Lagos is one of those cities in the world with many songs dedicated to them. Just like New York City has numerous to its name. The most popular of them being Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York”. And one thing about these cities and their admirers is that there can’t be enough songs about the beloved cities. For a city like Lagos, there is more than enough to write about.
Lagos has a host of songs about it. Some are wholesome love songs, others highlight the love-hate relationship that residents keep with it. Banky W’s Ebute Meta comes to mind. Brymo also has one titled “Eko” about his love-hate relationship with Lagos. Wizkid’s “Ojuelegba” extols the city for all the support he received as a budding musician. Olamide has an entire album (Lagos Nawa!) about Lagos. I am yet to see any that doesn’t express admiration for Lagos and its people. Hate might not be an effective drive for creativity after all.
Eko by Kizz Daniel, named after the Yoruba moniker of Africa’s cultural and commercial capital, is yet another song expressing love for Lagos. Perhaps, it is extolling both the city’s virtues and vices.
Mostly rendered in Yoruba, Eko has a slight folkloric vibe to it. It is not a typical Kizz Daniel song; it neither wields the same vocal power nor does it possess the infectious beat. Maybe it is a deliberate creative statement about the ambiguous aftertaste a typical Lagos experience can leave in your mouth.
One pidgin phrase recurrently comes up in the song:
“If you no fit wise for Lagos, you no fit wise for anywhere o.”
It isn’t his best song but it isn’t a bad song either. It’s just what it is: another love song about Lagos.
Kizz Daniel’s Eko is available on various music streaming and downloading platforms online.