BEYOND DR. ABATS

I’m a young, proud, patriotic, hip, unconventional and law-abiding Nigerian, born in B-side, brought up in the three towns of Abk, Wafi and Safi schooled in PH city now just relocated to Lasgidi…I love Naija 4laif!

Few years ago at the BET hip hop honors, Rev. Al Shrapton came out to acknowledge the rise and dominance of the hip hop movement as expressed through music and entrepreneurship. He and others had for years before fought the rise of the movement, elaborating the evils to the detriment of the abundant good it offered. But like everything designed to outlast its visionaries, it has thrived on; they say history is often overlooked and regarded as uncommon occurrence because we do not give it detailed introspection.

Hip hop is a life style, that finds expression in the way we sing, dance, talk, write, dress, dream, ‘toast’ and even get married. It’s business, it’s love, it’s hustle, it’s recognition, it’s glory, it’s pain, it’s loyalty, it’s beef, its struggle, it’s loyalty, it’s patriotism, it’s ego, it’s true, it’s pure; it’s in church, it’s in school, it’s in the banks, it’s in the parks, it’s in Naija, it’s in Africa, it’s world-wide, it’s God-made!

I’ve always had a problem with adults, from my growing up years even up until this day; and it is that, THEY ARE ALWAYS RIGHT! They presume their times were the best (golden generation as some would call it), they conclude without logical conclusions that we are “too excited” when we show zeal; to them, your energy has set you on a self-destruct lane; when you become aware of your path in life they criticize and try to force you into their template for your own success.

I can’t believe he is 44 – so disconnected from the generation following his, there’s real trouble! Why would I prefer that the name of my country was crafted in one moment of an explosive sexually-fulfilling encounter and that by a colonial master? This fire brigade approach has not ceased to be operated by the “golden generation”.

Lest we forget, the mindset in these climes when trying to score a cheap number is to run from the issues and attack personalities. It’s what runs our polity/politics. Despite his age, as soon as Obama became president (even before), he was already tapping Bush’s back, talking issues with him not as a man 12 years or so younger but as a smart intelligent, energetic young man with sound judgment not “a young disrespectful young man the elders nay godfathers demand absolute obeisance from in spite of his own convictions”.

There is a huge disconnect between the elders and the youth of this country. Great nations have tapped into the energy, innovation and expressive abilities of their youth population. We remain redundant in Nigeria pursuing agendas that do no future good, but what do we expect? They are old-heads, “planning a future they will not be a part of” (Toyosi Akerele). Of course they will plan for the present!

Let’s we forget, young people gave us the first black most powerful man in the world; majority of the profound ingenious inventions, revolutions and societal regeneration (like we are beginning to see in Naija), have been by some of the world’s prominent people when they were young.

While it would be foolhardy for me to insist on the “too gbasky-ness” of every member of this generation, the so-called "golden generation" cannot claim they haven’t been a colossal shame. But we have not relapsed into the dreariness that their generation created because we do not expect them to glorify our negatives. It is instructive to note that despite the shortage of role models and laid down structures, we have stepped the game up and created movements, businesses, NGO’s, an entertainment industry (no matter how crippled it may still be) etc and we are making sense by the day.

Troubles only comes to make us strong, it would seem that someone was sent to inspire passion among Naija youths for their present and future that is how id wish to see this issue. For the grossly uninformed, the hip hop movement/music industry in Naija has been on a mission to sanitize itself. Research will reveal that artistes themselves have begun campaigns at various levels to sanitize, professionalize and give structure the industry. A few weeks ago, African China on a popular radio breakfast show said he was going on tour soon to promote his new work and was going to play live, challenging every other artiste coming on the tour to play live also; this was also followed by an appeal to artistes both established and upcoming to think about the society when blurting out lyrics…this has also been the case for a lot of industry heads/practitioners voicing their opinions in papers, TV shows, blog-sphere etc for a review of our standards.

As a nation, we have always been eclectic when it comes to our taste for a whole range of things. Princess the comedienne at a show recently at the National Theater said that in Africa, it is only in Nigeria that you can have the same audience listening to performances by artistes in various genres and still get applause, love and support from them. We don’t care the style you do - just make sense; like 9ice and Dare sang “style na style”. Let’s enjoy our diversity and believe it or not, 20-30 years from now, we will still be rocking to hip hop, soul, folk, fuji, hip-life, hi-life, Afro beat, classical etc albeit on a whole new digital platform and shame unto this generation now and then, if we begrudge them.

Only those who appreciate the strength of the youth can positively impact them with knowledge, grace and vitality.

Basically, issues, issues, issues should be issues…ROOFTOP MCs? Lagimo? It is scary to see that someone I grew up on, reading his stuff will get it sooooo wrong. What is the next big blunder? Which mentor or leader will get it wrong next? I hope not mine. Let he that thinks he stands take heed...falling isn't far.

WE CAN HELP MAKE HIS POINT THOUGH, THE 'WEAK' LINKS IN THE INDUSTRY NEED TO STAND UP!

I think this generation has got to rise up on every side and look above for inspiration…the earth has been eroded of prophets or maybe the real ones need to speak up louder…




YOMA