…OF FEUDS AND THIRD-PARTY WARLORDS

Last Saturday, there was an election in Edo State and PDP lost despite Mr Fix-It coming from that state. It was an interesting drama that played itself out at “The Heartbeat of the Nation” what with Comrade Adams Oshiomole coming out to lambast INEC, accuse PDP, and denounce the result, all before 12 noon. Yes, you heard right, 12 noon!!! But then INEC declared him the outright winner, PDP conceded defeat, and the Comrade accepted the victory like he wasn’t comparing the whole process to a madman’s jig just 12 hours before. You have to marvel at our democracy. Personally, when it comes to Nigerian Politics, the difference between The Ruling Party and The Opposition is just like “Twenty” and “One Score”… same Difference.

Interestingly, the essence of this post is not to dissect Nigerian politics and depress you the more but to actually impress or depress you, depending on where your allegiance lies, by analysing people’s perception of D’Banj since his messy split from his long-term partner, Don Jazzy. The reactions to D’Banj from #TeamDonJazzy sympathizers have ranged from hatred, dislike, indifference, to outright hope that he will fail in his quest for international stardom. Suffice to say #TeamDBanj is not short of volunteers either who are at their loudest to label the Mavin Crew, the phoenix which has risen out of the ashes of the MoHits Crew,  a bunch of losers shorn of their undisputed Numero Uno – Kokomaster-Entertainer-D’Banj.

Naturally, when anything happens, people react and most of the reaction is based on the perception of the parties involved: D’Banj has always been considered as loud, arrogant, and hyperactive; while Don Jazzy is considered quiet, humble and self-effacing, more like the “good cop” in a Good-Cop-Bad-Cop Partnership with D’Banj being the “bad cop”. Considering the fact that D’Banj is the entertainer who is in front of the cameras every day and Don Jazzy the producer who sits behind the keyboard/console most days, this is not out of place, but trust people to read meanings into everything whenever there is a slight opportunity to do so, and not forgetting that D’Banj voluntarily sacrificed himself as GEJ’s Scapegoat on the altar of politics. Silly politics again!!! Nonetheless, I have to confess you will struggle to find instances for which to criticize Don Jazzy, he comes across as that talented, bubbly, likeable kid who everybody loves to love and no one dares hate; therefore he has to be the victim in the split-saga and unfortunately for D’Banj-the-Entertainer, he has to literally be the Scapegoat.

At this point, I have a question for those in either #TeamDBanj or #TeamDonJazzy – Is it possible to have a third team called #TeamNeutrality or #TeamObjectivity? I mean let us ask ourselves – what has D’Banj done wrong in aspiring to International Superstardom? Yes, he could have handled it in a more mature way avoiding the indecent washing of dirty linens in public, but that is an aftermath, according to the story, Don Jazzy did not see that as a necessity at that moment. DBanj has conquered the Nigerian market – #Fact. D’Banj has conquered the African market – #Fact. DBanj can conquer the Global market – #Fact. Before you snigger and ask “how?” I answer – we might never know if he does not try. Let us not get confused here, I am not holding brief for D’Banj, I don’t even consider him a good musician in the real sense of what music ought to be, but just like no other person I have no right to deny him or mock his ambition to become a global music force. Cut the dude some slack please, he might suck at the artistic side of music, but he is savvy at the business side of it. The way he has built the albeit meaningless “Koko” into a formidable brand is worthy of respect. He is aware of his vocal and artistic shortcomings which he compensates for with his hyperactive on-stage performances, he even admitted that he is not a vocalist but an “Entertainer”. After all is said and done what matters is how much you are able to better your life with your God-given talents, and if a mediocre can harness his limited talents to become a force to reckon with in Africa, why can he not dream of taking up the whole world? And if his partner does not share that dream, does that mean he should jettison the idea? NO, each goes his own way and life goes on.

Human Relationships are usually built on mutualism and the parties involved have to be willing to make it work, in the instance of one or more parties not willing to be a part of the relationship, a split is usually the conclusion. We always expect Respect and Loyalty from humans, and that is not too much to ask, actually that is a necessity; but just take a look around and show me where that obtains – politics, sports, workplace, helloooooo, can u point at any single one? That is the reality of the world that we live in, loyalty and respect are only words in our dictionaries, they are not alive in our realities, and we are not spectators of this macabre drama, we are willing thespians who made ourselves available for casting.

Humorously, D’Banj released a Single titled “Oyato” and the internet music iconoclasts have been out with their axes and machetes butchering the song and labelling it “an earsore” but I listened to the song and I was impressed simply because it was classic D’Banj – racy beats, mundane message, infantile lyrics. If you have always loved D’banj’s music I mean when he was an integral part of MoHits, you cannot just say anything negative about “Oyato” because it is just like his an archetypal D’Banj’s music – no tangible message and superficial lyrics at best. If you have at any time loved any of “Tongolo, Socor, Why Me, Kimon, Mogbona Felifefi, Suddenly, Entertainer, Scapegoat, or Oliver Twist” you have no rights whatsoever to complain about the aesthetic/artistic aspect of “Oyato.” Just accept the fact that D’Banj is no longer part of MoHits, continue to fawn over the Mavin Crew, and find a place in your heart to wish D’Banj ALL THE BEST.

Thank You!
God Bless Us All!!
See You Next Time!!!