Evergreen songs by music legends such as
King Sunny Ade, Onyeka Onwenu, Victor Uwaifo and countless others would
always be remembered not only for the quality of their songs but also
the modesty of their music videos.
Many believe these artistes did not only
pass messages across with their songs but also complemented their songs
with appropriate music videos that could be watched by every member of
the family. Fast forward to the present day and a lot seems to have
changed. Nigeria’s crop of contemporary artistes seem to sell not just
their songs in their music videos. Many complain now that most times, it
is all about the skin rather than message being passed across in the
music.
Sensitive parents feel obliged to send
their children away whenever they tune in to the various music stations
because they are sure a raunchy video would be shown.
A typical example was the widespread criticism that followed Tiwa Savage’s much talked about racy video, Wanted,
which was released in May, this year. The video which was directed by
Mr. Moe Musa in the UK, garnered over 60,000 views in less than 24 hours
but the visuals attracted criticism in Nigeria.
Popular Nollywood movie director, Charles
Novia, was quick to express his distaste for the video. He took to his
Twitter account and wrote, “Rihanna and Beyonce and all other Yankee
gals doing the nude video stuff at least have originality in their
insanity. This one is…smh (shaking my head). Rihanna exposes her breasts
and booty and a mad fever grips almost every female act in Nigeria to
also show their own t*t*. Haba! When you start exposing punanies &
penises in the name of stupid ‘art’, then those shouting ‘hypocrisy’ shd
let their kids go naked to sch (sic),” he wrote.
Comments of other Nigerians who watched
the music video on Youtube also showed that many members of the public
found the video distasteful.
Apparently a parent, Nicholz Lami, said
that the situation was saddening. She said, “When I saw the video I was
very saddened. The reason is because living in America I turned to
African music for entertainment. I watch African music with my kids and
it’s pure, natural and sometimes even religious. I was watching this
lady’s songs with my children and when I left them, went into my room
and came back, they were watching this. I was scandalised and saddened. I
don’t know why a beautiful woman like her, who has sung beautiful music
and millions of viewers think she has to do this. Like a woman I feel
degraded. Please, don’t be like American musicians. Put some clothes on.
To be successful doesn’t necessarily mean you have to copy the slutty
ways that American musicians sell their video. In the name of the most
high put some clothes on. You are beautiful, you are talented, you don’t
need this!”
Another commentator, Afrodidiac, said,
“Slutty. Prostitute image. Just like African American female R ‘n’ B
artists,” and Muna Kamara simply described the video as terrible, in her
words, “This video is terrible!!! Tiwa why? It was so cringy.”
On July 2014, Yoruba indigenous rap artiste, Olamide, released the video for his hit song, Story for the gods, and it received lots of criticism with many saying the video encourages homosexuality.
After watching the video and obviously
disgusted by what she saw, Elizabeth Akinola, asked rhetorically if the
rap artiste would be proud to show the video to his relatives or
children in future. “If you came from the streets to sing and show ass
and lesbianism, you should have just stayed there. People like you hit
it big and forget your tradition, culture and start doing American
stupid styles or would you like your kids or young relatives to watch
all this crap?” she wrote.
Forever Young, another YouTube
commentator also had harsh words for the video. He said, “Nice song but
the video is just sad, I mean what’s left of the youth if we keep
promoting this kind of behaviour in music videos? Just catastrophic,
nice song though.”
Another commentator with the pseudonym
Igbo Yoruba Igbo, advised the rap artiste to remain focused and gave him
knocks for promoting lesbianism through his music video.
“I am a fan but what exactly is the story
for the gods in this video? This video promotes lesbianism or am I
mistaken? Olamide, I beg you, do not lose focus. If you are from the
streets then encourage the street people,” he said.
Iyanya who released the video for his Mr. Oreo’s
song this month has joined the train of artistes who are receiving
knocks from fans over explicit videos. After watching his video on
YouTube, Bree Davis said he had ceased to be a fan of the singer because
of the raunchy video.
She said, “I don’t like this video, it
seems very westernised and Euro-centric to me. Most of the women here
are mixed and then there’s a white woman; white women are idolised and
are supposedly the image of beauty in American society and in our media
hence why minorities who closely resemble Europeans are idolised and
liked more than those who do not. I watch his videos in order to avoid
these westernised ideals of beauty and to be reminded of the beauty of
brown skin because the media here show otherwise and it’s unfortunate.
You’ve lost a fan,” she said.
Blessing Chinweuba also raised an eye
brow over the video. She said, “Impressive vocal dexterity from the
Project Fame’s Iyanya. My fear from the video is centered on the ‘Boy
child’ excessive exposure to these sort of videos in his formative years
can catalyse his inclination towards a ‘vulgar’ future expressed in
poor character traits such as objectifying women, multiple dating,
infidelity, lack of respect for women, cheating, polygamy et al.”
Although 2014 is gradually coming to an
end, the year is one that has ushered in numerous explicit music videos
from both established and up and coming acts. “Is there no regulatory
body?” many have asked
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