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Singer dusts off dancehall for a return to social activism on ‘Pity 4 Us’ song

‘Pity 4 Us’ is a clear representation of the mood in the country, and seeks positive changes in the state of affairs.
Timaya
Timaya

We didn’t see this coming.

But he has done it. When 2face Idibia declared a 2017 general march in protest against the poor state of Nigeria and the effects of bad governance, on the citizens, one of the loudest voices of opposition against him was because he wasn’t doing it right.

Many members of the public harbored the opinion that the music legend should seek better tools of expression and connect via music.

And when 2face cancelled his involvement in the protest, he was urged to take it up in the booth and release protest music that resonated among the people of the country.

But at the moment those songs are yet to emerge. But someone else has risen to it, and released a single imploring the government to look upon the struggles of the people and be better at their job. Here are excerpts from the lyrics:

"No be Wetin dem talk o

This was not what dey promised us o

Dem tell us say dem go bring the change o

ooooh no no

As things dey go, situation e just Dey bad o eh

As day Dey break things e just Dey hard ooo

No food to chop, Everyday dollar dey rise o.

See the people don Dey cry o"

That verse captures the mood in the country. In 2016, Nigeria’s economy took a turn for the worse after it slipped into a recession. There’s also the lack of FOREX in the market, and the depreciation of the naira against the dollar.

This has resulted in an increase in the cost of living, and inflation is currently on a rise. At the time of this story, $1 = N530 Naira on the parallel market.

Timaya’s ‘Pity 4 Us’ is a clear representation of the mood in the country, and seeks positive changes in the state of affairs. This is not new for him. Timaya’s first breakthrough came with his 2007 album, “True Story”, whose anchor or most popular track was the politically charged ‘Dem Mama’.

The song spoke about the 1999 massacre by the Nigerian military, on the predominantly Ijaw town of Odi in Bayelsa. The attack came in the context of an ongoing conflict in the Niger Delta over indigenous rights to oil resources and environmental protection.

People generally say that the massacre was ordered by the regime of former president Olusegun Obasanjo. The military has often defended its action saying it was ambushed on its way to Odi. As a result, tensions rose prior to entrance into the village.

Timaya sang against the massacre, and that set him up on this path of stardom and reflection. Just like the echoes of Odi Massacre, Nigerians are undergoing a slow and steady death via bad the increased hardship that families face as a result of poor policies and the dwindling economy.

He comes forward with this new song to speak light and become the voice of the people via music. 2face ought to do the same, and galvanize artistes in the push to hold our nation’s leaders accountable for their actions in office.

Listen to ‘Pity 4 Us’. Connect, and feel your deepest fears and sufferings expressed via Timaya.

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