Nigerian artists can be more relevant

Entertainment is now the new crude in town with many Nigerian youths aspiring to be the next Wizkid, Davido, Tuface or Tiwa Savage and the rest of them. They can’t get enough of the fantasies of being young, famous and successful, and living luxuriously as flaunted by these artistes. The youths listen to them and […]

Nigerian artists can be more relevant
Nigerian artists can be more relevant

Entertainment is now the new crude in town with many Nigerian youths aspiring to be the next Wizkid, Davido, Tuface or Tiwa Savage and the rest of them. They can’t get enough of the fantasies of being young, famous and successful, and living luxuriously as flaunted by these artistes.

The youths listen to them and follow them religiously on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms. It is amazing that in this era, an individual can have a community of followers numbering millions, who adore them and long to live like them. So, it now depends on what type of impact these celebrities are willing to make, especially in the area of curbing crimes and ensuring sanity in the society.

It is a fast paced world, and in this jet age, for even secondary school students, ‘‘patience” is boring. At 17 years of age, boys want to make money! Nigerians, indeed, miss the days when legendary Afrobeat musician, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, explored the power of music, to champion the cause of societal justice, campaigning against corruption, crime and violation of human rights. He used the medium to achieve remarkable impacts that have remained relevant till date.

The trend of late, in which some Nigerian musicians, through their music promote the quest to make quick money, is very worrisome. Such artistes should note that music can be used to achieve societal change.

Entertainment is a medium where people exhibit talent, and express the beauty of arts in various forms, for the progress of the society. Nigerians are always either listening to music, watching TV programs, discussing superstars and artistes, or directly involved in entertainment.

We need artists to rise up and use music to fight against the menace of internet fraud among youths. They need to inculcate the message in their music, as this will undoubtedly ensure that the message sinks into their subconscious minds.

They need to continuously put out conscious materials and messages to encourage the youths to embrace hard work as the necessary path to wealth. This will go a long way in shaping their minds towards the right paths.

Sani Emmanuel wrote from Lagos and can be reached at:[email protected]