Fashion and music trends in the 21st century Nigeria

Abstract

Fashion and music are vital constituents of music videos, and the Nigerian entertainment industry which has risen from a place of obscurity to global relevance. From the Afrobeat genre which is traceable to the music of Fela Anikulapo Kuti, to the most recent - Afro-pop or Afro-fusion, which is traceable to contemporary Nigerian artists like Wizkid, D-Banj, Davido, Yemi Alade, Burna Boy, Niniola, Omah Lay and many others, Nigerian artists have continued to make bold statements with their fashion and music styles around the world. Using two Nigerian artists – Burna Boy and Yemi Alade, this study examines the influence of fashion and music in African entertainment and the world by extension. This qualitative research employs Molefi Kete Asante’s (2003) “Theory of Afrocentricism” as its theoretical framework and argues that both artists use their fashion and music styles to make social commentaries on issues affecting Nigerians, while promoting the Nigerian culture as well as combating negative narratives of Africa.

Full text

Journal of Creative Arts,
Communication and Media Studies
Journal of Creative Arts, Communication and Media Studies is a leading
multidisciplinary peer-reviewed journal that publishes original
research works in the breadths of Cultural Studies, Creative Arts,
Communication Studies, Literary Studies, Visual and Performing Arts.
The journal has a mission to make research and knowledge accessible
to all; authors, therefore, benefit from high visibility and readership
for their works. The journal's broad aims and scope allow researchers
to explore interconnected subject areas. Each article in this particular
issue has been evaluated on its own scholarly merit and research
integrity, and the expert academic editors take an objective and
constructive approach to peer review.
Contributors
1.
Antony Mukasa,
Kenya
2.
Daniel Kofi Brako,
Ghana
3.
John Ibitoye Oluwatosin,
Nigeria
4.
Foluke Aliyu, Nigeria
5.
Mark Gasper Tekena,
Nigeria
6.
Primrose Ochuba,
Nigeria
7.
Edmund Chukwuma Onwuliri,
Nigeria
8.
Maurice Simbili Mwichuli,
Kenya
9.
Kisa Amateshe,
Kenya
10.
Wasambo Were, Kenya
12. John Mugubi,
Kenya
JCCM
Journal of Creative Arts,
Communication and Media Studies
Volume 1, Issue 1, 2022 • ISSN: 2958-1737
Journal of Creative Arts, Communication & Media Studies
ISSN: 2958-1737

Journal of Creative Arts,
Communication and Media
Studies
School of Creative and Performing Arts, Film and Media
Studies, Kenyatta University

Published in Kenya by
School of Creative and Performing Arts, Film and
Media Studies, Kenyatta University
P. O. Box 43844—00100, Nairobi—Kenya.
© School of Creative and Performing Arts, Film and Media
Studies, Kenyatta University, 2022.
ISSN: 2958-1737 (Print) ISSN: 2958-1745 (Online)
All rights reserved. Not part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval form or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise without prior written
permission from the School of Creative and Performing Arts,
Film and Media Studies, Kenyatta University.
Sponsors
This project has received funding from the Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 872718
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EDITORIAL BOARD
Prof. John Mugubi, Chief Editor, Kenyatta University, Kenya
Dr. Helen Gaynor, Associate Editor, The University of Melbourne,
Australia
Members
Prof. Peter Hort – University of Westminster, United Kingdom
Prof. Chris Doherty – University of Witwatersrand, South Africa
Prof. Reuben Embu – University of Jos, Nigeria
Prof. Karin Waidley – University of Michigan, U.S.A.
Dr. Elizabeth Andango –
Kenyatta University Kenya
Dr. Oliver Mbayi –
Kenyatta University Kenya
Dr. George Vikiru – Kenyatta University Kenya
Dr. Jacqueline Kisato – Kenyatta University Kenya

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Gengetone music as a subversion of the urban space
Antony Mukasa .........................................................1
The Influence of Popular Music on Sexual Violence in
Nigeria
Oluwatosin John Ibitoye ............................................20
The aesthetic of dance in Ahmed Yerima’s little drops
Foluke Aliyu-Ibrahim .................................................38
Fashion and Music Trends in the 21st Century Nigeria
Mark Gasper Tekena & Primrose Ochuba .................58
Branding Nigeria: Nollywood films as sustainable tools
Edmund Chukwuma Onwuliri..................................91
An audience experience of production design in three
period films in Ghana
Daniel Kofi Brako ......................................................106
Surviving patriarchy: Interrogating ideology in children’s
readers and their corresponding adaptations
Maurice Simbili Mwichuli, Kisa Amateshe, Wasambo Were
& John Mugubi ..........................................................128

Journal of Creative Arts, Communication and Media Studies
58
Fashion and music trends in the 21st century
Nigeria
Mark Gasper Tekena 1 & Primrose Ochuba 2
1
Department of Theatre and Film Studies, University of Port
Harcourt, Nigeria;
2
Department of Fine Arts and Design,
University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Email: tekena.mark@uniport.edu.ng
Abstract
Fashion and music are vital constituents of music videos, and the
Nigerian entertainment industry which has risen from a place of
obscurity to global relevance. From the Afrobeat genre which is
traceable to the music of Fela Anikulapo Kuti, to the most recent
- Afro-pop or Afro-fusion, which is traceable to contemporary
Nigerian artists like Wizkid, D-Banj, Davido, Yemi Alade, Burna
Boy, Niniola, Omah Lay and many others, Nigerian artists have
continued to make bold statements with their fashion and music
styles around the world. Using two Nigerian artists – Burna Boy
and Yemi Alade, this study examines the influence of fashion and
music in African entertainment and the world by extension. This
qualitative research employs Molefi Kete Asante’s (2003) “Theory
of Afrocentricism” as its theoretical framework and argues that
both artists use their fashion and music styles to make social
commentaries on issues affecting Nigerians, while promoting the
Nigerian culture as well as combating negative narratives of Africa.
Keywords:
fashion, music, Burna Boy, Yemi Alade, Nigeria
ISSN: 2958-1737 (Print) ISSN: 2958-1745 (Online)

Journal of Creative Arts, Communication and Media Studies
59
Introduction
Music and fashion have shared robust relationship because musicians
are artists who perform and every performer must be clothed in
costumes. Fashion which describes the latest style of clothing in vogue
at a particular place and time is synonymous with costume in the
theatre. Costumes are basically clothes worn by actors or performers
to cover their nakedness but beyond that, costumes give life to the
characters actors portray whether on screen or on stage, and can
accentuate the mood and theme of a performance. According to
William Shakespeare (1993) in King Lear, “through tattered clothes
great vices do appear; Robes and furred gowns hide all. Plate sin
with gold and the strong lance of justice hurtless breaks. Arm it in
rags, a pigmy’s straw does pierce it” (p. 64). In this quote, Shakespeare
compares a character’s clothing to his or her virtues and
demonstrates the power of clothing to hide or reveal a character’s
personality. Similarly, Maranovna (2009) observes that the
entertainment industry and the fashion world have been interlinked
for hundreds, if not thousands of years. However, what probably
started as getting dressed up for shows, has evolved into intertwined
fortunes in which entertainment drives fashion, and fashion drives
entertainment.
In today’s world, celebrities and stars have become fashion
icons, as such, television shows, film and music, beyond serving
as outlets for creativity, have become fashion outlets, if not the driving
force of creativity in the entertainment industry. It is also important
to observe that musicians are intentional about their clothing styles,
and project their music through their clothing styles. It is common
to see fans dressed like their favourite music stars in concerts or other
shows, and some music stars have gone a step further by owning their
own fashion brands. An example is the American rapper Kanye West
who owns a fashion brand known as Yeezy. According to Webb
(2018), while Kanye West’s primary occupation has always been
music, for most of his career, he has

Journal of Creative Arts, Communication and Media Studies
60
also crossed into fashion. While he is known for his Yeezy line,
comprising show-stopping runway presentations, Adidas
collaborations, the rapper has also released sneakers with Nike and
Louis Vuitton, and launched a few clothing lines. Also, Lady Gaga,
another American singer and fashion icon, according to Alexandre
(2019), made waves at the 2011 Council of Fashion Designer’s
of
America Awards (CFDA), where she took home the Fashion Icon
from the Council of Fashion Designer’s of America award, and
rocked the red carpet in sky-high 24-inch platform shoes!
The Nigerian afrobeat musician Bisade Ologunde popularly
known as Lagbaja, quickly comes to mind when it comes to a
good blend of the arts of music and fashion in Nigeria. Known for
his masquerade-like attire, and unlike traditional masquerades
who only appear during festivals and rituals to dance and recite
incantations, Lagbaja is a masquerade who rather than mumble
incantations, sings, dances, plays the saxophone and instead of
spitting fire or wielding canes on people, uses his songs to entertain
and comment on social anomalies in the society. According to
Michael (2018), Lagbaja’s mask or masquerading is not to keep
the
masquerade tradition alive or to represent the ancestral spirits.
His
mask is used as an icon of man’s facelessness; the anonymity of the
‘so-called common man’. The mask and the name embody the
faceless and the voiceless in the society, especially in Nigeria.
Lagbaja is a Yoruba word that means ‘nobody in particular’. In the
same vein, other contemporary Nigerian musicians like Wizkid,
Davido, Tiwa Savage, Rema, Fireboy, Adekunle Gold, Simi, Yemi
Alade, Burna Boy, Tekno, Flavour and many others, have continued
to
influence Africa and the world through their music and fashion
styles. Using two Nigerian artists – Burna Boy and Yemi Alade, this
study examines the influence of fashion and music in African
entertainment.

Journal of Creative Arts, Communication and Media Studies
61
Biography of Burna Boy
The Nigerian singer Burna Boy whose real name is Damini Ogulu
was born on the 2nd of July, 1991 in Port Harcourt city, Nigeria
to Bosede and Samuel Ogulu and the only son and eldest of three
children. He began producing music at the age of ten and
attended
Montessori International Primary School in Port Harcourt (1993-
2002) and Corona Secondary School, Lagos (2002-2008).
After this,
he relocated to London to pursue university education. He studied
Media Technology at the University of Sussex (2008– 2009) and
Media Communications and Culture at Oxford Brookes
University
(2009–2010), but dropped out and moved back to Nigeria
where he
continued with his music career. He did a one- y e a r internship
with Rhythm 93.7 FM Port Harcourt before officially launching his
professional music career with Aristocrat records; making him to
relocate to Lagos permanently.
The musical influences from his mother, Bose Ogulu and his
grandfather,
Benson Idonije, who was Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s music
manager had a lot of impact in the music of Burna Boy. He released
a series of EPs, singles, mixtapes and in 2018 he released his album
Outside
which led to his breakthrough in the U.S debuting at No. 3
on Billboard’s Reggae Albums chart, especially with the song “Ye”.
In 2019, he released another album ‘African Giant’ which enjoyed
positive media attention and reviews from within and outside
Nigeria and was nominated for the 62nd Annual Grammy Award
in the Best World Album category.
His unique style of Afro-fusion attracted the American R & B
singer Beyonce
Knowles, and this earned him a feature on her
Lion King
album. He also won the 2019 BET Best International Act
Award and the 2019 MTV Europe Music Award for “Best African
Act”. The highlight of his career came in 2021 when he won the Best
Global Music Album with his album
Twice As Tall
in the Grammy
Awards show. Since then, he has continued to enjoy positive media
coverage both locally and internationally.

Journal of Creative Arts, Communication and Media Studies
62
Biography of Yemi Alade
Yemi Eberechi Alade is a Nigerian Afro-pop singer and songwriter.
Known professionally as Yemi Alade, she was born on the 13
th
of
March 1989. Her father Jame Alade, was a Police Commissioner of
the Yoruba descent and her mother, Helen Uzoma was from Abia
State in Nigeria. As the fifth child in a family of seven, she attended
St. Saviour British Primary School in Lagos and Victory Grammar
School, Lagos, for her secondary school education and proceeded to
the University of Lagos to study Geography.
Her obsession for music made her to keep writing and
singing songs. In 2005, she was part of an all-girl group called, Noty
Spices. In 2009, she won the Peak Talent Show, and in 2014, her
single “Johnny” brought her to the limelight. She was signed to
Effyzzie Music Group in 2012 and released her single “Ghen Ghen
Love”. On October 2, 2014, she released her debut studio album
King of Queens
which featured collaborations with producers such
as Selebobo, Sizzle Pro, Shady Bizniz, Philkeyz, Young D,
GospelOnDeBeatz, DIL, OJB Jezreel, Mr. Chidoo, Fliptyce, EL McGee,
and Beat Nation.
Yemi’s second studio album
Mama Africa,
released on
March 25, 2016, focused on the strengths and weaknesses of the
African woman and combines elements of Afro-pop, highlife, R&B,
coupé-décalé, hip-hop, and pop. She won the MTV African Music
Award for Best Female in 2015 and 2016 and was nominated for
Artist of the Year in 2015, making her the first female to win the
MAMAs for Best Female consecutively. In 2015, Alade was the first
Nigerian female to be nominated for the MTV Europe Music
Awards (EMAs) for Best African Act and was a coach on season two
of
The Voice Nigeria
.
She was appointed Goodwill Ambassador for the United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in September 2020.
Due
to the fact that she sings in six different languages and frequently
collaborates with other artists internationally, including five-time
Grammy Award winner Angelique Kidjo, her music has had an impact
on many African nations as well as the rest of the world. She stands

Journal of Creative Arts, Communication and Media Studies
63
out among Nigerian musicians attributable to her skillful blending of
music and flamboyant exhibition of African costumes in her music
videos.
Theoretical Framework
This study is based on Molefi Kete Asante’s (2003) “Theory of
Afrocentricism” which focuses on the use of African ideals as the
foundation of any discussion that borders on African culture. It
aims to celebrate African origin, history and the characters of the
black race. Founded by Molefi Kete Asante, an African-American
professor and philosopher in the 1980s, Asante (2003) argues that
Afrocentricism is a mode of thought and action in which the
centrality of African interest, values, and perspectives predominate.
Challenging the theory of Eurocentricism, Afrocentricity argues
that:
Unlike the Eurocentric view of black relationships, the
Afrocentric view places great emphasis on the existence
of distinctive and common cultural expressions such
as music, dance, and folk tales. Unlike the Eurocentric
view, which traces the origins of black Americans to
urban ghettoes in the North or slavery in the South, the
Afrocentric perspective traces distinctive black American
socio-cultural patterns to their rightful origins, the larger
continent of Africa (Moikobu, 1981, p. 7).
Reacting to how Eurocentricism propagates an interpretation of
world history that mirrors Africa on a negative light, Hoskins (1992)
states that:
Afrocentrism presents and deals with an authentic and
specific culture and history – a cultural history that did

Journal of Creative Arts, Communication and Media Studies
64
not begin in Father Europe but a human/world history
that began in Mother Africa. Indeed, the stark reality
is that Eurocentrism had to – and still continues to –
falsify, misrepresent, and distort human/world history as
His-Story, His-Eurocentric-Story in order to maintain
European global dominance/hegemony. Eurocentrism
indeed represent racist, divisive, ahistorical, and
dysfunctional view of world history (p. 247).
Five key principles guide the Afrocentric idea, and these are:
1.
An intense interest in psychological location as determined by
symbols, motifs, rituals, and signs.
2.
A commitment to finding the subject-place of Africans in any
social, political, economic, or religious phenomenon with implications
for the issues of sex, gender, and class.
3.
A defense of African cultural elements as historically valid in the
context of art, music, and literature.
4.
A celebration of ‘centeredness’ and agency and a commitment to
lexical refinement that eliminates pejoratives about Africans or
other people.
5.
A powerful imperative from historical sources to revise the
collective text of African people (Asante, 2008, pp. 104–108).
Afrocentricism is an appeal to Africans and black people
to reject and resist all forms of cultural, psychological, political and
economic domination and discriminations based on race, sex,
gender and class by the West and Europe. Asante urges Africans
and blacks to return to African spiritual base by studying African
cultural heritage.
Fashion Trends in Nigeria
The origin of fashion can be linked to the desire to adorn oneself in
beautiful attire. There are a lot of technological advancements and

Journal of Creative Arts, Communication and Media Studies
65
contemporary innovations that have shaped the trajectory of fashion
and culture in Nigeria. Discussions surrounding fashion and dress
styles in Nigeria show that dress was a tool for distinction of class
and an expression of one’s personality. Those distinctions seem
blurred especially with contemporary fashion trends as well as
international influence especially from Western countries. Ochuba
(2015) points to the fact that clothing other than its functionality,
has from time immemorial served decorative purposes. Many
people would have owned very few clothing if the desire was
solely functional. Fashion however expresses individuality and
emphasizes social stratum.
According to Ekanem (1987) in an interview with Mr Orok
Duke of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments,
Calabar, Nigerians are bereft of written histories about the kinds
of materials and fabrics used by our forefathers mainly because
there was no formal writing at the time. Information on some of
the fashion styles practiced by our ancestors were deduced from
oral stories handed down by elders during casual discussions,
interviews or folklores. Jefferson (1974, p.26) agrees that African style
of dress like many tribal costumes and ceremonies have persisted
through the ages and even into the twentieth century. Ray (1985)
while discussing “The Old and New Fashion,” notes that many
people wore amulets to protect themselves from hostile magic. In
contemporary times, similar ornaments are worn to generate self
esteem and display wealth. Occasionally, some ornaments have
been seen to have ritualistic tendencies.
Contemporary fashion has developed into what many
researchers have termed as wearable art. This of course involves a
wide range of styles and techniques with clothing embellishments
derived from a variety of sources not limited to discount markets,
retail stores, used or old dresses, fabric and tailoring shops. These
items have become very useful media to making creative fashion
statements while pushing the boundaries of textile and fashion in

Journal of Creative Arts, Communication and Media Studies
66
Nigeria and beyond.
The former president of the Fashion Designers Association
of Nigeria, Folorunsho (1993) acknowledges that fashion is relevant,
relative and dynamic to its environment. In her creative works, she
explores fabrics and motifs that represent Africa as well as
captures the symbols, aspirations, styles and dreams of Africa. The
result of her research led to the production of designs that
embraced contemporary realities while retaining their African
originality. For Folorunsho, designs should be a hybrid of African
heritage while embracing exemplary Western designs. This seems
to be the controlling narrative in contemporary fashion in Nigeria
today. The result of her study is also very relevant here.
It is important to note that the craze for Western attire
seemed to take over the fashion atmosphere for a while. This
period saw many Nigerians abandoning their indigenous fabrics
and embracing Western dress practices. This trend was more
noticeable among many civil servants. According to Ukwu (2007),
the campaign effort of late Mazi Mbonu Ojike of the “Boycot the
Boycottables” fame, caused the federal government at the time to
make it compulsory for its public servants to wear Nigerian attires
to their offices on Fridays. The flamboyant wears of Chief Okotie
Eboh, the former finance minister for Nigeria, and many prominent
politicians and leaders such as Chief Tom Ikimi, Ibrahim Babangida
and even former president Olusegun Obasanjo, helped inspire tons
of Nigerians to appreciate more the beauty and uniqueness of
Nigerian fabrics. Before long, many premium brands, Western
designers and celebrities began to appropriate African textiles into
their fashion look books. Folorunsho (2003) notes that this was the
point of evolution for African fashion, which makes more evident
the fact that tons of individuals are no longer satisfied with the
functionality of textiles and are constantly in search for new ideas.
The infusion of global practices, occasioned by technological
advancement in different spheres of life, has influenced a lot of our

Journal of Creative Arts, Communication and Media Studies
67
localized practices especially how Nigerians now view fashion.
This has caused a decline in what was culturally acceptable
especially when dressing in fabrics and attires indigenous to
Nigerians. Prior to this time, an African woman took pride in
appearing in a double wrapper and blouse and sometimes with
matching head gear. However, many of those practices are not
as common as they were previously. Many African women have
devised trendy ways of incorporating African designs, fabrics and
cultures into their everyday fashion. This has paved dimensions for
African men, women and children to stay fashionable while still
portraying culture. Several scholars have shown similar interest in
the development of fashion and fashion trends in Nigeria. Many
of them agree that the intricacies in designs and splash of colours
that our fabrics present make for more interesting Western designs.
Jennings (2011) notes that Nigeria’s Shade Thomas-Fahm returned
to Nigeria in 1960 after her training at the Central Saint Martins in
London to launch the Shade’s Boutique Chain where she offered
modern versions of traditional garments. The pre-tied gele, turning
iro and buba into a zip-up wrapper skirt and adapting a man’s
agbada into a woman’s embroidered boubou were some of her first
exhibits. This was a welcome development for a period when many
women wore imported dresses while African garments were seen
as less fashionable. Aside fashion designers, photographers like
Samuel Fosso who grew up in Nigeria but fled to Bangui in Central
African Republic in the wake of the Biafran war, shot paying clients
by day but became his own muse at night. His focus was on African
costumes. With different sets and costumes, he transformed his
character to tell stories of colonialism and the contributions of both
the colonialists and the colonized who enabled slavery. Many of
these photographs absorbed African culture while engaging in the
ongoing dialogues between fashion and music trends on the
international scale.
Over the years, several other designers, photographers and

Journal of Creative Arts, Communication and Media Studies
68
music artists have capitalized on the successes of Shade Thomas-
Fahm, which has given rise to many of the recent innovations
burgeoning fashion designers have recorded. Artistes like Fela
Anikulapo Kuti also intentionally sold the African culture through
his costumes, chants and rhythms.
Nigerian Music: An Overview
The nation Nigeria is an assemblage of different languages and
cultures. Prior to the arrival of the colonial masters, there existed
religious and social cultural practices in the form of rituals, rites and
festivals amongst the many ethnic groups that make up Nigeria, and
music was a vital part of these cultural performances. According to
Buchanan (1955), there are over 400 ethnic groups in Nigeria
(Buchanan cited in Omibiyi-Obidike, 2012, p.187). Similarly, studies
on African linguistics by Greenberg (1959) and others, revealed that
most of the languages spoken in Nigeria fall under the big Niger-
Congo family and are subdivided into seven sub-families, three out
of which are spoken in Nigeria. This linguistic diversity reflects the
cultural diversity of Nigeria; a diversity which is also highlighted
in the country’s musical culture. This explains the reason why each
ethnic group in Nigeria has its own music that differentiates it from
others. In this regard Nketia (1964) observes that:
…until a few decades ago the music picture in many parts
of Africa was primarily that of traditions of linguistic
groups as cultural units. So, there was Akan music,
Adangme music, Yoruba music, Kalabari music, etc. each
one practiced by communities sharing common beliefs,
common values and common idea (p. 34).
Notwithstanding, the contact with foreign musical cultures during
the nineteenth and first half of the twentieth centuries resulted in
influences that redefined African music in terms of type, structure and

Journal of Creative Arts, Communication and Media Studies
69
performance. In this regard, Omibiyi-Obidike (2012, p.187) opines
that, “although indigenous music of the heterogeneous African
peoples still exist and are practiced for appropriate traditional
socio-cultural events, new idioms of music have developed such as
those performed by Christians and Muslims communities”, as well
as those whose origin is traceable to the indigenous traditions of
the African peoples. This particular brand of African music is inter-
ethnic in nature as it cuts across different ethnicities and is
designed mainly for communal celebrations, entertainment and
seen as a cultural heritage and fulfillment of traditional obligations,
while the music composed by Western trained Nigerian musicians
is performed in concert halls.
The Afrobeat genre is another major export of the Nigerian
music industry which was pioneered by Fela Kuti. Its origin is
traced to the 1960s and 1970s and is a blend of traditional Yoruba
music with jazz, West African highlife and funk. Fela was known
for his musical talent, eccentric character, and involvement in post-
colonial African politics. Born into a prominent Yoruba family,
prominent in anti-colonial activism, according to Pettas (2017), Fela
was first inspired by the fertile African jazz scene in London, where
he studied medicine in the 1960s. Although, he abandoned his
studies and returned to Nigeria for a career in music, it wasn’t until
almost a decade later that his band started to see success. Their
timeless recordings from the 1970s made a significant impact on
the Nigerian music scene before gaining popularity around the
globe. He is now considered one of the most influential musicians
in the world. His albums The 69 Los Angeles Sessions, Best of the Black
President, Expensive Shit, Live!, Zombie and The Underground Spiritual
Game remain extremely popular.
With influences from the Black Panther movement, Fela’s
songs criticized the socio-political scenes in Nigeria, and were
furnished with Nigerian proverbs. A common characteristic of his
songs involved criticisms of military dictatorship in post-

Journal of Creative Arts, Communication and Media Studies
70
Independence. Fela also called on Nigerians to stand up for their
rights and be self-reliant.
Similarly, the hip hop genre whose origin is traceable to
America emerged in the late 1980s in Nigeria. According to Adedeji
(2017), youths embraced the genre in order to find their own voice,
tell their own stories and hopefully effect a change in the country’s
socio-political climate. Globalization played an important role in
exposing youths to the music while the harsh economic condition
and unfavorable political climate from the late 1990s upwards
fueled the determination of youths to find in hip hop an avenue for
self-expression and a voice with which to depict the realities of
their time. This is well captured in the track “Ouestions and
Answers
”
by Sound Sultan, one of the pioneer hip hop artistes in
Nigeria (pp. 76-77).
The Nigerian Afro hip hop genre was initially an imitation
of the American version and this alienated the Nigerian audience
from it. However, Nigerian singers began to rebrand, modify and
domesticate it, giving it a more-Nigerian identity through language,
performance and visual projection. Adedeji (2017) observes that this
new hip hop portrays a lot of peculiarities and the earliest exposure
of the Nigerian audience to this was through “Sakomo” (1998), a
song in Yorùbá with a blend of English on a sampled beat of MC
Lyte’s “Keep on keeping on” by a group called Remedies consisting
of the trio
–
Tony Tetuila, Eedris Abdulkareem and Eddy Brown.
The success of this song as a radio release with the later release of
a full album by Kennis Music, paved the way for what was to be a
redefining factor of Nigeria’s music industry and the consolidation
of the unique style of afro-hip hop that is fully Nigerianized, which
is now being taken to higher level by the crop of the new wave
players in the field like Olamide, Wizkid, Phyno, Reminisce and
many others (p.77).
The Afro-pop or Afro-fusion is another brand of Nigerian
music which is a blend of African and Western music styles; often

Journal of Creative Arts, Communication and Media Studies
71
with electronically amplified instrumentation. Popular Nigerian Afro-
pop musicians include Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy, Tiwa Savage,
Olamide, Mr. Eazi, Yemi Alade, Simi, Adekunle Gold, Falz, Joeboy,
Iyanya, Wande Coal and many others. In the same vein, neo-
traditional popular music cultures like juju, fuji, and highlife have
been synchronized with hip hop beats to make them more fashionable
and appealing. This is seen as Adedeji (2017, p.78) notes, in the
releases of new wave Nigerian hip hop where the rhythmic contour
and sonic reverberation always progress seamlessly between fuji,
highlife or juju pattern in a synchronized fashion as typified in songs
like “Woju”– Kiss Daniel (2015), “Connect”– Phyno (2014),
“Ojuelegba”– Wizkid (2015), “Daddy” – Reminisce (2015), “Ovation” –
Tiwa Savage (2016), “Abulesowo” – Olamide (2016) among others.
Burna Boy’s album African Giant which was released in 2019,
borrows a lot from Fela’s Afrobeat in terms of style. Burna boy’s
mother Bose Ogulu, is alleged to be one of Fela’s dancers and Burna
Boy’s grandfather, Benson Idonije; a renowned Nigerian music critic,
used to be Fela’s manager. This perhaps, accounts for Fela’s
influence in the music of Burna Boy. His wining of the Best Global
Music Album with his album Twice As Tall, and Wizkid’s winning of
the Best Music Video for his song with Beyonce entitled “Brown Skin
Girl” in the 2021 Grammy Awards show, are a testament of the
growing influence and popularity of Nigeria’s music around the world.
Yemi Alade’s Appropriation of 21st Century Fashion
Yemi Alade, just like Burna Boy and other artistes in Nigeria has
constantly engaged her music and art to interrogate contemporary
societal issues. Since “Johnny,” taken from her debut studio Album
broke the internet in 2014, there has been deliberate intentionality in
promoting the African culture in her costumes, dance and music. A
run through some of her songs, show that she circles unapologetically

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the theme of the African woman and what she exemplifies: her
expectations, triumphs and sometimes disappointments. On many
occasions, she puts herself on the spotlight as she portrays these
attributes. Yemi Alade works with several other artistes but does
not deviate from her theme of promoting the female gender either
as a single or married hardworking mother or lady. Some of her
songs that properly fall into this category include but not limited
to “Ferrari,” “Kom-Kom,” “Mama,” “Single & Searching,”
“Shekerere” featuring Angelique Kidjo, “Mama Oyoyo”. Some of her
songs also exemplify the falsehood and excessive deceit by
members of the opposite gender in their desperate need for sexual
gratification. In this article, we will discuss Yemi Alade’s “Ferarri”
(2016) and “Shekere” (2019) ft Angelique Kidjo. The lyrics of
“Ferarri” are presented thus:
Oh oooo ah ah
Uhmm oh baby ah ah
Ferrari salary ah ahah
(Chorus)
If you love me you go buy me Ferrari ha ha
If you like me you go pay me salary eh eh
Soup wey sweet na money dey cook am
If you want it you go spend to chop eh eh
Cos I love you no be mouth oh oh oh
No be mouth oh eh
Love no be for mouth oh ah ah
No be mouth oh eh
I love you no be mouth oh oh oh
No be mouth oh eh
Love no be for mouth oh ah ah
No be mouth oh eh

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Oga tinye aka na akpa we tego
My mate they do holiday for Chicago
Container no na high sea na normal excuse o
I don dey wait so tey wait come dey wait me oh
My front eh my back eh
Dey do you ishingbaka
If you want to gbadun me well
Mr Man you must ginger
Gucci oh Fendi oh
Go te louboutine tinyem nuku
No dey call me sweet pie with nothing oh
(Repeat Chorus)
Oga I don tire to stay mainland
E no go bad if you buy me mansion for Banana lsland
Open supermarket for me for Netherlands yes
Nothing suppose too much for me as your sweetheart oh eh
My front eh my back eh
Dey do you ishingbaka
If you want to gbadun me well
Mr. Man you must ginger
Gucci oh Fendi oh
Go te louboutine tinyem nuku
No dey call me sweet pie with nothing oh
(Repeat Chorus)
Efisi
YemiAlade
E dey cool along

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74
Sukan sound
(Capasso, 2016, track 3).
In the song, Yemi Alade x-rays her views on issues surrounding
women. In the first verse, she gives her prospective admirers
conditions for accessing her love. She validates this by insisting
that a well-prepared meal costs good money when she said “soup
wey sweet, na money dey cook am” (Capasso, 2016, track 3). This
song by Yemi shows the struggle of the African woman for the nice
things of life and the various options available to her to get her
desires. Through this song, she shows how many women exploit
the generosity of men to get a ‘salary’ even though she’s not his
employee. So also, are the man-must-provide items like cars and
houses in choice locations around the world, the most expensive
gadgets, including shoes and accessories even when it is not within
his capability. The video of Alade’s “Ferrari” shows a suitor who
poses as a very successful village farmer, and is willing to give all he
can afford but his best is not good enough.
Fig. 1:
A suitor wooing Yemi Alade
In three scenes, Yemi Alade compares the similarities in the desires
of different kinds of women. The first scene examines the desires

Journal of Creative Arts, Communication and Media Studies
75
of the woman in the rural setting as similar to the lady in the city, even
though the circumstances are different, their desires are the same.
The last part of the video presents a young man, properly dressed
who pulls up in a nice car driven by his friend. The irony here is
that he doesn’t even offer her anything as in the previous scenes but
the resistance from the woman is almost non-existent as it seems she
is now the one flaunting herself to catch his attention because he looks
like he can handle her needs.
The story portrayed in the video points to why many young
men and women in the 21st century indulge in issues relating to cyber
fraud and other related crimes in a bid to appear comfortable enough
to handle the vanities of women among other things. The trajectory of
“Ferrari” also supports the mainstream belief that life is easier and
better for women as they seem to get things more effortlessly than
their male counterparts. This may also be one of the reasons why
there is an increase in transgender men and crossdressers in Nigeria;
people who feel more comfortable presenting themselves as women.
We have such examples as Okuneye Idris also known as Bobrisky
and James Obialor popularly referred to as James Brown. For
James Brown and Bobrisky, a lot of their following on social media is
as a result of the controversial contents they put out especially as it
relates to their female identity. This automatically means more
money as they now have more traffic on their pages to charge highly
for adverts and promotions.
Yemi Alade’s portrayal of the African culture in her music
“
Ferrari”,
shows that these issues are not peculiar to people in the
Western part of the world. It also points to the insatiability of
man’s desires. The issues raised in “Ferrari” however, do not
negate the fact that there are tons of hard-working women who
give and receive love without over emphasizing on money as well
as other material things. Yemi Alade also discussed this when she
released her song titled “True Love” in 2020. Alade also exemplifies
the benefits of unity in diversity by skillfully blending two African

Journal of Creative Arts, Communication and Media Studies
76
cultures in the song “Shekere” where she featured Angelique Kidjo
a multiple Grammy award winner from the Republic of Benin. The
lyrics of “Shekere” are presented thus:
I see o be
Yemialadeoooo (wombolombo)
I see o be
Ma mama (wombolombo)
I dey hear the sound of a tambourine o
Talking drums and shekere combination (wombolombo)
I see people under the tambourine o (wombolombo)
Dancing like sey there’s a celebration (wombolombo)
Mamawaloko loko o
Legbeolo
Hmm baba tisereloona I’m the only one at home
All I want to do now is dancing wombolombo
So I lock up and keep kokorolabekondo
Waka enter weli well e dey happen uhh yeah
Come see small pikinatiiyaarugbodey dance
Wombolombo (wombolombo)
Wombolombo (wombolombo)
Legbeolo (wombolombo)
Mi onieniko da mi lohun (wombolombo)
Gbogboeniyan so peonijokan be
Moni morimoniniko da mi lohun
Ile onijopelegbeodo (wombolombo)
O ninu re eko network ati ija

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Mamawalokoloko o
Legbeolo
Hmm baba tisereloona I’m the only one at home
All I want to do now is dancing wombolombo
So I lock up and keep kokorolabekondo
Waka enter wey the gbedudey happen uhh yeah
Come see small pikinatiiyaarugbodey dance
Wombolombo (wombolombo)
Wombolombo (wombolombo)
I see o be
Legbeolo (wombolombo)
I see o be
Mi onieniko da mi lohun (wombolombo)
I dey hear the sound of a tambourine o
Talking drums and shekere combination
I see people under the tambourine o
Dancing like sey there’s a celebration
Them go dey dance wombolombo
Waka enter where the gbedudey happen uhh yeah
Dance wombolombo (wombolombo)
Make you no dance wombolombo
‘Cause them go dey dance wombolombo (wombolombo)
Dance wombolombo (wombolombo)
(Ugo, 2019, track 6).
In “Shekere,” Alade and Kidjo team up to showcase the beauty
and wealth of the African continent in a lavish display of dances,
costumes and ornaments that serve different purposes and

Journal of Creative Arts, Communication and Media Studies
78
showcase the rich scenery of various locations which add colour to
the rendition. The video opens with a young man seated under a
tree playing a musical instrument and invites others to join him in
a happy dance. The music is rendered in Yoruba, pidgin and spiced
with verses in a native language of Republic of Benin by Angelique
Kidjo.
The similarities in the two cultures are highlighted in the display
of beads and amulets on the bodies of the dancers Alade appears
severally in beaded looks and Ankara prints. Worthy of note is the
Zulu headdress worn by Kidjo and the adornment on her neck and
arm which is very similar to how brides in the Riverine area of the
southern part of Nigeria appear in, on very special events.
Source:
Alade’s “Shekere” (2019).

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79
Fig. 3:
Yemi Alade and Angelique Kidjo in African costumes
Source: Alade’s “Shekere” (2019).
This upbeat song which includes interpolations from Kidjo’s 1996
classic “Wombo Lombo”, also points to Africans as having their
distinct signature of beauty as seen in the appropriation of the
different body adornments as displayed in the video. The video ends
with energetic body movements synonymous to the African
continent as well as the inclusion of African symbols as a backdrop.
Social Commentary and Afrocentricism in Burna Boy’s Music
Like many African singers, Burna Boy is one of the many African
artistes using music to reconstruct and promote the African identity
and to advise and warn Nigerians and Africans against attitudes and
anti-social practices that can inhibit their progress. Two songs from
Burna Boy: “African Giant” from his African Giant (2019) album and
“Monsters You Made” from his Twice as Tall (2020) album would be
used for the purpose of analysis. The lyrics of Burna Boy’s “African
Giant” are presented thus:

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Tell ‘em Africa we don tire
So here comes the African Giant
Many, many people don try ah
But you can’t test the African Giant
Emi omo ologo ologo
E no get e person wey e no know
Making dem loko oh no
Make you no dey do like otokoto
See nobody do it better’ better than me
Can’t nobody do it better
Check am and see
I know say one day e go better
I go carry grammy
Because anything wey better require planning
Don mi don mi o
Nothing you can do
Because God no give you
More than you can handle
Na so dem mama go hala
‘Ebelebe lo’
Na so dem papa go hala
‘Ebelebe oo’
Obododelugo jim jim
Obododelugo jim jim
Obododelugo jim jim
Ele li le le oo
Obododelugo jim jim
Obododelugo jim jim
Obododelugo jim jim

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Ele li le le oo
Tell ‘em Africa we don tire
So here comes the African Giant
Many, many people don try ah
But you can’t test the African Giant
Emi omo ologo ologo
E no get e person wey e no know
Making dem loko oh no
Make you no dey do like otokoto
(Ogulu & Chibuike, 2019, track 1).
The above song has three verses and a chorus. In the first
and second line of the first stanza (the chorus), Burna boy begins
by telling the world with the words “Tell ‘em Africa we don tire…
So here comes the African Giant” (Ogulu & Chibuike, 2019, track
1), that Africans are tired of the negative stereotypical
representation that Africa suffers especially in Western media. A
representation that is highlighted in the structural inequalities and
unequal power relationships that exist between the Global North
and the Global South; a relationship that keeps African nations
perpetually dependent on her ex-colonial masters even years after
independence. He mixes the Nigerian pidgin English with the
British English to represent the influence of imperialism in Africa
and Africa’s struggle to find a voice in this turbulent relationship.
In lines three and four, the words, “Many, many people don try ah…
But you can’t test the African Giant” (Ogulu & Chibuike, 2019, track
1), reveal the many unsuccessful efforts by Africans to free
themselves from the control of Europe and the West and suggests
that Africans have been denied the rights to determine their future
because of the fear on the part of the Global North of the giant
that could arise if Africa is given a chance. In lines five to eight,
Burna Boy injects some Nigerian Yoruba words as he boasts of the

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greatness of Africa in the words “Emi omo ologo ologo” which
translates in English as “a glorious destiny.” Africa here is a child
with a glorious destiny that is glaring to all. This is seen in the huge
number of human and material resources in Africa that are lying
in waste unharnessed. He advises the world to acknowledge this
instead of behaving like ‘otokoto’, a ritual saga which was popular
in 1996 involving the murder of a groundnut seller by name
Ikechukuwu Okoronkwo, who was lured by a group of men into a
hotel called Otokoto in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria and beheaded.
The men were later caught and arrested. Sadly, ritual killing is
still one of the vices challenging Nigeria today. Burna Boy likens
the unjust treatments Africans suffer in the hands of the West and
Europe to the anti-social behaviours of the Otokoto killers against
Nigerians.
In the second stanza (first verse), Burna Boy uses himself
as an embodiment of Africa and says nobody can do it better than him
(Africans) and echoes a message of hope that things would be better
for Africa some day, and that he would win a grammy award. A
prophesy that materializes when he won the Best Global Music
Album with his album Twice As Tall in the 2021 Grammy Awards
show. However, Africa’s victory and freedom would only come
through good planning and hard work. The same way Burna Boy
worked hard to win his Grammy award.
In the third stanza (second verse), Burna Boy says there
is nothing Africa cannot do and that God will not give Africa what
it cannot handle. The implication here is that, Burna Boy
believes that the challenges of Africa are man-made, and whether
self-inflicted or coming from an external source, Africa has the
solution and what it takes to address these challenges. In lines
five to lines eight, Burna Boys opines that the pains of Africa are
represented in the cries African Fathers and Mothers who scream
‘Ebelebe”. In his words, “Na so dem mama go hala Ebelebe lo… Na
so dem papa go hala Ebelebe lo” (Ogulu & Chibuike,

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2019, track 1). Burna Boy mixes the Nigerian Igbo dialect with the
Nigerian pidgin English to describe the sufferings of Africans and
the word ‘Ebelebe’ is an Igbo word that describes a state of calamity
and disaster.
In the fourth stanza (third verse), Burna uses the Igbo words
“Obodo delugo jim jim” to depict the moment of triumph and victory
of Africa. The words “Obodo delugo jim jim” is an Igbo chant for
jubilation and celebration. It is used to celebrate greatness or to
honour great people. Burna Boy uses this chant to celebrate the
greatness of Africa. It is also used during Igbo war battles to signal to
an opposing side that one is great and has what it takes to overcome
and defeat them. This song serves to tell the world that Africa is rising
from its ashes to reveal the greatness that is inside of it, and to set the
stage, Burna Boy concludes the song by celebrating the African
identity and greatness. The next analysis is on Burna Boy’s “Monsters
You Made”. The lyrics are presented thus:
[Intro: Ebikabowei “Boyloaf” Victor-Ben]
If the government refuse to develop the region
And continue the marginalization and injustice
The youths or the next people coming after us
I think will be more brutal than what we have done
[Chorus: Chris Martin]
Calling me a monster, calling us fake
No way, no way, no way
Calling me a monster just ‘cause we said
[Verse 1: Burna Boy]
We’re from the block where it rains
Where we create barricades
Keep opposition away
That’s why we strapped with AK’s

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Don’t get kidnapped from your place
‘Cause it could happen today
Not knowing how to behave
That is a sign that you may
Just lose your life, what a waste
Your body found in a lake
You fucked around and the fisherman
Found you drowning for days
You know we come from a place
Where people smile, but it’s fake
How could they smile?
If you look around, they surrounded by pain
I’ve seen the sky turn to grey
It took the light from the day
It’s like the heads of the state
Ain’t comprehending the hate
That the oppressed generate
When they’ve been working like slaves
To get some minimum wage
You turn around and you blame
Them for their anger and rage
Put them in shackles and chains
Because of what they became
We are the monsters you made
[Chorus: Chris Martin]
Calling me a monster, calling us fake
You make the Minotaur, the dinosaur wake
Calling me a monster just ‘cause we said
No way, no way, no way
Calling me a monster, make no mistake
That there’s only so much that you can take
La-di-da-da-do-di-da-da-do-day

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We are the monsters you made
[Verse 2: Burna Boy]
I bet they thought it was cool
Probably thought we was fools
When we would break all the rules
And skip them classes in school
Because the teacher dem teaching
What the white man dem teaching
Dem European teachings in my African school
So fuck the classes in school
Fuck Mungo Park and the fool
That said they found river Niger
They’ve been lying to you
Ain’t no denying the truth
See what I’m tryin’ to do
Is draw the line for the mothers crying
We’re dying as youths
Come walk a mile in my shoes
See if you smile at the truth
See if you digest your food
That’s when you might have a clue
Of what the fuck we go through
You’re fucking lucky if you
Live through the day, better pray
That God always staying with you
Ain’t fuckin’ safe, any day
The reaper’ll be coming for you
We need a change and it ain’t no way I’ma take an excuse
My niggas findin’ a way
Or fuckin’ smile in the grave
This is the price that you pay
We are the monsters you made

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[Chorus: Chris Martin]
Calling me a monster, calling us fake
You make the Minotaur, the dinosaur wake
Calling me a monster just ‘cause we said
No way, no way, no way
Calling me a monster, make no mistake
That there’s only so much that you can take
La-di-da-da-do-di-da-da-do-day
We are the monsters you made
[Outro: ]
Since we met you people five hundred years ago
Look at us, we have given everything
You are still taking
In exchange for that, we have got nothing
Nothing
And you know it
But don’t you think that this is over now?
Over where?
Is it over?
(Martin, Ogulu, Utere, & Jackson, 2020, track 12).
The song “Monsters You Made” features the British singer
Chris Martin who sings the chorus and an excerpt from a 1987
interview of the Ghanaian novelist, Ama Ata Aidoo which serves as
the outro. The song has the following sections: an intro, an outro,
two
choruses and two verses. The intro features the voice of
Ebikabowei
Victor-Ben, popularly known as “Boyloaf”; a former
commander of a Niger Delta militant group known as Movement
for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, who warns that if the
Nigerian government continues to marginalize and promote an
atmosphere of injustice in Nigeria, the next generation of youths
would be more

Journal of Creative Arts, Communication and Media Studies
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brutal in their stance against corruption than the present generation
of
Nigerian youths. The nation Nigeria has been rocked with all
forms
of anti-government protests and secessionist tendencies born out of a
feeling of poor representation, suppression and oppression
as many
Nigerians feel that the Nigerian government is not doing enough to
make Nigerians feel the dividends of her democracy. The album
Twice as Tall
was released on the 12
th
of August, 2020, and few
months later many Nigerian unarmed youths were killed by
Nigerian security operatives at the Lekki toll gate in Lagos, after
they came out to protest against police brutality in the country
known as the “End Sars Protest”. This serves to show the
environment and events that inspired Burna Boy’s song “Monsters
You Made”. The song’s title itself is symbolic of the present state of
things in the country such as politically motivated killings,
kidnapping, the Boko-Haram Islamic fundamental group,
terrorizing the North, the Fulani-Herdsmen and farmers conflict, the
clashes between the Nigerian Army and members of the Eastern
Security Network (ESN); a paramilitary organization of the
Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) known for insurgency in
Eastern Nigeria. As a separatist group, whose leader is Nnamdi
Kanu, their fundamental goal is to break away from Nigeria due to a
feeling of marginalization and suppression and to create their own
nation-state.
In the first chorus, Chris Martin admits that Nigerian
youths
have been called monsters and branded fake for demanding
their
rights to better governance. This is followed by the first verse in
which Burna Boy describes the use of barricades by Nigerian
youths to protect themselves from government forces, and warns
that these youths may be turned into monsters and forced to use
AK-47 riffles to kidnap politicians some day, and even kill them,
if the government keeps resisting their demands. In the second
chorus which follows, Chris Martins rejects the branding of
Nigerian youths as monsters and fake by the Nigerian government

Journal of Creative Arts, Communication and Media Studies
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and reiterates that the government created these monsters
because
of bad governance.
In the second verse, Burna Boy argues that the Nigerian
government mistook Nigerian youths for fools, but in resistance
against oppression, these youths could no longer abide by the
dictates of their oppressors, and the climax was a rejection of the
Whiteman’s education which Burna Boy calls lies. He takes a swipe
at colonization arguing that colonization has not helped Africa
but kept her perpetually in slavery and servitude to their imperial
masters. He uses swear words to express the frustrations and anger
of Africans upon this realization. In his words “Fuck Mungo Park
and the fool…That said they found river Niger…They’ve been lying
to you” (Martin et al., 2020, track 12). Burna Boy warns that
African youths would come after those reaping and benefitting
from their oppression, and in spite of the fact that African mothers
are crying, youths are dying, Africa youths have no other choice
but to continue to fight oppression, and even if they die, they will
smile in the grave. He concludes that this is the prize Africans must
pay if they must be free. This is followed by a repeat of the second
chorus then the outro. In the outro, Ama Ata Aidoo decries the
deplorable state of things in Africa after years of colonization by
Europeans. In her words, “Since we met you people hundred years
ago… Look at us, we have given everything. You are still taking… In
exchange for that, we have nothing...” (Martin et al., 2020, track
12).
She concludes by hinting at a possible revolution as she believes
that
Africa’s struggle to be free from the oppression of the Global North
is not over.
Conclusion
The African continent has suffered negative representation for years
by Western media; a representation that ignores many of the success
stories of the continent. Interestingly, many Africans have risen up to
challenge this stereotypical mirroring of Africa by pitching positive

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stories about the continent, and making constructive criticisms of
Africa through the vehicle of entertainment. This study examines
fashion and music trends in the 21st Century Nigeria using two
Nigerian artists – Burna Boy and Yemi Alade. The findings revealed
that both artists use their fashion and music styles to make social
commentaries on issues affecting Nigerians, while promoting the
Nigerian culture as well as combating negative narratives of Africa.
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