One could begin with how art, its expression and interpretation should not be censored in the first place; Or one could begin with how the censorship is not only invalid but promotes the very lingos it aims to suppress in Nigerian pop culture and mainstream media.
At first, it was fuck, sex, nigga and god. Initially, it seemed moderate these words were censored back in the day, but now the list of terms joining the censored list have become uncountable that if reversal measures are not taken, there will not be any more words in a song left to sing along to.
The fact that normal words used in daily interactions are censored makes one question the motives behind these supposed disciplinary or cautious actions. Do they stem from religious sentiments and lack of objectivity?
Of course, the need to preserve a modicum of morality in the kind of content soaring air and television platforms are valid; However, NBC must go on to further query, “What age group are these measures and harsh censorship being made for”?. Is it for the Millennials? Or the Gen-Zs? If it is the former, the censorships of these words are pointless, If for the latter, then NBC hasn't been paying attention in the real world.
When one takes drastic measures to ban certain words, whether we admit it or not, they are indirectly being promoted. Nothing attracts human beings more to something especially when it becomes rebellious to engage in it.
For a large portion of Nigeria’s population, who are Gen-Zs, these censorships are not necessary; Because it only does the opposite of what it is supposedly meant to accomplish and also it ruins the listening experience.
Once upon a time, only a few words were rightly deemed extreme, but today the list of words has ridiculously extended that artists and songwriters in the studio booths meant to graciously pour out emotions in song, must now cower to biased standards and have confined confidence in just how many seconds of their songs can receive airplay.
As afrobeat continues to champion Nigeria to other African nations and international regions, Nigerian artists and ardent afrobeat enthusiasts must worry if a religious watchdog, rather than be shears, is a chain saw to a tree still at germination.