Azuka Onwuka
With the death of the iconic Reggae musician, Majek Fashek, last week, the population of the community of Nigerian musicians was further depleted. Fashek was one of the people who popularised reggae music in Nigeria.
Before 1987, reggae music was not domiciled in Nigeria as a genre that attracted Nigerian musicians. Despite the release of the album, Lamentation for Sodom, in 1984 by Tera Kota, there was a feeling that only Jamaicans could make a success of reggae as musicians. I was a teenager in secondary school in 1987 when The Mandators (Victor Essiet and Peggy Umana) released their album titled Crisis. It was a huge success. We celebrated it with a sigh of relief that finally, a Nigerian musician had released a reggae album that was popular. Thousands of spectators filled stadiums to watch The Mandators perform across the nation. Fashek, who was a member of the group, Jastix, toured with The Mandators as a guitarist.
The following year, Fashek released his own album, Prisoner of Conscience. It came with a big bang. His hit song, “Send Down the Rain,” even though not a pure reggae song, became a national anthem of sorts. There was also a myth that wherever he performed and sang the song, rain fell in torrents. He was subsequently nicknamed The Rainmaker.
Shortly after, Ras Kimono, Evi-Edna Ogholi, Orits Wiliki, Alex Zitto, Andy Shurman, Blackky, Daniel Wilson and other reggae musicians came to the scene as popular musicians. Every year, they released different albums that swelled the music industry. Reggae music was fully Nigerianised and indigenised. Young men and women aspired to be reggae musicians.
While this was on, all other genres of music – local and foreign – were popular in Nigeria and booming. Radio stations had specific periods dedicated to highlife, calypso, blues, country, juju, jazz, rock and roll, reggae, dancehall, afrobeat, classical music, etc. All shades of tastes were represented in music. But naturally, hip-hop music dominated the airwaves.
When one compares that era with what is happening today, one gets the feeling that this generation is living a one-dimensional life. For example, let us ask the question: What type of music is available to this generation? The answer is: only Nigerian hip-hop music. Note the inclusion of the word “Nigerian.” The reason is because foreign hip-hop music is even non-existent in Nigeria today. If you ask a Nigerian youth anything outside Davido, Phyno, Burna Boy, and their contemporaries, the person may draw blank.
In comparison, what did we have in our teens and young adulthood? Early in my life, I was exposed to different genres of music: reggae, R&B, country, gospel, hymn, highlife, juju, soul, calypso, soukous/rumba, rock and roll, jazz, hip-hop, rap, dancehall, classical, etc.
That Michael Jackson was reigning in pop, for example, did not stop Bob Marley from reigning globally too in reggae. That did not stop Don Williams, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton and others from reigning with their country music. It did not stop Dr Sir Warrior and his Oriental International Band or Victor Uwaifo from reigning with their highlife, neither did it stop Ebenezer Obey or Sunny Ade from reigning with juju music. Fela Anikulapo-Kuti was reigning with his afrobeat. Shina Peters, Onyeka Onwenu, Christie Essien-Igbokwe, Sonny Okosuns, Bright Chimezie, Nelly Uchendu, Felix Lebarty, Kris Okotie, Veno Marioghae, and others were reigning with their different genres of music.
All genres of music – local and foreign – were available and in high demand. Each occasion demanded what type of music would be played at every particular time. Artistes of different genres of music were in hot demand at ceremonies.
But today, reggae music is virtually dead locally and globally. Country music is virtually dead globally. Highlife is virtually dead except on a low scale in the South-East/Edo/Delta areas. Juju music is virtually dead except in a low scale in the South-West. In fact, in Nigeria it seems as if all other forms of music have become commercially unviable except hip-hop music.
Therefore, unlike when we played or listened to all forms of music, this generation is focused only on Nigerian hip-hop music. And the message from hip-hop music centres on the same issues: “fast money, sexy women, partying, drinks and drugs.” There is, therefore, no philosophical message from country music or message of justice from reggae or wise counsel from highlife or juju to strike a balance in the mind of today’s youth.
It is commendable and soul-lifting that the Nigerian hip-hop music has risen so high in the last 15 years to displace foreign hip-hop music that used to dominate the country’s airwaves. It is the dream of every nation to achieve such huge success. But there is a need for a more robust life for the young ones.
Let us look at the issue of football. When we were growing up in the late 1970s and early 80s, the Nigerian football league was very strong. Nigerians were passionate about their clubs while also paying attention to football matters from Europe and South America. Stadiums were packed full every weekend while millions listened on radio or watched on TV. That scenario still plays out across all European and South American countries. But in Nigeria, the local league exists only on paper. Stadiums are empty when Nigerian club sides play. Nigerians are so crazy about the English Premier League and a few European clubs that some have killed other people while supporting their clubs.
But that we had local books did not stop us from reading foreign ones. There were James Hadley Chase, Nick Carter, Agatha Christie, Barbara Cartland and others. Each of the writers had dozens or hundreds of books.
You did not need to have the wherewithal to buy books to read them. Parents were willing to buy them. Books were also available in the personal libraries of elder siblings and cousins or uncles. Just read and return. You could also exchange your novel with your friends and get as many books as possible.
What about school sports? That you were aiming to get distinctions in all subjects did not stop you from participating fully in school sports. It was compulsory to participate in school sports. Through that, great athletes in track and field events like sprints, long jump, high jump, boxing, weightlifting, and football were produced, making Nigeria a winner of laurels in the 1970s, 80s and 90s.
In virtually all segments of life, it is obvious that today’s youths are not living a robust and well-rounded life. Most countries of Europe, North America and Asia have taken steps to ensure that the life of the youth is not one-dimensional despite the invasion of technology. Novel-reading is not dead in most countries. Different genres of music still exist in strong forms. Different games are still popular and attended. School sports are still popular. Recreation is still popular.
Nigeria should not be deceived. This one-directional, one-dimensional life our youths are living will produce unbalanced adults. It is not late to consciously take steps to address these issues.
— Twitter @BrandAzuka
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