A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF LAGBAJA’S SONGS
AN APPRAISAL OF LAGBAJA MUSICAL STYLE
Lagbaja is unique with his highly concentrated political criticism and famous for his masked tradition. Following the afro-beat tradition of Fela Kuti, he monopolizes his musical talents as a powerful weapon of sociopolitical activism. In the part one of 200 million mumu, he explains the symbolic relevance of his masked style as a means representing the voiceless and disenfranchised population. The word “Lagbaja” itself could mean “anybody” or “nobody” serving as a means of identifying with the members of the lowest social and economic strata. His masked tradition bears semblance with the masquerade tradition of the Yoruba society. Masquerades are regarded as reincarnated ancestors who seldom visit the human world to reunite with their loved ones and also mete out justice as obtained among the “Egwugwu” tradition among the Igbo people. Egwugwu is the equivalent of “Egungun” tradition of the Yoruba people. Both are held in sacred esteem as ancestral institutions in which a sizeable fragment of the people’s culture and tradition is imprinted. Borrowing his costume from his oral tradition, he is expected to be a symbol of truth and a personification of social justice. The import of his masked tradition is not just a means of concealing his identity but also a way of obliterating his physiological identity and assuming the role and identity of any common man on the street. His use of language also identifies with the language of the common people. He sings dominantly in Yoruba or the Nigerian Pidgin without regard for any grammatical conventions. The thematic focus of most of his songs examines contemporary issues like social disparity, political instability, class struggle, poverty, westernization, economic backdrop etc. 200 million mumu part 1 and 3 specifically appraises themes like political maladies, corruption, moral decadence, electoral malpractices, self aggrandizement, etc.
The equivalent translation of the word “mumu” in English language is “a fool.” 200 million mumu in this context refers to the entire population of the country who out of share foolishness has contributed significantly to the decadence of every sector of the country. The artist sets out not just to castigate the leaders’ bigotry but also to critique the roles of the sanctimonious Nigerian polity and their constituent parts in the corrupt system. Abubakar Gimba (2008: 58-59) reasons along this line when he states in his Letter to the Unborn Child thus:
One successful lawbreaking leads to another and the penchant for lawlessness then spreads like cancer: if it is rewarding to circumvent the law and norms of the society, why observes them? ...We are all leadership and followership alike, exposed to these hazards… How then can we escape the fate of being drowned in the desecrated waters of our social values? No one except those who are adequately prepared for it and given the right lifeboat… you do not expect an impeccable leadership to emerge from an environment of pervasive decaying social values. No one except those properly brought up in homes with conscientious parents…and gone to institutions of learning that maintain our redeeming social values on their top priority agenda has the bright chance to survive.
As it will be shown in this research work, Lagbaja’s view of the society is very much in tandem with the opinions of Gimba. Diverting from the old tradition of blaming the government and the leaders as the principal players of a system of debauchery, he picks on the ordinary citizens and identifies their various roles in the culture of profligate status quo.
200 MILLION MUMU (PART ONE)
THE ROLES OF THE CITIZENS IN A SYSTEM OF CORRUPTION
Lagbaja is famous for his rich satires and critical appraisal of the society. The English equivalent of the word “mumu” is “a fool”. In this context, Lagbaja’s reference to the entire population of Nigeria as 200 million mumu is a means of reflecting the dogmatic foolishness that is characteristic of a typical Nigerian. Though he avows that the leaders are corrupt, he does not see any reason to vindicate the direct involvement of the citizens in the contemporary depression of the country. He castigates the social ideology of scapegoatism influencing the political evaluation of an average Nigerian citizen who has the attitude of making the government solely responsible for the regressive progression experienced in every aspect of the society. Beyond condemning the few occupants of political parastatals, he also situates the culpabilities within the ambiance of the ordinary people. He pontificates that the citizens are criminals and rouges with underhand indulgences which are responsible for the backdrop realities in the contemporary society.
He proceeds to name some past Nigerian leaders with unconcealed records of corruption, selfishness and despotism. Babangida, for example, is known across the country as a political “Maradona” reputed for his fallibilities, dubious dealings, intolerance, cruelties, and political obsession. He does not just siphon the State treasury into private coffers, he denies Nigerians their electoral mandate of appointing their choice leader in person of Chief M.K.O Abiola on the 12th of June, 1993 by declaring himself as the first military president. He also constitutes an enforced Interim National Government (ING) headed by Ernest Shonekan. According to U S Department of State Nigeria in their 1994 article titled Nigeria Human Rights Practices 1993
Nigeria’s human rights record worsened in 1993. Babangida’s erratic political course fueled increased economic distress heightened episodic civil unrest in urban areas and interethnic violence in some rural areas, resulting in many civilian deaths. The Babangida regime regularly relied on arbitrary arrest and detention as a means of silencing its critics. It closed media houses critical of the Babangida’s nullification of June 12 election and announced a series of draconian decrees. They contain clauses prohibiting judicial review. Security services routinely harassed human rights and prodemocracy groups, journalists and student activists. Other human rights problems included extrajudicial killings, police brutality, dangerous and unsanitary prison conditions, violence and discrimination against women and infringement on freedom of speech, press, travel, and political and labour affiliation.
Abacha’s coup in 1993 sacked the interim government and installed a protracted season of anarchy and tyranny in the country. His government was so violent that Nigeria was suspended from African Union within the period of his dictatorship for the violation of fundamental human right. The wickedness of Abacha reverberates down the ages long after his death and can only be rivaled by few African leaders like Gadaffi of Libya, Idi Armin of Uganda, Hosni Mubarak among others. Some of his monstrous crimes include the aggressive stealing and squandering of national treasury, killing and destroying to obliterate all forms of perceived oppositions and suspension of any vestige of fundamental rights as provided in the constitution. Nigerians are overwhelmed with joy at the news that Abacha, the oppressive miscreant, was dead in 1998. Obasanjo is the third past leader Lagbaja mentioned. To many Nigerians, he may not necessarily equal Babangida and Abacha in terms of despotism and authoritarianism, but he is a great quintessence of a democratic system of calculated oppression and egocentricity. Apart from ruling during the military regime and for eight consecutive years during the democratic era, Soni Daniel’s 2016 article published by Vanguard revealed how he also agitated for third term in government at the verge of transition. This to Lagbaja, who gives considerable attention to criticize Obasanjo’s political greed in 200 million mumu part 3, is the height of self-centeredness. He condemns this as an insatiable thirst for political dominance which is capable of ruining the expectation of the people. Obasanjo is still an active force in political parlance enthusiastically providing mentorship for as many that are ready to relish his greed with looted national treasures. The three leaders mentioned here are very important figures as far as the history of Nigeria is concerned. They collectively ruled the country that is just 56 years old for almost 20 years. However, by Lagbaja placing Nigerians side by side these leaders reputed for corrupt dealings gives credence to the fact that Nigerians are only clothed in sanctimonious robes but share the same trait with them and are capable of doing things even worse.
RELEVANCE OF HIS MASKED TRADITION
Praise poetry or panegyrics is one of the identified poetic genres of Nigerian oral literature. The individual who praises himself tries to celebrate his biological and instinctive uniqueness by taking pride in his/her identity. Nevertheless, a close examination of the above lines reveals a poetic engagement driven not with the mere intention of adulating his own character but as a means of taking pride in the identity of those he represents. “Omo baba muko muku” (the son of the porridge drinker) and “omo iya e ponmo” (the son of leather vendor) are suggestive of the kind of economic background he chooses to associate with. Unlike the rich class who has enough money to spend and throw around, he identifies with the majority emerging from very humble backgrounds with meager income and unpalatable delicacies. Being addressed as “muko muko” (an addicted pap drinker) establishes the fact that he wants to be perceived as a depiction of someone who emanates out of the slump of gross poverty parented by impoverished individuals. Nevertheless, he asserts this view in the subsequent verse by stating thus:
This justifies that his masked tradition is not just a means of obscuring his personal identity but a means of representing the unknown, unheard and unseen in the society. His song therefore, gives expressive credence to the opinion of the common men who are unfairly marginalized by the depleted system. He is an emblematic figure of the suffering majority and his songs are dedicated to the course of advocating for their rights, passing critical judgments on the obsessive leadership and giving their political views a publicized platform.
CRITICISM OF THE SOCIAL CULTURE OF SCAPEGOATISM
Lagbaja at this point is being encouraged to pick on the leaders as his primary target of criticism by the backup singers. He is admonished to investigate the excesses of the government and evaluate the selfish policies of the leaders. These backup singers in a dramatic way represent the majority of the Nigerian population who are accustomed to the tradition of charging the leaders with the sole responsibility of the people’s misery by castigating them as the primary reason why things are progressing in an awry direction. This sanctimonious disposition of the people is an attempt to vindicate their direct and indirect involvement in the dissipation of every institution in the country and to condemn the government as its basic cause. Moreover, Lagbaja will not be influenced to blindly follow the wrong perception of political realities just because it is the opinion held by the masses, but he intends disserting the social realities with commendable veracity. He responds to his backup singers thus:
His initial silence to the request to criticize the leaders by his backup singers is actually not out of word bankruptcy but the fear of offending the people with the severity of the truth. Recognizing the fact that the truth is bitter with its great gravity on a very perverse generation peopled by individuals who will preferred to be lied to, he wonders if he will still be able to sustain the friendship of his friends and family if he decides to say it the way it occurs to him. Nevertheless, he could not keep the truth all to himself and so he resolves to voice his opinion however unpleasant and offensive it may be. To him, the ones who should be criticized are not just the leaders famous for their corruptions but also his own brothers and sisters and the entire population at large. He asserts that certain parallels exist between the irresponsibility of the leaders and the attitude of recklessness of the people. He emphasizes that there is no significant difference between the leaders reputed for serious misappropriation of public funds and the destitute population.
Although he acknowledges that a few fragment of the population earn a living through honest means, he condemns the majority for being strongly entrenched in a system of corruption playing their respective roles which have aided its smooth running. Lagbaja calls them 200 million thieves, that is, Nigeria is a country populated by dishonest and selfish citizens who want to make a living at any cost with little or no attention to integrity or moral values. We can unequivocally justify his opinion if we examine rate of cybercrimes, armed robbery, bribery and corruption, nepotism, favoritism etc. One of the thriving businesses among many Nigerian youths is cyber fraud known within our speech society as “Y Plaus.” The artist therefore wonders why the government is the constant subject of criticism when the country is full of insincere and untruthful citizens. He continues his social analysis of the people by stating thus:
RESTORATION OF MORAL VALUES AS THE WAY FORWARD
Lagbaja observes with disgust how easily we try to vindicate our direct involvement in the social decrepitude by shifting the blame on the government making them chiefly responsible for the consequences of our collective mistakes. He denounces the sanctimonious tradition of the people whose actions and inactions have contributed to the current depression witnessed all over the country today. Initially, military despotism and colonial imperialism are institutions that seem to bear the blame of common man’s distresses and we hope that a civilian or democratic government will bring the needed succor to all our pains. Nevertheless, things have only got worse with the emergence of civilian government. According to Nnenna Ibe (2017), corruption has taken over from the office of the local government Counsellors to the office of the President. He reminds us that those offices are held by Nigerians who are product of our immediate environments. At this point, he suggests a very relevant remedial step which, according to him, is capable of transforming the society to a better place.
He recommends that a national revival of moral values and genuine repentance is the only redemptive exit out of this gradual progression towards cataclysm. He believes we are merely wasting our time to continue hoping for a better Nigeria predicated upon a persistent culture of corruption. We will wait for all eternity and no miracle will restore our lost pride if nothing is done to restore honesty and integrity in the mentality of an average Nigerian. Alluding to the sacred wisdom the Holy Bible, he concludes by asserting that a great nation is a function of the qualities of her people. He envisions a Nigeria full of honest citizens and a government constituted by faithful democrats. Unless a moral sanitization which we emancipate the average Nigerian character out of the quagmire of moral decadence occurs across the country, he believes that nothing is likely to change anytime soon.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page I-II
Certification III
Dedication IV
Acknowledgements V
Abstract VI
Table of Contents VII-XI
Music, Literature and Society 1-4
CHAPTER TWO
SECTION ONE
Music as A Means of Entertainment 16
Music as A Means of Education 17
Music as an Instrument of Socio-Political Criticism 18-19
SECTION TWO
SECTION THREE
CHAPTER THREE: THE THEMATIC APPRAISAL OF 9ICE’S AND ASA’S SONGS
A Critical Appraisal Of 9ice’s Musical Style 32-34
PETEPETE
Post-Colonial Disillusionment 35-36
Social Recklessness and Its Effects 37-38
THERE IS FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN
Political Instability and Insecurity 43-45
Cultural and Moral Decadence 47-48
IYA NI
Sociopolitical Servitude 51-52
CHAPTER FOUR: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF LAGBAJA’S SONGS
An Appraisal of Lagbaja Musical Style 53-54
The Roles of the Citizens in a System of Corruption 55-57
Relevance of His Masked Tradition 57-58
Criticism of the Social Culture of Scapegoatism 58-60
Restoration of Moral Values as the Way Forward 60-61
200 MILLION MUMU (PART THREE)
Political Avariciousness 62-63
CHAPTER FIVE
Conclusion 69-70
Recommendations 71
Works Cited 71-74
Appendices 75-83WORKS CITED
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