@Flambo You guys should stop putting words in that OlodoRabati writing. He is not as smart as you think he is. He is just an over educated 'illiterate'. How can a professional journalist write something like this. How can he blame this generation for all his children's atrocities? You can look at music through two perspectives: economic and creative view. Economic in the sense that these artists are tryna make money. Most of them have suffered and they see their talents as the only way out. In Abati's days, the economy was still ok so music wasn't really rushed into. But now, we all know how the economy is, which explains why youths want to make it by all means. Do you blame them? That's the economic view. The creative aspect is where you can say there is a problem. There might be a lot of untalented artists in the industry, nobody is denying that, but you can't divorce this from the fact that, they just want to make money. It's almost the same as the 'Yahoo Yahoo' case. It is illegal but would you place the blame solely on the perps. No! That writing would have been a masterpiece if not for Rabati's blind jealousy.

[right]its obvious that Mr abati got it wrong and it is also obvious that he is afraid of change, despite the fact that he wants to make us believe that they really want a change in nigeria. it is therefore very obvious that this same people we thot would help us change nigeria, do not believe in change themselves.
Young people, it is pertinent now for us to take our destiny in our hands, if we can stand against the like of Mr abati, then we can stand against the irresponsible attitude of those in governance in Nigeria. Mr Abati would have thot that he would get away with that article he wrote, but we have proved him wrong.
his generation deprived us of everything, now the only thing(music) that we are using as an escape route from poverty and depression, he has come out to condemn it, who gave him the moral right to do that
Young people, NIGERIANS, i want to urge us to take a stand and decide to call MR Abati's generation to order, until we decide to call them to order they will never take us serious and they will never be responsible for their actions.
Nigerian leaders(rulers) have taken us for granted severally, it is time for us to be RESPONSIBLE for our Future. if we continue to leave our leaders to do what they like and not be responsible for their actions, we are putting our future at risk.
let us use every LEGITIMATE means to call our leaders to order, whether on the internet, on phone in programmes, in conferences,in the newspapers etc, lets not keep silent and watch our future being mortgaged by MR Abati's Generation. Let's not wait for anybody to come and help us, look at what the Iranian youths did, they did not wait for the world to come and help them, they started it and the world  joined in. so also we will start to call our leaders to order and the world (Mr Abati et al) will join us in this fight. This is the way to go. THe world is watching and waiting for us.
ELDEE, take note.

Reuben Abati is a consummate writer no doubt and his articles are a must read for someone who is interested in not just current affairs, but general issues as affecting the polity. I have followed him right from my junior secondary school (JSS) to date and will still continue to do that. Before I continue it will be important I state here that I am just about thirty years old.

Uncle Reuben's article on the above subject is simply trying to let our musicians know that while they are trying their best to educate and entertain the public, they should simply try and correct some of the areas that he pointed out as their deficiency departments. If you go to churches today, especially the ones we refer to as Orthodox churches the hymns the sing every sunday were written centuries ago and we still sing them and the messages they convey still apply to our lives. Whats more? A music should be sustainable. By this I mean it should be pleasing and loved today today and still sells tomorrow.

One of the importance of music is to rejuvenate and awaken our spirits. I can count, right on my finger tips how many of such music that can encourage someone in dispair, disappointed, depressed,  History has it that a man called David, by playing an instrument and singing, can make a mad king normal again. But some of the music our guys are doing today will simply drive a normal human mad. I don't know how many of our musicians that can play musical instruments which ordinarily should be a yardstick to bear that name - musician.

The Issue of quality, skills, character,sense and other features that  make up a sound music  are in the decline. A musician of today sees his ability to sing as a a license misbehave,  display thuggery tendencies and use drugs. I don't know how many of our musicians that a parent will allow his/her child to have as a role model.

On the issue of names mutation,  may be we should just say that we are in the era of "senmuthic" (I derived that from the  words senseless mutation so of names). We copy every thing. From the way prisoners in America dress to the way a mad man dresses on the street of Europe not minding our peculiar weather.
We are known not to take corrections and that was why I think Banky decided to lash out at Uncle Reuben.  Why should we not sit down and ask ourselves as musician such questions as; what can we do to correct this anomaly? is there a way we can at least stop critics from having enough points to blast us? I know the good musicians from their performances and lyrics who I know are ashamed of some of their supposedly called professional colleagues.
We are aware that the good ones abound. But I will decline to name names so that I will not be seen as fronting or promoting someone.
Therefore, Banky W. and friends lets see how we can take this music industry to a height our children can safely and proudly say " my dad or mum sang that song".

I welcome  uncle Reuben's words. They are constructive and inspiring. We need to find a balance between western and our world.

Madu Okechukwu Emmanuel[i][/i][color=#000099][/color].

A friend of mine has this response to thie article, i think you should see it.

My response to Banky W’s response to Mr. Reuben Abati’s “A Nation’s identity Crisis”
Dear Sir,

While I do not totally support Mr. Abati’s take on some of the issues raised, I must agree with you however, that our youths are in too much of a hurry to realize they are on a fast track to nowhere.

The dearth of morality in our songs these days is to say the least pitiful. Music videos are full of half naked women parading themselves, some of the musicians are so far gone, they display more skin than skill!

While I fully agree with Banky (whose music by the way, I like) that it is the prerogative of the artiste to choose whatever alias or moniker he wants to be known and addressed as on stage/album, I however do not agree with him that music in Nigeria has grown in leaps and bounds, as he would rather have us believe. We have matured in acceptance, yes, sound and picture quality or quantity as the case may be, but it is definitely not uhuru.

Agreed, musicians are business men/women who are in the industry to make money for their basic needs, but do we as consumers not deserve to indeed be entertained while you guys are in the process of making money, through us, I might add? Permit me to disagree with your “we are not all one and the same, but we ARE artistes”, oh please, spare me. So many of you out there do not even know the meaning of that word, artiste indeed! With horrible lyrics like ori e o 4ka sibe, what’s that?

Banky, the argument is not about trying to fight the change like you claim, it is about embracing good change, positive change. Why should we have musicians who are supposed to be image makers sag their jeans, when it is prisoners that sag because they are not allowed to use belts. Is that part of the change we are supposed to so lovingly embrace?

If we danced to legends like Fela, Shina Peters etc, it is because they had things to say, issues that needed to be addressed. It was not all about laying a track and making money, it was and still should be about passing across a message, entertaining and educating. Sadly enough however, most of the songs we hear these days have nothing to say, lack meaning and make little or no sense at all.

Banky, again you missed the point completely. The piece is not about 9ice who does not drink or smoke, or about eLDee being married to one wife, least of all about Naeto c obtaining a Masters’ Degree in England, don’t you get it, it is about the quality of music they produce, that is what it has been about all along! Not personal achievements or its lack thereof, but quality in music, that is all we want, it is all we crave for, or don’t we deserve that?


People, having read her responce , whats your responce now, am waitin,
NB: the writer is a young lady thatt belongs to the generation of Mr Banky.

smogville:

A friend of mine has this response to thie article, i think you should see it.

My response to Banky W’s response to Mr. Reuben Abati’s “A Nation’s identity Crisis”
Dear Sir,

While I do not totally support Mr. Abati’s take on some of the issues raised, I must agree with you however, that our youths are in too much of a hurry to realize they are on a fast track to nowhere.

The dearth of morality in our songs these days is to say the least pitiful. Music videos are full of half naked women parading themselves, some of the musicians are so far gone, they display more skin than skill!

While I fully agree with Banky (whose music by the way, I like) that it is the prerogative of the artiste to choose whatever alias or moniker he wants to be known and addressed as on stage/album, I however do not agree with him that music in Nigeria has grown in leaps and bounds, as he would rather have us believe. We have matured in acceptance, yes, sound and picture quality or quantity as the case may be, but it is definitely not uhuru.

Agreed, musicians are business men/women who are in the industry to make money for their basic needs, but do we as consumers not deserve to indeed be entertained while you guys are in the process of making money, through us, I might add? Permit me to disagree with your “we are not all one and the same, but we ARE artistes”, oh please, spare me. So many of you out there do not even know the meaning of that word, artiste indeed! With horrible lyrics like ori e o 4ka sibe, what’s that?

Banky, the argument is not about trying to fight the change like you claim, it is about embracing good change, positive change. Why should we have musicians who are supposed to be image makers sag their jeans, when it is prisoners that sag because they are not allowed to use belts. Is that part of the change we are supposed to so lovingly embrace?

If we danced to legends like Fela, Shina Peters etc, it is because they had things to say, issues that needed to be addressed. It was not all about laying a track and making money, it was and still should be about passing across a message, entertaining and educating. Sadly enough however, most of the songs we hear these days have nothing to say, lack meaning and make little or no sense at all.

Banky, again you missed the point completely. The piece is not about 9ice who does not drink or smoke, or about eLDee being married to one wife, least of all about Naeto c obtaining a Masters’ Degree in England, don’t you get it, it is about the quality of music they produce, that is what it has been about all along! Not personal achievements or its lack thereof, but quality in music, that is all we want, it is all we crave for, or don’t we deserve that?


People, having read her responce , whats your responce now, am waitin,
NB: the writer is a young lady thatt belongs to the generation of Mr Banky.

smogville:

A friend of mine has this response to thie article, i think you should see it.

My response to Banky W’s response to Mr. Reuben Abati’s “A Nation’s identity Crisis”
Dear Sir,

While I do not totally support Mr. Abati’s take on some of the issues raised, I must agree with you however, that our youths are in too much of a hurry to realize they are on a fast track to nowhere.

The dearth of morality in our songs these days is to say the least pitiful. Music videos are full of half naked women parading themselves, some of the musicians are so far gone, they display more skin than skill!

While I fully agree with Banky (whose music by the way, I like) that it is the prerogative of the artiste to choose whatever alias or moniker he wants to be known and addressed as on stage/album, I however do not agree with him that music in Nigeria has grown in leaps and bounds, as he would rather have us believe. We have matured in acceptance, yes, sound and picture quality or quantity as the case may be, but it is definitely not uhuru.

Agreed, musicians are business men/women who are in the industry to make money for their basic needs, but do we as consumers not deserve to indeed be entertained while you guys are in the process of making money, through us, I might add? Permit me to disagree with your “we are not all one and the same, but we ARE artistes”, oh please, spare me. So many of you out there do not even know the meaning of that word, artiste indeed! With horrible lyrics like ori e o 4ka sibe, what’s that?

Banky, the argument is not about trying to fight the change like you claim, it is about embracing good change, positive change. Why should we have musicians who are supposed to be image makers sag their jeans, when it is prisoners that sag because they are not allowed to use belts. Is that part of the change we are supposed to so lovingly embrace?

If we danced to legends like Fela, Shina Peters etc, it is because they had things to say, issues that needed to be addressed. It was not all about laying a track and making money, it was and still should be about passing across a message, entertaining and educating. Sadly enough however, most of the songs we hear these days have nothing to say, lack meaning and make little or no sense at all.

Banky, again you missed the point completely. The piece is not about 9ice who does not drink or smoke, or about eLDee being married to one wife, least of all about Naeto c obtaining a Masters’ Degree in England, don’t you get it, it is about the quality of music they produce, that is what it has been about all along! Not personal achievements or its lack thereof, but quality in music, that is all we want, it is all we crave for, or don’t we deserve that?


People, having read her responce , whats your responce now, am waitin,
NB: the writer is a young lady thatt belongs to the generation of Mr Banky.

nice one some people dont get what mr abati is saying

I think d lady dat wrote dat letter feels dsame way like i do.
We can continue to blame Mr Abati's generation but that wont solve d problem.A friend of mine was shocked to learn dat i did't ve any nigerian song in my phone & laptop,he said i was't a thru a naija.I laf'd cos realy i am more naija dan he is if eva there was a contest & he admits cos majority of d time he's not in naija.What am tryin to say is dat our music has grown in terms of acceptance,technology & marketing but when it comes to msg,ability to use it as a force for social change it's lacking evrything.Am not even sure if we ve genres in our industry.Music is suppose to entertain &educate but our own suituation is different.Our music is just hype & no substance.My fav re stil d old meaniful evagreens.I don't giv a dam abt dier personal lyfs or stage name what I want is gud music,MJ,2pac,Whitney Houston,Madona,B.I.G made & stil making very gud music inspite of dier horrible lyfstyl.If U say U re a professional pls act it.

This is a powerful thread. I really respect Dr Reuben Abati and he expressed himself well. Sure, I got his message. But Banky W really explained the real thing. The real thing is that the new generation of Artists in Nigeria has been doing a good job to create a music industry which died in the hands of the older generation. They kept it alive. Some 7 years ago, I dont listen to Nigerian music because we were only listening to Foreign music but now, I dont even know foreign artistes liek I used to know then, it is now Nigerian music alll through. I give thumbs up to the new nigerian artistes. We the generation of youths no whave really suffered and still suffering in the hands of the older generation. We are trying to survive and still they will only point accusing fingers at us. Banky W, you are the man! That was the whole truth and nothing but the truth. See!, we are on strike now in our Nigerian Universities, things that do not happen in the old times, Imagine, CARRY ON BOYS! The music industry in Nigeria has come to stay. We own our future and we have started taking steps to make Nigeria better for us and our children. The older generation has failed us and there is nothing they can say now that will count,

regards,

smogville:

A friend of mine has this response to thie article, i think you should see it.

My response to Banky W’s response to Mr. Reuben Abati’s “A Nation’s identity Crisis”
Dear Sir,

While I do not totally support Mr. Abati’s take on some of the issues raised, I must agree with you however, that our youths are in too much of a hurry to realize they are on a fast track to nowhere.

The dearth of morality in our songs these days is to say the least pitiful. Music videos are full of half naked women parading themselves, some of the musicians are so far gone, they display more skin than skill!

While I fully agree with Banky (whose music by the way, I like) that it is the prerogative of the artiste to choose whatever alias or moniker he wants to be known and addressed as on stage/album, I however do not agree with him that music in Nigeria has grown in leaps and bounds, as he would rather have us believe. We have matured in acceptance, yes, sound and picture quality or quantity as the case may be, but it is definitely not uhuru.

Agreed, musicians are business men/women who are in the industry to make money for their basic needs, but do we as consumers not deserve to indeed be entertained while you guys are in the process of making money, through us, I might add? Permit me to disagree with your “we are not all one and the same, but we ARE artistes”, oh please, spare me. So many of you out there do not even know the meaning of that word, artiste indeed! With horrible lyrics like ori e o 4ka sibe, what’s that?

Banky, the argument is not about trying to fight the change like you claim, it is about embracing good change, positive change. Why should we have musicians who are supposed to be image makers sag their jeans, when it is prisoners that sag because they are not allowed to use belts. Is that part of the change we are supposed to so lovingly embrace?

If we danced to legends like Fela, Shina Peters etc, it is because they had things to say, issues that needed to be addressed. It was not all about laying a track and making money, it was and still should be about passing across a message, entertaining and educating. Sadly enough however, most of the songs we hear these days have nothing to say, lack meaning and make little or no sense at all.

Banky, again you missed the point completely. The piece is not about 9ice who does not drink or smoke, or about eLDee being married to one wife, least of all about Naeto c obtaining a Masters’ Degree in England, don’t you get it, it is about the quality of music they produce, that is what it has been about all along! Not personal achievements or its lack thereof, but quality in music, that is all we want, it is all we crave for, or don’t we deserve that?


People, having read her responce , whats your responce now, am waitin,
NB: the writer is a young lady thatt belongs to the generation of Mr Banky.

Ok! What this writer doesn't get is, the problem with Mr Abati's article was the generalization and poor research. This writer too mentions the sagging thing, have you seen these guys' videos and how they dress? I must say, as a fan of fashion myself, these guys dress very well. Sagging is not an issue at all with most of these artistes yet he/she mentions it as if its a major part of the culture. As for the half naked girls, did that start with this generation? HELL NO! Fela always had them in his shows, he even used to go as far as humping them on stage and didn't Shina Peters have women shaking their booty in his videos? Then he/she goes ahead to mention Fela & Shina Peters in the same breath and talk about meaningful lyrics. Shina Peters The same Shina Peters we were rocking to at every gathering? I guess we were not hearing the same thing. I love naija music (a lot) but I too get frustrated when I hear some songs with the one size fits all beats but at the same time, there are a handful of artists out there that bring out great music with great lyrics. To just put everyone of them in the same category is what is offensive.
Finally, the reason Banky mentioned their personal achievements was because it the got to point where their characters were almost being picked on.

By the way - Is 'Reuben' a Nigerian name?

Members of my generation, Please let's take it easy with our elders.
Yele Balogun.

i went tru articles written by both sides and i can say Abati's article was uncalled for,i was really surprised wen he mentioned Fela's name as a good example of d old generation of artiste,well,i love banky w and eldee's write up,sure dis guys ve got there flaws but there are beta way 2 say it dan dat article from abati.

banky man idey gbadun you , thank for reply him,i love nigeria hiphop die.

Abati made some points but goofed by generalizing while the young ladys response also had some salient points.My people the blame will also bounce back to the so called Abati generation.

==present Nigerian artistes are sensible and sensitive ,their generation dont listen

1)EEdris sang 'nigeria jagajaga' (he was ostracized did Abati write article to defend him from presidentiat curse?)
2)Sound Sultan has been as patriotic/militant as ever frm 'jagbajantis', 'koleyewon', 'Gengen','ojeeje', 'Area;, 'Bushmeat' to 'king of my country' did anybody
         celebrae him?
3)NIGGA Raw has always been the man with 'Obodo', 'Kogbadun'
4) Did 2shot  and 9ice not ask wetin happen 2 garri 4 market in 'make dem talk' ?
5) Is Seun Kuti not a young artist with his song 'Many Many things' ? but never got airplay or promo.


The list is endless and its a fact that the other alternative music we are being bombarded with is being promoted and supported by coporate bodies owned by their generation when they know they should promote other coscious artiste like above .Artiste dont own GLOBACOM,BANKS,ZAIN,MTN ,RADIO/TV STATIONS ,They dot give demselves al d awrds now abi?no be their generations dey sponsor all the shows and encourage 'kokos' and '4kasibes'?

Why did 'Nigerian music awards' die ? now robbin other artiste aside 4rm hip hop the opportunity 4 recognition of their talent?is it not musician of Abati generation that used politics and greediness to spoil the association?

let Abati go siddon and his generation of  bombooklaat go shut up abeg!

shina peters had something to say
i must have missed it.
kindly shed more light please.
Sound Sultan has said more on his pinkie finger than Shina Peters will ever say with his entire body.
Shina Peters is no better than Dbanj (maybe better in that, he can at least play one musical instrument).
all this talk of fela, fela. as much as his music was meaningful, is it not taking it too far to ask someone to use him as a model?
ordinary tuface, we are complaining.
oh! i forgot about dbanj, i take that back.
the issue of morality is a universal problem.it is not restricted to Nigeria alone.this is the age of immorality.you can not deny it.
more importantly, there is nothing dbanj and kere wa folks will sing now that has not been sung before or been sang around the globe presently.
thier are lots of sensible lyrics around the place.
even the M.Is, Asa, RooftopMC, Mode nine, Nigga Raw, tuface (almost every main street artiste) has couple of meaningful, educative tracks.
the fact that dross surfaces to the top is not an indictment of the artsites in my opinion.

i expected Dr. Abati to print out Banky and Rooftop MCs (el dee's reply is childish) replies and try and address there arguments.
what does he do??
he has the effontery and sheer audacity to rerun the old article again lasst friday, claiming that it was due to popular demand.
that is sheer intellectual arrogance.
which popular demand? the article is all over the place.
try and refute the argument of the young men or expand on yours.
the same people claim that Obasonjo is arrogant.
it is so easy to criticize from the outside.
and like they say talk is cheap.

ILLBLISS DAN VEX got this from facebook

Iboboy Illbliss Just for the records, Fck DR. REUBEN ABATI,  On purpose i refused to read his article on A National Identity Crisis, but this morning i decided to take out my precious time to read thru the meaningless article he wrote, i guess Eldee and Banky said it all, and dude mentioned my name in his article,  DUDE ILLBLISS (DAT IBO BOY) got identity, get your facts right next time u pick that pen to write,
12 minutes ago · Comment · LikeUnlike




he even rhymed!!!!

tosinaded@:

ILLBLISS DAN VEX got this from facebook

Iboboy Illbliss Just for the records, Fck DR. REUBEN ABATI,  On purpose i refused to read his article on A National Identity Crisis, but this morning i decided to take out my precious time to read thru the meaningless article he wrote, i guess Eldee and Banky said it all, and dude mentioned my name in his article,  DUDE ILLBLISS (DAT IBO BOY) got identity, get your facts right next time u pick that pen to write,
12 minutes ago · Comment · LikeUnlike




he even rhymed!!!!

and he just posted this too

"There's been a lot of outcry over my last comments on Dr. Reuben Abati's Article on National Identity. i guess a lot of people let it slide because of the personality involved, same personality who made a futile attempt to disregard the colossal achievements of New Naija Music, we ve made Naija proud on all counts. i take back the F word but to Dr.Abati, i say these words, WE DONT NEED YOUR RESPECT, "

I guess this discussion is a bit stale now. I actually stumbled on this thread while searching for any information I could find on MODENINE who by the way is the greatest lyricist/rapper in Nigeria but that is by the way.

However after reading all the comments, replies, rejoinders, and "what nots" from both aforementioned artistes and all the posters, the only ones that stuck with me are the replies from Eldee and Qudus.

The Rooftop MC guy was trying to be "polite" and trying way too hard to impress Mr Abati as a "learned" person, while Banky W did address the issues and confronted Mr Abati but was still trying to come off as "polite" and “learned”.

However, Eldee wrote from his heart with raw passion and to me that was not rude but speaking his mind to a man who knows/knew nothing about what he was talking about and people he was insulting. And that’s what the generation of Mr Abati's need. They need to be told off when they go blabbing and the "blah blah blah" from Eldee was the most intelligent thing Mr Abati needed to be told not wasting brain cells trying to confront him constructively. And it does not matter if Eldee’s response never made it to Guardian but we the people read it!

And finally, Qudus called for a Revolution and that is what Nigeria needs.

9ja for Life!

Abati or Wande, aside , That Lugard girlfriend must be somehow cephalic, what do you think past Preseident wives will call Nigeria .

Hajia Tafawa Balewa --
Mrs ironsi -

Mrs Gowon

Mrs Ajoke Muhammed

Mrs Obasanjo
Hajia Shagari

Hajia Buhari

Hajia Babangida

Mrs Shonekan

Hajia Abacha

Mrs obasanjo

Hajia Turai Yaradua

Mrs Goodluck

ofokasibe:
with due respect mr reuben should sharap there !
is it not their generation that cannot provide ordinary electricity .?
is it not their generation that cant provide jobs for unemployed youths?
it is clear he has no knowledge of what he is even saying !
big ups to banky w for airing him out nicely