Entertainment
Top Seven Songs From EndSARS Protests Across Nigeria
Be it in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja, Asaba or Benin,Nigerians are united by one voice in rejecting unfair treatment and injustice as they also demand good governance, while holding government accountable.
As the endSARS protests continue across the country, Governors’ orders have been defied and their personalities ridiculed on podiums, while love for fellow men and country has taken the centre stage.
But at the heart of this moment which seems like a turn around is the use of music, as citizens rally for funding and iconic shots are taken, Nigerians have also used music to pass their messages in crystal clear forms.
Here are the top seven songs of the movement:
Davido’s Fem
While Fem is not exactly a song with political background, it has been used as a sound track for endSARS protests across the nation. It was even used to tell Governor Babajide Sanwo- Olu to shut up on October 13,2020.
Eedris Abdulkareem’s Jaga Jaga
When Eedris released this song, Obasanjo was President of the country. To think that Nigeria was even more Jaga Jaga now is sickening. He sang Nigeria Jaga Jaga in 2004 and 16 years later, the song is hitting the right note.The song documents the perpetual upheavals that are inherent in the country. Jaga Jaga is then an onomatopoeia for the troubles and upheavals. In Port Harcourt, the song particularly took centre stage for the city’s natural attitude to conflict.
Fela’s Zombie
While sorrow, tears and blood were also shed during the protests, Zombie, which was dedicated to the military government in the year it was fighting against unarmed and defenceless Nigerians, who were literally abused and battered by the government.
African China’s Mr. President
When African China’s, Mr President came on at the protests recently, funny as that song was many years ago, everyone could relate to the struggle, that tune is the sound track of the movement # #SARSMustEnd.
African China released this letter to the President to treat the citizens well, this suits the current agenda as the responsibility of the central government is one of the reasons why we find ourselves here.
P Square’s Oga Police
A little further back in May, 2005, Nigeria’s now defunct super group, PSquare released their somophore album, Get Squared, at track three was a song titled: Oga Police. It also chronicled the ills of the country’s law enforcement agents. The long and short of the story was how a young man got arrested by members of the Nigerian Police Force simply for driving his own car. For its topical resonance, the song perfectly suits the purpose of the protests.
Burna Boy’s Monsters You Made
Monsters You Made seems to be the only song suitable for the expressions in these pictures. If Burna Boy’s PR wasn’t at an all time low for his inactivity as regards the battle to end SARS, this song would have been the perfect soundtrack for the protests. Chris Martin sings thus, “We are the monsters you made “ in response to the political elite, Burna Boy sang about inevitable conflicts after citizens got fed up and this is it.
Naira Marley’s Aye
“Aye o le o, Aye l’o Maye le” . That is Yoruba for life is easy, people just make life hard. The song basically suits the Nigerian government and its tendency for making life unnecessarily hard for its own citizens.