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The failure of today’s Nigerian pop stars to identify with the country’s downtrodden has inspired feelings of nostalgia for the late Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti.
For much of his life, Kuti’s activism was the nemesis of the country’s military dictatorship and corrupt politicians.
Famous for pairing his music with human rights activism, Fela, who passed away in 1997, took on Nigeria’s military dictators, often at great personal cost to his family and band members.
The apathy of Nigeria’s current crop of pop stars can be seen in the recent #EndSARS protests against youth-led police brutality.
As the lead vocal at the start of the upheavals, rapper Naira Marley pulled out of leading a scheduled #EndSARS protest. He tweeted that he had received no security guarantees about the safety of potential protesters.
Marley would later say in a now-deleted tweet: “You don’t need a celebrity to lead a protest before protesting. You have the same rights as them. “
You are not alone. In 2019, veteran pop musician 2baba withdrew from a protest citing security concerns. Although there are still pockets of protest music today from bands like Femi and Seun, Adebantu and Fela’s children, they lack widespread support.
Since Fela’s death, there has been a void in the Nigerian protest music scene. Many years after his death, his music is still used as the de facto soundtrack for the #EndSARS protests.
In his day, Fela was one of several music activists. Ras Kimono, Peter-side Ottong, Mandators, Isaac Black, and many others inspired resistance to military rule.
Nigeria is currently under a democratic government, but the country still faces challenges whose roots go back to the military era. Oppression is gradually returning to politics.
In my years as a music teacher here in Nigeria I have formulated some answers to the question why protest music has dried up in Nigeria.
I think it is an indirect result of the increase in cash in the industry. That and the fact that young Nigerians are hesitant to voice their grievances when there is a possibility of political infiltration of musicians who are sponsored by the state.
What is protest music?
Music is a viable tool for all expression. This is why it is popular with protesters looking to amplify their grievances. Protest music generally addresses current affairs in society.
It aims to inspire and initiate reforms or sensitize listeners. It appears in all genres, from folk to Afrobeat, from gospel to reggae, and has done so since the 1950s all over the world.
The Nigerian community in Cologne, Germany, protesting police brutality at home.
According to academic thinking, protest songs can express perceived imperfections in the status quo. It can also provide other narratives and possibilities for contemporary culture and give voice to the voiceless masses. It can also be seen as a propaganda device for political persuasion.
In the Nigerian military era of protest music, the government responded to limit it. Most of Fela’s songs did not receive the media rotation. Peter-side Ottong’s music was banned. Ras Kimono’s songs were blacklisted or “not to be played” by state radio stations.
Death of protest music
The restoration of democracy in 1999 put out the fires of protest music in Nigeria. The restoration of civil liberties destroyed the catalysts that drove music and activists.
Earlier, illegal detentions without trial, media shutdowns, and harassment of journalists had inspired the music.
But under the current regime, those evils have returned. There are many examples: the recent attempted siege of parliament by criminal intelligence forces, the arrest of anti-government activist Yele Sowore, the murder of unarmed and peaceful protesters from the Biafra indigenous peoples movement and the illegal detention of the Islamic leader. Ibrahim Yaqoub. The Zakzaky.
In my opinion, the restoration of democracy led to the near extinction of Nigerian reggae music. Reggae and Afrobeat were the main protest genres against the military dictatorship in the 1980s and 1990s.
The two leading reggae artists, Ras Kimono and Majek Fashek, imposed themselves in exiles to the United States. Another notable vocalist, Victor Essiet of the Mandators, moved to Cameroon.
Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999 triggered major socio-economic changes that led to it becoming one of the largest economies in Africa. External debts were paid, foreign direct investment flowed. Revenues from the nation’s oil industry increased and the telecommunications industry grew.
Nigerian musician Femi Kuti, son of Fela Kuti, the creator of Afrobeat, performs in Abidjan.
The local music industry was not left out. The economic prosperity in Nigeria opened up new channels of income and produced mega-rich pop stars.
From massive sponsorship deals from top companies to sponsorship of music events, the money flowed. Around this time, pop music emerged as the dominant musical genre in Nigeria.
The United Bank for Africa recently signed a $ 3 million endorsement deal with Nigerian pop star Wizkid, who also has a long-standing brand endorsement deal with Pepsi. These types of agreements are common in Lagos.
But the new money came at a price: Nigeria’s top artists now seem mostly oblivious to the realities ordinary Nigerians face.
They seem to prefer engaging with lucrative political backers than supporting the people against bad government and corruption. A pop star attending exclusive political parties on yachts in Dubai is unlikely to find a voice to condemn politicians.
Billionaires don’t lead revolutions.
Actual state
Bad governance, dictatorship and police brutality are gradually and quietly engulfing Nigerian politics. But the musicians who once championed the cause of the masses have sold out. Instead, we have suitors and token activists.
The recent appearance of local rapper Falz as the voice of the youth is welcome. Inspired in part by Fela, his latest album Moral Instruction is rich with anti-corruption messages. Is it the messiah? Or should we find another? Is your participation in the #EndSARS protests the beginning of a new dawn in protest music in Nigeria?
Nigerian sociology professor Michael Kunnuji offers more insight into why most famous musicians will not join the #EndSARS protests.
Kunnuji tells me that some have offered to join, but have been turned away by protesters who fear they are compromised and will infiltrate the movement. It is also true that some musicians are supporting the protests behind the scenes.
But Fela would have raised his voice against the injustices around him and cursed the consequences.
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