F r i day • SEPTEMBER 13, 2019
31
e-trends
Tiwa Savage Shows Her Maturity on 49-99 Iyke Bede
Recently signed to international record label, Universal Music, Nigerian singer-songwriter, Tiwa Savage enjoys a larger platform to project her sounds, mostly afrobeats, to the rest of the world. In order to maximise the reach availed on this platform, she assumes a new persona, one textured with activism, on her newly released single,‘49-99’. The track focuses on some of the socioeconomic and political construct in the country, shifting away from her usual flavour that leans towards themes as love, vanity, and sex. The diva launched a full-on campaign that aims to reorient the state of mind of the governed, reminding them of where and who they ought to be or represent as a nation. Call it her version of Michael Jackson’s ‘They Don’t Care About Us’ – although subtle with lyrics – and you would not be entirely wrong. The visuals for ‘49-99’, more than anything else, was what had music lovers talking. It was released on Thursday, September 5, and garnered over 700,000 views on YouTube within three days of its world premiere. Although, she is no Rihanna, those numbers are quite strong for someone of her status to pull in, and goes to reiterate her relevance in the Nigerian music industry being in the mainstream for almost a decade, and also reflects her burgeoning career on the international music stage as one of Africa’s music ambassadors. A first listen gives off the plot on which ’49-99’ is assembled on. It lies in the first line of the opening verse –‘49 sitting, 99 standing’. One is immediately taken back to Fela Kuti’s critically acclaimed 1978 track ‘Shuffering and Shimiling’, a satirical attempt by the late Afrobeat legend that paints a poignant portrait of the chronic poverty endured by the Nigerian masses using everyday
Tiwa Savage
commute in ‘molue’ as hues. Tiwa wisely clings to and adapts Fela’s model by employing a musical method that better reflect today’s society. Right off the bat, masculinity is highlighted using the survival of the fittest narrative through a staged fight between two heavyweights while spectators cheer.This, in a way, fairly represents the political climate in the country where affluence affords politicians the chance to throw their weight around, fighting for political positions while the masses cheer on in hopes for‘stomach infrastructure’. In the follow-up scene unveiled by a revolving view,Tiwa towers as cabal overseeing the entire situation to pick certain areas to influence. She is flanked by two bodyguards who symbolised the protection that comes with influence. Her presence is barely noted by the frenzied masses. In another scene, she recreates Eliot Elisofon’s‘Congo High: Class of ’72’, a collection of high school girls in threaded hairstyles donning blue uniforms accentuated with white-collar. Harnessing the
work of the American photographer, she expounds on the struggles of the girl child in striking a balance between school life, domestic chores, and work life in an economically unstable clime. The montage goes further beaming feminist light to expose the influence of politicians on young impressionable girls and vice versa. Whilst the visuals heavily exploit sexuality to drive home points on crime, corruption, and manipulation, the lyrics bears a proverbial nature, with lines loosely interpreted from the pre-chorus, rendered in Yoruba language. In English translation, it means “monkeys aren’t skilled at jumping; they enjoy the advantage of trees planted in close proximity.” This line directly alludes to nepotism, a widespread practice in public offices. Incorporating these essences into a song is a hard feat,especially for a song positioned to serve as a crossover piece in her career. In order for her to satisfy the global audience, she incorporates certain vanities by mentioning Prada andVersace (well-known brands) into the lyrics.
BB naija Update with Vanessa
BBNaija Update: Who Will Survive the Eviction Block This Sunday? The ongoing Big Brother Naija reality TV show is getting more intense as the final day draws nearer. Housemates are throwing all in the ring to ensure that they stay till Day 99 when the fourth season will officially end. To survive, housemates are now fiercely competing for the Head of House title and Veto Power which automatically grants them immunity from eviction. With Cindy automatically saved from eviction by winning the HoH, Omashola had to use his Veto Power to save himself. He was among the most nominated housemates this week. The Warri rep who has never found himself in the save and replace situation was tongue tied when it was his turn to make the decision. It took him a while before he gathered the courage to put Seyi up for possible eviction. Even after making the announcement, he bolted out of the room like a traitor and only returned to the lounge after Biggie ordered him to do so to confirm his nomination. Seyi now joins Mike, Tacha and Khafi for possible evictions. Seyi’s nomination seemed to excite Tacha and Khafi. The trio had been on a rough path since Tacha and Seyi row over the weekend. Tacha seemed to have found a friend in Khafi which typically annoyed Seyi. The other housemates are not discreet about the scheming going on between Tacha and Khafi. Mercy and Frodd thinks that Khafi is two-faced and is using Tacha to get fans votes. Cindy thinks that Tacha is dragging Khafi into her problem with Seyi. Who can be trusted among these three? Elozonam advised that no housemate should be trusted. While Khafi is excited that Seyi got a taste of his own medicine with Omashola’s veto power decision, she still hopes to survive this weekend. If she does, then she swore to win either of the titles. Of all nominated housemates, the odds seemed to be stacked highly against Seyi. Perhaps, if his ship with Tacha had sailed, he would have garnered votes from Tacha’s fans who are a dedicated lot. They would have done everything to keep him in the house for their queen. Nevertheless, his fans are not letting him down with their campaigns on social media. If Khafi should survive Sunday eviction, then it will be apparent that she really played her cards well. By choosing to share her Hoh privileges a fortnight ago with Tacha would prove a very good strategy. For Mike and Tacha, their stay is almost guaranteed as they have a legion of fans supporting them. However, this season has proved to be an unpredictable one. Till Sunday night, no one’s stay is entirely certain.
BONAwardAlumniPartyKicksintoFullGear
In the next few weeks, the Best of Nollywood (BON) Awards will be hosting the cream of Nollywood for its Alumni Party.The party which is to celebrate all the past winners of the awards in the past decade the awards had held, will have in attendance, senator Gbemisola Saraki, wives of the Lagos and Oyo governors and other dignitaries.
According to the organiser, Seun Oloketuyi, the alumni party scheduled for September 28, will double as nominees announcement for the 2019 edition. The BON Awards Alumni Party is part of the lined-up activities for the 10th anniversary of the award. Since its inception in 2009, BON had set itself apart by rewarding
the best in the film industry. It has become one of the most anticipated Nollywood events in the year. The alumni party is the second event in the awards calendar to mark this memorable milestone. A Children’s Day Book Reading fiesta was held in May to kick off the 10th celebration. The BON Awards Alumni Party will be held at De Podium, Ikeja, Lagos.
Nasty C le
NCCRenewsFightAgainstBookPiracy With the increasing rate of book piracy in Nigeria today, the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) announced recently that it has intensified its partnership with the Nigerian Publishers Association (NPA), Book Sellers Association of Nigeria (BSAN) and other stakeholders to boost the fight against it. Director-General of NCC, John Asein gave this indication in Abuja recently during a Town Hall Meeting on the theme,‘Book Piracy in Schools’. Asein blamed the high rise of piracy in schools on the complicity of some proprietors and other collaborators,
warning that the Commission would soon come up with strategies and policies that will help in changing the current system. Over 75 per cent of proceeds accruable from books were consumed annually by book pirates according to the president of NPA Adedapo Gbadega. Gbadega noted that most proprietors deal directly with pirates, thereby depriving authors and publishers of getting value for their labour. This he said, has led to the recent formation of chapters in different states to complement the work being done
by the NCC. Asein decried the negative impact of piracy and its discouraging effect on authors who are creators of works as well as students who are often left with pirated and substandard textbooks. “We have a choice to silence piracy and spare the life and soul of books or allow piracy grow and let the book go under,’’ he stressed. “There is a need for all stakeholders to partner against book piracy in schools in order to sanitise the system so it does not cripple the book industry,” he added.
Omashola making the Veto Power decision