Music stars absent from Nigeria’s election campaign

NIGERIA’S Afrobeats resonates all over Africa, and in the West, where young people sing and dance to the rhythms of Burna Boy, Wizkid and Tems.

But when it comes to the presidential election on February 25, when Africa’s most populous democracy votes for a successor to President Muhammadu Buhari, its singers have gone silent.

Nigeria often makes headlines because of the Boko Haram insurgency and jihadist groups in the north-east. But the country is also the continent’s largest economy and birthplace of a musical genre that is soaring globally.

Afrobeats legends Burna Boy and Tems have won Grammy Awards.

Tickets to see Wizkid and Davido in some of the world’s largest concert halls are regularly sold out. And others rack up millions of views on Tiktok and collaborate with US popstars like Chris Brown, Justin Bieber and Drake.

The celebrities are loved as much as Nigerian politicians are hated. Politicians are seen by many Nigerians as corrupt and responsible for the country’s woes, from a lack of electricity to poor health care and education.

Almost 40% of registered voters are under the age of 35, yet the ruling party’s candidate, Bola Tinubu of the APC, is 70 and the main opposition leader, Atiku Abubkar, of the PDP, is 76.

“Afrobeats stars have a huge influence on the youth. The presidential candidates don’t,” said Oris Aigbokhaevbolo, a music journalist.

But, he adds: “Big stars try their best to avoid politics, especially (in) this presidential election.”

Afrobeats was born in the 2000s, inspired by a mix of styles, including the music of legendary Fela Kuti, who fought his entire life against Nigeria’s corrupt leaders, and from US pop.

“Back in time, Afrobeats singers were more political. But when Afrobeats became big business, lyrics changed,” said Aigbokhaevbolo.

Until recently, songs were all about capitalism or Naija, which celebrates success and expensive cars, or about cheesy love and female conquests.

But mass youth-led #ENDSARS protests that rocked the country in late 2020 have changed things.

“Endsars was a watershed moment,” said the journalist.

Sars was a controversial anti-robbery squad that became a symbol of police brutality. It spurred a movement demanding better governance.

Burna Boy released a song called 20.10.2020, about the day when the army and police cracked down on peaceful protesters in Lagos.

But since then, the stars no longer publicly support candidates or encourage people to register and get their permanent voter’s card.

Wizkid did speak out on one occasion about the election in a wideranging interview with British newspaper The Guardian.

“All these old men are going out of power this time,” he said of the candidates. “They need to go to an old people’s home and chill out.”

“It bothers me. They were supporting Endsars and now none of them calls the youth to collect their PVC or endorse the candidate of the youth, Peter Obi,” said Ifiy, a 30-year-old Nigerian at a recent rally for the candidate.

Obi, a 61-year-old former state governor, enjoys the support of many young people, including those who were part of Endsars. He has become a credible challenge to Tinubu and Abubakar.

Apart from P-square, twin artists who became popular in the 2010s with their title Alingo, few musicians openly support Obi, according to Dirisu.

They avoid getting into politics, Aigbokhaevbolo said, because “in Nigeria, you don’t want to have enemies in power”.

On the other hand, politicians need Afrobeats to give them a human touch and to entertainment and motivate their supporters. |