A
versatile Nigerian Citizen Reporter, writer and columnist has penned a
thought provoking and interesting piece over the controversies
surrounding the protest led by 2Face.
2Face Idibia
Let me begin on a lighter mode by sharing here what I observed this
morning while driving to pick something up at Oshodi. I noticed that
since the day a protest to be led by Tuface was announced, my car radio
had blared songs by Tuface on random stations as I always scanned while
driving.
Most of the songs were lyrics like “Oya come make we go…”; “…the
power is nothing, if your people can’t get quality education…if your
people keep dying of disease and starvation…” among other categorized
oldies that had printed Mr. Tuface’s name on many minds as a man of the
masses.
However, after Tuface announced the “cancellation” of the protest
online yesterday, as I randomly tuned radio stations for Sunday morning
praise songs from any station that cared to give, I heard converse
lyrics being played from Tuface’s collection, prominent among which is
“my brother na your eye go sharpen because e be like say e don dey
happen…”.
It didn’t register immediately until I followed the track to the point “…nobody wan die but they wan go heaven”.
Immediately when the announcement of the “cancellation” was made by
Mr. Idibia yesterday, it reminded me of how “unforgiving” Nigerians can
be, especially as the NLC still bleeds from integrity haemorrhage for
pulling out of the OccupyNigeria protest after
“someone-who-is-closer-to-someone” was sent to “talk to” the leaders and
arranged a meeting, the type that is usually regarded as “closed door”
in the media.
Mr. Idibia is Innocent of two critical facts: first, that you
either focus on your musical career as a love-singer or become a musical
activist, the likes of Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Bob Marley and so on;
secondly, that Nigerians are very unforgiving such that the moment you
“eff up”, you may not heal forever.
With a sigh, I stay civil and believe that Mr. Idibia remains
Innocent until proven guilty, although a contemporary usage of this
parlance with Nigerians now is that you are “guilty until proven
innocent”.
Although the artist Tuface has been around the scene for a while
with the “wish” to see a good country, Nigeria. These wishes were often
reflected in some of his old and recent lyrics. But these wishes are not
as good as a horse to ride. Millions of Nigerians have these same
wishes too, but there’s just a huge wall of hinderance between their
wishes and achieving it.
This wall requires mass actions to pull down, which making songs in
the studio will not do. I sincerely appreciate Mr. Tuface’s attempt to
step in the terrain, even though he had to step back without yet getting
close to the fire at the eleventh hour. But getting in the fire is what
activists do, which most citizens don’t even appreciate!
I first thought 2baba wanted to finally take the bold step to be
“Fela”, by adding action to the wish when he announced the protest, but
he turned out to be metaphor of what Fela sang in his evergreen lyric “I
nor wan die, I nor wan wound…I get baby mamas…I don build houses…I wan
enjoy..”
An important advice to other celebrities who are still ignorant of
what comes with the terrain is that the moment you decide to sing for
love, stick to the studio. But if you want to be like revolutionary
artists, zero your mind from deals and offers of government. If you
doubt it, ask Eedris Abdulkareem how he went down after “Nigeria
jaga-jaga”.
Although Eedris thought he would bounce back after Obasanjo leaves
office, but we have had the third President since Obasanjo left with
Eedris still unable to find his feet back easily.
Similarly, when artists attach themselves with any particular
government official, they dry up the moment the official leaves office.
Examples are hanging there in your memory, and even without racking your
brain, you will still remember the Koko Master.
Same for journalists: the moment you dedicate your writing to
supporting any particular person in government, you leave your career
hanging; as soon as that person leaves office, you leave your own
career, too. Brother Reuben Abati and others are now hanging loosely
around, their pens dried up and their pencils are no longer as sharp.
Celebrity Versus Activism: The Dichotomy
This is a time to begin appreciating and supporting activists who
have been ignoring threats, calls and pressures to back-off in the past,
especially given the history of protesting unpopular government
policies in Nigeria. Celebrity life is just as easy as: you enter the
studio; mix the sound with a “wicked producer”; “para” on the beat;
massage the ego of a sponsor; collect money; travel go obodo oyinbo;
patronize new governor and aim for a private jet; go to Shoprite and
everybody wants selfie with you…and so on and so "fun".
The symbolism of Tuface’s withdrawal from the February 6th protest
is testament to the rigor of organizing and sustaining a protest by
activists.
Now that the celebrity has left the kitchen, let those who have the
fervor and original “para” for good governance take the stage. Tuface
has pulled out, but the protest is still sacrosanct. The reasons for
calling the protest in the first place, which range from devastating
hunger, economic recession and resultant human depression, one-sided
anti-corruption policy, worsening corruption and punishment of the hoi
poloi, and so on have still not been solved by Tuface’s withdrawal from
the protest.
If the protest cancels out or continues as scheduled, we will be setting a significant precedent either way.
If it fails to hold, we are setting a dangerous precedent that
“once they call the face of the protest to order or threaten them,
everybody sits at home and the protest is over without holding”. But if
we go ahead and still hold the protest, we are sending a signal that
Nigerians know what they want, regardless of whether the leader is
called or not to “order”.
Hence, let the Yemi, Effiong, Hassan, John, Japhet, Damilola,
Oladimeji and other Nigerians who truly feel the pains of hardship in
the midst of plenty come out to speak their minds as we march on
February 6th. National Stadium in Surulere is the converging point in
Lagos at 8.00am; Unity Fountain is the address in Abuja and time is
9.00am for the Abuja residents.
Forward ever!!!
About the Author:
Segun O’Law is a Nigerian Citizen Reporter and Columnist for SaharaReporters
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