Nigerian youths have taken the #ENDSARS protest to the streets which has seen songs by Nigerian music artistes been used as protest anthem.
Nigerians are fun-loving and happy people despite the hardship and the happenings in the country.
The Nigerian youths who have spoken up this time by taking their protest from social media to the streets in different parts of the country and the world has found a way to infuse melody into the ongoing protests.
The Nigerians songs that has became theme of the peaceful protest have strong messages about the Nigerian system of government while some of the songs showcase the doggedness of Nigerians especially the youths.
Protesters in Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan, Port Harcourt, and so on at some point have turned the protest to carnival as they danced and sang along to these Nigerian songs in their #ENDSARS campaign.
Here are 7 Songs by Nigerian Artists That Has Become Protest Anthem
These Nigerian songs were used severally in the #ENDSARS protests that is currently going on in different parts of the country. They are listed in no particular order;
Fem by Davido is one of the biggest songs in #ENDSARS protest by Nigerian youths
Coffin For Head Of State (Fela Anikulapo-Kuti): Fela Kuti’s song was used during the protests in Alausa, Lekki Toll Gate, and other places. One of the popular songs by the Afro-beat legend that became an anthem at protest ground is ‘Coffin for Head State‘ released in 1981. The song has strong message for the Nigerian government then and it is still fresh in today’s protest.
E Be Like Say (2baba): Protesters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, defies Governor Nyesom Wike’s protest ban and had fun with songs by 2baba’s ‘E Be Like Say’ song off his ‘Grass 2 Grace’ album which was released in 2006. The song lyrics’, ‘E be like say them want to tell us another story again o‘ hits so hard during the #ENDSARS protest.
Jaga Jaga (Eedris Abdulkareem): This particular song was released in 2004 to speak about the ills of the government of President Olusegun Obasanjo. The 2004 hit song is evergreen as protesters sang along to the song’s lyrics in one of the Lagos protests which also had rapper, Eedris Abdulkareem in attendance.
Mr President (African China): This 2006 song by Ajegunle-born singer, African China, is one of the Nigerian songs that was used as protest anthem. Protesters at the Lekki Toll gate who turned the peaceful protest to a carnival sang along to the song lyrics as they make their demands known to the government.
Aye (Naira Marley): Ibadan protesters couldn’t get enough of this 2020 song by singer, Naira Marley. ‘Aye’ means ‘world’ and the song’s messages states that humans made this world hard because it is easy to live in. Protesters directed the message to the Nigerian Police/SARS that has made the lives of young Nigerians difficult via brutality, killing, and extortion.
Awa Fierce(Laycon ft. Reminisce & Chinko Ekun): This song by Big Brother Naija winner, Laycon, has been one of the popular songs among Nigerians and has been used as protest anthem in different parts of the country where #ENDSARS protest has taken place. This song released in 2020 talks about ‘fierceness’ which the Nigerian youths have claimed to be in the ongoing protest to speak up for their rights.
Fem (Davido): The latest song by Afrobeat singer, Davido, is unarguably the best song among Nigerians since it’s release few months ago. It has been an anthem in different part of the country. ‘Fem’ which means ‘shut up’ has been used by the Nigerian youths to vent their anger on the present administration.
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