Nigerians have been asking for better leaders for as long as we can remember – from street protests to social media. But judging by the state of things, we can’t say we’ve achieved much. Perhaps, it’s time to learn from people who have actually pulled it off quite well, like Nigerian musicians.
When they’re throwing all sorts of accusations at Amaka, or praying for money, our artists know how to take their pain to the people in power, and most times, they get reactions.
Don’t believe us? Let’s take you on a short trip down memory lane.
“Zombie” – Fela Kuti
Who better to emulate than a man who went for the jugular and likened soldiers to zombies as people with no mind of their own? Whether Fela’s message of military oppression got across is not in doubt. The song hurt so much that weeks later, they executed the infamous raid on his home, Kalakuta Republic. On second thought, don’t try this at home.
“Mr President” – African China
This is how to convey so much agony that you oppressors may be moved to pity you. An open letter signed, sealed and delivered with pain. You will be hard pressed to find a protest song as detailed and realistic as African China’s magnum opus, yet there was no arrogance in this song. African China was simply begging because like all of us, he was actually tired-“lead us well, no let this nation to fall inside well.”
“Which Way Nigeria” – Sunny Okosun
Back when he was on his pan-African vibe, Sonny Okosun literally asked, Where exactly are we going to? He called Nigeria an agbaya ruined by indiscipline and corruption and pointed fingers at the government and regular people. This is how to do it if you want to hold everyone accountable.
“For Instance” – 2baba
Instead of going the regular route, 2face chose to imagine himself as one of the people in power. In three minutes, he outlined what we’ve come to expect from our leaders, the lives we’ve resigned ourselves to and what they could do differently. If only our leaders could imagine themselves as better people.
“Jaga Jaga – Eedris Abdulkareem”
Sometimes, presenting alternatives is too nice. Sometimes, you just want to say how you feel and get it over with. I imagine that’s how Eedris felt when he described Nigeria as jaga-jaga, a word that describes disarray like nothing can. The sad thing is many people still feel it’s the right term to describe Nigeria with, so maybe Eedris’ template is the way to go.
“E Wa Fun Mi Ni Visa” – Bembe Aladisa
56 years after independence, after all the protesting, it often feels like we’ve made no progress. So no-one could blame this guy when he showed up on our screens begging the international community aka ‘eyin oyinbo’ for a visa. We hear he eventually got the visa, but not without getting into trouble with, you guessed it, the Nigerian government.
“I Go Yarn” – Eldee
But even when it gets tiring, we must continue to demand more as Eldee does in this classic. He sounds tired, as we all do when we ask for a better Nigeria, but in doing so, he makes it clear that it won’t get better if we go quietly. A manual from someone who believes in his country.
Side-note: The funny thing is that the video for this song is no longer available for watching in Nigeria. Ordinary complain, you can’t even complain in peace.
This Abroad Life will leave you speechless. Today’s subject woke up one day and had to suddenly move to the USA. She talks about surviving on almost nothing, avoiding an arranged marriage, becoming a citizen and family drama. Let’s start from the beginning. When did you move to the USA? I moved here in 2009 […]
Have you ever been so scared for someone’s conscience, intercessory prayer starts hungrying you? Since May 7th, my recurring prayer point and the universal leader Governor of Rivers State – Nyesom Wike has seized and auctioned off over 20 civilian cars, convicted over 170 people and demolished 2 hotel buildings in his state. These were […]
Last week, we celebrated the 60th anniversary of our dear country whom we love so much. Unfortunately, the love has remained unreciprocated for most of our lives. Not only does it remain unreciprocated, it actually tries to kill you. Read on to find some of the ways your dear country, Nigeria, tries to kill you […]
From Merge Mansions to that one where the pregnant woman gets cheated on and has to either leave or endure by joining her husband’s mistress in shaving his legs, mobile game ads are wild AF. In this week’s #ZikokoSYDHT, we reviewed the most insane ones.
Nigeria’s presidential seat has been the exclusive plaything of one gender throughout the country’s history. But some women are trying to change that in the 2023 presidential election.
Friends and business partners @ajibolagrey and @oli_ekun are each other’s ride or die. On today’s #ZikokoMyBro, they talk about being online friends for a year before meeting, their famous twitter banter and their plan to avoid fighting over money.
While we know that a lot of the best Nigerian artists deservedly have fans across generations, that won’t stop us from attempting to guess how old you are based on your taste in Nigerian music. So, take this quiz to see if we got it right:
Are you an ajebutter or not? Well, if you’ve gone through life blissfully unaware of its harshness, then you probably are. Now, we want to know just how high you rank on that ajebutter scale, using your food preferences as a (very accurate) measure. Take to find out:
Everyone has something to say about what kind of person they are. But how well do we truthfully evaluate these things? Not that much, I can assure you. The average person is always lying to themselves to make sure they look good. But you know what and who doesn’t lie? Zikoko quizzes that’s what. Take […]
Colours are more than something the eyes see, they’re also a representation of behaviours and personalities. Take this quiz and we will tell you which colour best describes your personality. Let’s begin.
Nigeria’s presidential seat has been the exclusive plaything of one gender throughout the country’s history. But some women are trying to change that in the 2023 presidential election.
Today’s subject on Abroad Life didn’t know a country like North Cyprus existed until 2018 when he met his wife. One year later, he moved there to be with her. He talks about how Nigerians are treated there and his big plans to help people get tech jobs.
Corruption is feeling too at home in Nigeria and the threat of serving time in prison isn’t working because these politicians be wildin’. The country needs to get more creative with punishments, and we have some ideas.
The story of what really happened in Kano depends on who you ask. Some eyewitnesses are claiming it was a bomb explosion, but the official explanation is a gas explosion. Here’s what we know.
Four days ago, Deborah Samuel was killed by a mob in Sokoto for allegedly speaking against Prophet Muhammad in her class WhatsApp group. Here’s what we know.
While criminalising abortion does not stop them, it denies women access to comprehensive abortion care. Throughout Nigeria’s history, there have been both societal attacks on abortion and movements to liberalise the laws and promote women’s rights. Here’s the journey of abortion law in Nigeria.
Today’s subject on Abroad Life was enjoying his post-university life until harassment from SARS made him realise he couldn’t stay anymore. How did he process a move to Ireland? What’s it like dating a white woman? What are his plans for the future?
On Abroad Life today, our subject takes us through his journey from deciding to leave Nigeria to moving to Ireland. He talks about navigating a long-distance relationship and being in love with the city where he stays.
The advent of the Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the need for and importance of virtual services. Everything from shopping, to work and even medical services shifted to the digital space. With increasing digital adoption globally and in Africa specifically, telemedicine services are becoming even more essential to the well-being of those who would normally not have […]
What happens when a group of chatty young Nigerians talk about things they're passionate about? You get Nigerians talk. A show that discusses very familiar struggles for the average Nigerian. From relationship deal breakers to sex education with Nigerian parents to leaving Nigeria, be prepared for a ride.
What happens when a group of chatty young Nigerians talk about things they're passionate about? You get Nigerians talk. A show that discusses very familiar struggles for the average Nigerian. From relationship deal breakers to sex education with Nigerian parents to leaving Nigeria, be prepared for a ride.
Life is already hard. Deciding where to eat and get the best lifestyle experiences, isn't something you should stress about. Let VRSUS do that for you.
Z! Stacks
Here's a rabbit hole of stories to lose yourself in:
What happens when a group of chatty young Nigerians talk about things they're passionate about? You get Nigerians talk. A show that discusses very familiar struggles for the average Nigerian. From relationship deal breakers to sex education with Nigerian parents to leaving Nigeria, be prepared for a ride.
What happens when a group of chatty young Nigerians talk about things they're passionate about? You get Nigerians talk. A show that discusses very familiar struggles for the average Nigerian. From relationship deal breakers to sex education with Nigerian parents to leaving Nigeria, be prepared for a ride.
Join The Conversation
Bring a friend.