synchronization is not absolutely a bad idea; nevertheless, the rede?ning of these indigenous songs with Hip-Hop tone makes the value of our own songs shrink inferiorly. It is only Hip-Hop artistes that are springing up in their thousands and talents in Fuji, Apala and the likes are not encouraged. How many Apala/Fuji musicians are invited to perform at concerts alongside with Tu-face Idibia, Dare Art Alade and the likes? (Spare Abolore Akande aka 9ce, a glori?ed Fuji musician whose Hipopnism is obviously rooted in the indigenous language). This is also evidenced in almost all the musical reality shows we have today in Nigeria. Most of the judges of these shows are Hip-Hop/R & B persons. So, imagine what happens if a Fuji talent goes for MTN Project Fame audition and starts to mime Pasuma's lines? What about Nigeria's musical TV/Radio stations? Why is Fuji music not included in their top ten every other week? The sheer ignorance of some people whose thoughts have been westernized is that this kind of music is meant for the uncivilized. But if we take a keen observation at this, we'd see that some of the lyrics in these Nigeria's Hip-Hop songs are extracted from the indigenous Apala, Fuji, Juju and other indigenous songs. Brymo's 'Ara n be' is traced to one of King Sunny Ade's Juju. This Davido's line 'kuluso ewe, agbagba ewe l'Osun ?n we mo re ki dokita o to de' is originally Sunny Ade's. This Dare Art Alade's line in his Sisi Eko hit 'baby mi jowo o j'eka jo ma gbadun' is originally Ebenezer Obey's. We may not see the beauty in our indigenous music until we begin to listen to them. And to encourage those
talented to make indigenous songs without ?avoring it with Hip-Hop, musical reality TV shows should create space for them. TVs and radios should promote their songs, and in fact scholars should devote their time to reviewing the arts of these ones. Our indigenous music is our identity that we should always proudly showcase. And in the chorus of one of Dare Art Alade's -featuring 9ce- songs, I conclude: Mo le ko Juju, e no concern you Mo le ko Fuji, a so mi ji Mo le ko Apala, amu mi la. It translates to: I can sing Juju, it does not concern you I can sing Fuji, it reawakens me I can sing Apala, it makes me wealthy.
@femiowolabi
Femi Owolabi is a cultural critic, socio-political commentator, and a regular columnist with online and print newspapers in Nigeria. He is the author of the novel Echoes in the Web.