Nigerian Entertainment: Where are the voices of Truth, of Conscience?

If Fela Anikulapo Kuti was alive at this moment and witnessed the huge hypocrisy playing itself out in the Nigerian entertainment industry, in their recent greased palms-induced political alliances and endorsements, I am sure he would have had a lot to sing about! It appears that some of the major players in Nigeria’s entertainment industry do not realize the full implications of their role in society. There is rarely any platform that shapes the thinking of a people, like the entertainment industry, powered by a vocal media. Generations after generation are greatly affected by the type of songs they listen to, the type of films they watch, and the novels they read. The eye and ear are the windows to the soul, and just like faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God, so also the collapse of a man’s morality or the sharpening of it can be greatly influenced by the entertainment industry of that particular clime.

One scripture that aptly demonstrates this in the Bible, where God acknowledges the role of music in the shaping of a people’s thinking and culture and the preservation of their creed and history is found in the book of Numbers:

Deu 31:19 Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel.
Deu 31:20 For when I shall have brought them into the land which I sware unto their fathers, that floweth with milk and honey; and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxen fat; then will they turn unto other gods, and serve them, and provoke me, and break my covenant.
Deu 31:21 And it shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles are befallen them, that this song shall testify against them as a witness; for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they go about, even now, before I have brought them into the land which I sware.
Deu 31:22 Moses therefore wrote this song the same day, and taught it the children of Israel.

If this brings to light God’s recognition of the power of music, then the ministry of Jesus aptly describes the power of drama when He said in the book of Matthew:

Mat 13:34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:
Mat 13:35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

Parables! Painting a scenario which artistically stimulates the imagination to drive home a point, explain something or teach a lesson! That is in our world, drama! Movies! Nollywood! Even the Master recognized that this tool, if rightly used, in the hands of individuals whose consciences cannot be bought, can open up knowledge which has been kept secret from the beginning of the world! This is why artistes who know their worth are gifted and talented observers of the environment, keen observers of our world. They observe normal day to day happenings and create songs and parables (movies) out of them. Musicians, actors, and actresses have a great role to play in making a society achieve God’s original intentions for it. They can be God’s mouthpieces to their society, when their message, propelled by God’s talent in them, is driven by genuine passion and conscience and not filthy lucre from the hands of wealthy but massively corrupt politicians and political parties who have milked and sucked the nation dry over the past decade.

That is why I find it shameful and a betrayal of the Nigerian reality and of their calling, the recent endorsements of Nigeria’s ignominious ruling party by Nigeria’s top artistes lately, both on the music scene, and Nollywood. It is a sharp and painful betrayal of the reality of our time, that these professionals would churn out such fallacies and twisting of recent history in the name of endorsements. Yes, I know everyone has the freedom to choose, vote for, or endorse any candidate of their choice. But such decision should be responsible, fair, true to the heart, conscientious, and not just a political gimmick, or money-induced professional indictment and misrepresentation of obvious facts.

What beats me however is that the current situation in Nigeria, fuelled and sustained by 12 years of PDP’s greatly irresponsible, regrettable and retrogressive leadership has taken its own negative toll on the entertainment industry itself.

Our artistes complain daily of mass piracy going on, right within our nation, of their works, yet this government has not been able to take a decisive step against this evil, obviously, because they lack the moral competence to do so. This evil of piracy has denied these artistes themselves, the genuine reward they deserve for the great work they do in the industry, yet rather than clamor and support the current atmosphere of change in our nation, they would rather sell their own birthright for a plate of porridge from the ruling party.

What about the consequences of the atmosphere of insecurity in our nation. Does it not affect both the hapless Nigerian and the so called “stars” of the entertainment industry alike? In recent years, Nigeria’s music industry has suffered greatly as a consequence of a collapsed security system.

More than once, Tuface Idibia has been shot by unknown assailants, and once he was matcheted in his own home in Festac Town, Lagos. An uprising rapper, Dagrin, was cut down because of what many suspect is the irresponsibility of the Nigeria police, who reportedly had stopped a huge truck in the middle of the road which the young artiste crashed into on top speed, leading to his untimely death. In fact, what about the situation of our nation’s health sector, Dagrin was reportedly hospitalized for almost a week before he gave up the ghost, I have no doubt that if it were South Africa, or Europe or America, Dagrin would not have died, just like many other innocent Nigerians have met their untimely death as a result of our inept health sector, which the PDP in 12 years have failed to revamp! I do not need to remind you of Chief Oliver De Coque, and the late Gani Fawehinmi, who both died as a result of health conditions that were wrongly diagnosed for years in Nigeria, until their conditions became irreparable but rightly diagnosed by foreign hospitals, by which time it was too late to save both men.

Is this not the true reflection of the Nigeria we live in? One in which certain Nollywood “stars” seek to paint in a different and fallacious light? Is this not the reason why the outcry against the PDP runs through the entire nation, and the people of Nigeria are hell bent on voting them out this year? How can Nigerians sing a tune and Nollywood sing themselves another? Is Nigeria a reflection of Nollywood or Nollywood is and should be a reflection of Nigeria? So upon what conscience do they base their endorsements, other than material gain? This money, which is never enough, which does not save in the day of trouble, which does not end the piracy in the industry, does not secure any of our “stars” no matter how tall the fence of their houses are, or how many body guards they parade around. A most irritating jingle they came up with, stealing lyrics from the track created for Barack Obama by Black Eyed Peas and other American stars in 2008. “Now you know that we are not as divided as our politics suggests”, “Nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices asking for change.” The American artistes who owned those lyrics sang for change, not for a preservation of the status quo, here you are borrowing the lyrics of change, to support an odious status quo, what a shame! A jingle so unbelievably mediocre in originality and content, but rich in color and aesthetics, a perfect representation of Nollywood!

Yet, this industry once boasted of the likes of Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Sunny Okosuns, Osayomore Joseph, men who used their music to conscientize Nigerians; who used their music to expose the injustices of successive military juntas at the expense of their lives; who used their music to advocate for freedom for Mandela and South Africa; who used their music to such positive and noble causes, that history forever revers them and places them amongst the heroes of their time.

The misrepresentation of reality and the attempted misleading of today’s youth which the current players in Nigeria’s entertainment industry are perpetrating, has only been given a loud voice because of the silence of singers of conscience. This also brings me to the players on the gospel music genre.

There was a time in this nation, when Evangelist Niyi Adedokun, a rare singer from Ilesa, used his accordion, and his sonorous voice to chastise the dictator IBB continuously. He was arrested many times and suffered great physical damage in the process, but he fulfilled the destiny his maker had given unto him. There were others like Timi Osunkoya, the Ayewa group, singers whose music reminded Nigeria’s rulers the responsibility that God had placed in their hands in national leadership; they fearlessly declared judgment when there was need to. With their music they gave the people hope that the future was going to be better; they taught the people morals and the fear of God. But such voices are not heard anymore in today’s gospel music scene, the voices of reason, of conscience, of truth and integrity.

The players in Nigeria’s entertainment should better know that the Nigerian youth is awakened. E o le p’aja l’obo fun wa mo! (You all can no longer call a monkey a dog for us any longer). We know our right from our left, and we know the difference between those who seek to build us a better future and those who wish to continue looting us into a future of oblivion. You players should recognize the huge responsibility that God and history places on your shoulders at this hour. There are millions of singers, actors and actresses across the world, but history only remembers those who used their talent to further the cause of the masses, of humanity, of the oppressed, those ones who propagated the truth with their music and acting prowess, who promoted the cause of justice, who chastised and opposed bad rulers and policies. History has no place for artistes whose only interest is their pockets, and the beautiful suits and shoes and females that line their videos. Nollywood, wake up! For God is able to raise a whole new sea of talents who will do righteously and propagate His truth to this generation. Like 9ice once sang “Talent dey waste”. Aimoye rapper, aimoye actors, akaimoye musician; time and chance happeneth to them all! Long live the memories of Bob Marley, Fela Kuti, Michael Jackson, Miriam Makeba, Sunny Okosuns, Ingrid Bergman, Charlton Heston, and the many others who used their talents to advance the cause of humanity and to promote the eternal principles of God.