigerian youth is seen as a misguided phenomenal to reckon with and all around the world, the dilemma has clog unto the character of the beloved Naija young minds.

Before #EndSARS there had been a lot of protests over radios and televisions in the Nigerian Nigeria history through music that targeted directly or indirectly at the government, police force, economy meltdown, bad reforms, domestic Violence, Poverty & Hardship e.t.c

And the number one face of this revolutionary artist is the legendary Fela Kuti. Although most Nigerians in this time and age don’t know the depth of Fela’s struggle for liberation and freedom from oppression and mediocrity, his influence has been greatly immersed in the lifestyle of the 21st century youth of Naija.

Smoking of marijuana, Afro-Beat, and the unending notoriety of the shrine which is known for its spectacular place in the nightlife of Lagos Nigeria. 

Fela is many things but it’s sad the Nigerian youths especially the musicians haven’t taken much to his fundamental idealogy. However, there are a few artists that have stood up to the times since the beginning of the explosion of Nigerian music in the late 90’s till date which has taken the country to global heights as a result of its peculiar sound.

Even before now there has and always had been other artists that use their voice like Fela to fight for the oppression of the government and gave hope to the people of the country. From Sunny Okosun to Africa China and the list goes on.

It’s quite different these days since the rise of the contemporary artists when the average Nigerian youth doesn’t want to know what the Nigeria budget attains nor care, leading to a plethora of unconscious musicians, who no more fight against the situation in the country. Even those who try to, like the Ajegunle freedom fighter like Ortise Femi has picked up the routine and moved with the trend. What happened to Six Foot Plus, what happened to Marvellous Benji, so many others that went down time because no one would care much what might happen in the future.

As it stands in Nigeria, they even tag Revolutionary/Conscious theme songs as situation songs.

With end Sars protest ending with the voice of the Naija youth suppressed maybe it’s time the artist come to the fight and bring back the force like Fela and others to unhinged the doors which politics is shutting at us.

So just to make you see and understand that it was never the case like this; that we once had these measure to help check things in the past, I have made a list of some of the few great songs and artist against police brutality, Government, reforms and tribal wars.e.t.c

FELA – “Sorrow, Tears & Blood”
Sunny Okosun – “Revolution”
Majek Fasek – “Promise Land”
Ras Kimono – “Under Pressure”
Sound Sultan – “Mathematics”
Trybesmen – “Plenty Nonsense”
Six foot plus – “E don Do Me”
African China – “Food No Dey”
Edris Abdulkareem – “Jaga Jaga”
Danfo Drivers – “Danfo Driver”
Tu-Face – “E Be Like Say”
Black Face – “Hard Life”
Timaya – “Dem Mama”
Steroman – “E dey Pain Me”
Neo – “Nepa Bring The Light”
Femi Kuti – “Sorry Sorry 4 Nigeria”

And yes, we have “Monster” by Burna Boy but that’s more of a Pan-Africa song that is against the Europeans.

Agree or not we don’t have such artists in the last decades not even close to having one now and even more to it is the fact that mains artistes are good at seizing the moment for their own gain. So, don’t be surprised to see new songs about the protest but what we need is people who live the lifestyle. Talk the talk and walk the talk.

If we as a nation want to win then art is a good way to work this out. The more conscious the music reflects the true nature of the people, the better equipped and ready they are in the mind to fight the system

This is a wake up call Naija (Nigeria) needs the revolutionary and conscious artiste again.

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