Rozay as he is fondly called by millions of fans across the world flew to the economic capital of the most populous black nation in the world to perform in a show that was scheduled for the Eko hotel and suites, but as soon as he landed, he tweeted that he had landed and was off to the slums to shoot a music video. This, expectedly, already caused a fuss on social networks as people were frowning at the decision to go shoot his video in a "slum". Just a couple of weeks ago, the video was released and it has caused a major stir in Nigeria
It is only unfortunate that in a country of purported high intelligence, Nigerian musicians have made us grow to love the rhythms produced by their trademark beats over the lyrics of the songs they write(if they actually do write). Did any of Rozay's critics try to listen to the lyrics of the song before opening their mouths and social network accounts to propound false patriotism to a country that has shown only as much readiness to make sure that we maintain our status as slum-dogs. Block your ears and watch a music video, if you cannot deduce all or parts of the lyrics from the video, then the video is just crap. Rozay, in the song "hold me back", was hitting back at the people who made sure he didn't see the better life growing up as a kid in his native America; I relate these "niggas" to the government. In the song, he talks about how he made it through the difficulties of growing up in the slum and making it as big as he has done. The song is a street song, what do want to see? Hoes? Champagne? Fast cars? Sky-scrapers? Oh please!!!!!!
Please, please and please, what were you expecting? You want the world to believe that we are a "champagne-popping, supra-wearing" nation as most Nigerian artistes have seemingly decided to keep portraying in most of the videos they are churning out to the international media?? How many of our own Nigerian artistes have done songs/video to show the plight of Nigerians who live in poverty? Majority of them portray Nigeria in their videos like all is fine and we all live the good life. Some don't even shoot their videos in Nigeria, they go to other African countries to shoot videos, is that what you like? People who don't believe in a country that made them rich and famous? Some make it worse by using white models in their videos, the height of inferiority complex. It's a shame that anybody will feel offended by a foreigner who came over to Nigeria to shoot a video in the slums that we Nigerians have forgotten about. We should all be totally disenchanted that it had to be an American musician who came to Nigeria to point out the actualities of the state of living of the common Nigerian man.
By the way, did you all see the tribute to Rashidi Yekini?
I loved that, R.I.P to the legend of Nigerian Football.
Plus do you know that he bought out a whole grocery store and ordered that everything he bought be shared to the impoverished kids that featured on that video. Do you actually think that those kids would be angry at Rozay for that video? You should be in their shoes for a week then give an answer to the question.
Now, finally to those who just don't like the video because they feel it portrays Nigeria in bad way to the outside world, first of all let me make a point clear to you all; "the average, hallow minded, myopic, stupid and dumb non-Nigerians [especially the whites] see Nigeria and Africa as a whole as a jungle of black monkeys who hang on trees and stuff, and there is nothing anybody can do to change it, because majority will die in their ignorance".
That aside, I have some questions for those who feel insulted by the video being shot in the slums. Are the visuals of the video that of Nigeria or not? Is Nigeria a developed country? What does the average Nigerian worth? How much does the average Nigerian spend in a day? Is Nigeria a paradise for majority of Nigerians? Those people in the slums, are they lesser Nigerians than you are? Are you really offended because you feel bad for them or because of your own ego? Do you care about those particular set of people? Why do you have a problem with the whole world seeing how majority of Nigerians live? Answer those questions in your minds, they are rhetorical.
A country blessed with so much natural resources, and yet so much poverty and suffering by the majority of its people, a country that cannot boast of steady power supply, good health care, good roads, good water supply, good education and several other basic infrastructure that every Nigerian deserves; why will you as a Nigerian want to help the looting and corrupt leaders of Nigeria hide the fact that majority of we Nigerians live in abject poverty and penury in the midst of plenty?
And it's funny and ridiculous that you think you can hide the fact that majority of Nigerians live in poverty because of corrupt leaders, I mean these leaders steal public funds and store in the hands of these same people we are trying to hide from. The world is not blind, they can see, they know how we live, they know that majority live in poverty, you can't hide that fact. The fact that you are privileged and have access to a little more money, Blackberries, iPhones and other luxuries does not change the fact that majority of Nigerians are poor and live below a dollar a day. I find it very inhuman to feel offended that Nigerians like you and I are in a video, but because they live in the slums; you are bothered about how the outside world will feel about us in general. The outside world will only talk, they don't care about you and I, they won't solve our problems, it is you and I that will solve our own problems and get ourselves out of the abject poverty that we have been subjected to as Nigerians by our thieving and corrupt politicians.
Do you know the joy and happiness those people in the slums felt? Do you know what is means to be rejected by the government of your own country and left to live in permanent misery and poverty only to be remembered by a foreigner who went ahead to shoot a video so that we all can see their plight? You all should be ashamed of yourselves, for feeling offended over the joy of Nigerians who got remembered for once in a very long while.
The government has forgotten these people, left to die in the slums, now you are also going to betray and deny them, because you have more money? Shame on YOU!!!
What have you done to help out? Have you touched the lives of Nigerians who live in poverty? What have you contributed? Nothing, absolutely NOTHING! I'm appalled.
#OkBye
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Olawale Smith-Agbede is a passionate nigerian who has been a foremost socio-political analyst, writer and justice-fighter. pls ff him on twitter @iam_Smithzzle
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