In recent times, Nigeria has experienced massive nationwide protests over rising cost of living, inefficient governance, and borderline economy-induced frustration. It’s not likely that these problems would be swept under the carpet by the snap of a finger. Yet, for every statistic that is affected, it’s a human life being gored. And, that, precisely is the recipe for art itself; connecting to shared human pain and discovering hope through community. Good thing that there are songs like Sylars Akhigbe’s just-released jam, “Oh Nigeria”, which basically is a reassurance of hope and a call to community.
Produced by Sylars Akhigbe, the 3-min song is a passionate dirge tucked within groovy Reggaeton instrumentation, with a slight US Country music feel. The song begins with Sylars lamenting the state of the country, “I feel hurt when i decide to flip and have a view, I see places and then faces that are left to fate/ There are people crying, there are people wailing, that’s no place to stay/ Some are dying, others wondering ‘when was hell unleashed?,’” The song repeats the lyrics with slight alterations throughout the first verse, creating a heightened melancholic and introspective feel.
Sylars’ lyricism brilliantly satirizes the state of the country’s leadership, using Nigeria’s national anthem to craft its bridge and chorus, “Let no labour of our heroes ever be in vain.” It also symbolizes the imagery from the country’s coat of arms, asking where the “horses” and “eagles” went while the land disintegrated. The language is heavy with emotion, and the poetry is direct, sorrowful and cathartic, especially if one has shared history with the country.
Another interesting laurel of Sylars’ “Oh Nigeria” is its composition. The song essentially builds over Reggaeton guitars and percussion, casting a melancholic and solemn vibe from the jump. It flows into a climax after the chorus is repeated with a spoken word call-to-service, “Let us all arrive and serve without bloodshed.” The song glides over a gentle therapeutic pace, with Sylars’ bridge, “People crying, people wailing/ Some are dying, Others wondering how did hell get unleashed?” interluding at higher pitched tempos. It’s a very relaxing listen, with much of the music being about its message and a groovy Reggaeton-Afrobeats fusion to help fit it all together.
Another low-hanging fruit of the song is its cinematic feel, thanks to its dramatic bridge and hook. Sylars’ composition might be a must-grab for filmmakers scoring a patriotic or community-themed movie. Its didactic and socio-economic outlook also helps it to get to even more younger listeners — those who are actually at the heart of the revolution.
The song’s emotional impact is, perhaps, the biggest cherry on the pie for Sylars Akhigbe’s “Oh Nigeria”, where the listener gets pulled into the communist heroism that the message tries to pass, from the opening lines to the outro. It’s a hook-and-grab technique, stringing the minds of the listener to feel the pros and cons of waking up to the call for a countrywide revolution. In the end, there is comfort in the closing verse where he urges us to avoid destruction and violence and embrace peace as a prelude to communal development. If you considered music as a tool for social advocacy, then Sylars Akhigbe’s “Oh Nigeria” feels like a great reference.
Overall, the song’s melancholic feel might be overwhelming when the lyricism is considered; but, when the sonic progression is the only cause for concern then it just feels like a lo-fi relaxing mid-tempo groove. It’s a rich combination of charismatic chord progressions and a moody rendition aimed to sustain attention and elevate its replay value. It’s a good listen and definitely an evergreen song that should be of interest to anyone passionate about Nigeria’s affairs.
