MUSIC AND CENSORSHIP IN NIGERIA

MUSIC AND CENSORSHIP IN NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

Music censorship in Nigeria and West Africa has come a long way, down from the military era to the present democratic government. This study is on music and why some songs are being censored. Some songs are being censored because they carry messages that are political, religious, moral, and military. Censorship has affected a lot of musicians in West Africa, especially Nigeria where some music are actually banned from radio play by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) without giving some of the musicians cogent reasons as to why their music was banned.

Recently, a three day international music festival hosted by the Alliance Francaise in Kano State was shut down by the Kano State Censorship Board, the first of its kind in Nigeria, based on the reason that some of the musicians that were to perform were not registered with the board. This music festival has been taking place for the past six years without any hindrances. This is an infringement on people’s rights which is entrenched in the constitution. This kind of act actually goes in line with the saying by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, “None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free”.

Scholars have done vast researches, have written books and journals on music and censorship in Nigeria, however there has not been enough scholarly work done on why some music are being censored and why others are not despite having almost the same lyrical content. This study will look at various artists in Nigeria and their style of music.

Data will be collected from secondary sources. Books, journals, recorded interviews, the internet etc will be used as a source of information. This study will make an exposition of the problem associated with music censorship in Nigeria and some countries in West Africa and also provide recommendations.

INTRODUCTION

Encarta 2009 defined music as a sound or a group of sounds that creates a desired effect. Music in Nigeria and West Africa includes many kinds of folks and popular music. In Nigeria, the Yoruba’s in the South-West with their drums such as Bata, gan-gan etc, the Hausa’s and marabou’s in the north that sing praises and also quote from the Quran, the Igbo’s from the South-East that make use of ufie (slit drums). All the major ethnic groups have a base for traditional African music. The earliest styles of popular music were palm-wine music, high-life, waka music, apala, fuji, Afro-juju, Yo-pop and Afrobeat, (from Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia).

Censorship is the practice of restricting free access to musical works. The music censorship may have moral, political, military, religious motivations. Censorship can range from the complete prohibition of musical work to removal of contents when a musical work appears in a certain manner. There has been censorship issued on music in various African countries like in  A complete prohibition of a musical work is one that has on it, “Not to be broadcasted”, (NTBB) by the National Broadcasting Commission. This body regulates musical works and videos in the country. This body as it is is controlled by the Federal Government.

The military government of years gone by have banned the air play of some songs by artist like Fela Ainkulapo Kuti because of the political criticism the songs has. Femi Kuti’s song “Bang Bang Bang” though banned by the military regime has remained banned till today because of some people working underground.

The Sharia in northern part of Nigeria has its own side to music. Kano State has its own censorship board that regulates music. On October, 2007 according to a Freemuse report by Elizabeth Dickinson, “the Kano State Censorship Board banned all films from carrying music based on the reason that films carry songs and dance sexuality films”. They actually seek to promote censorship in the area of sex and religion. This actually has to do with the perception of the board whether the songs and the films carry that that is sexual in nature. Is Kano State Censorship Board working to protect its citizens, sharia or they are doing this to have a hold on the people?

Music censorship in Ghana over the last hundred years has involved popular artists being censored by various hegemonic institutions that include colonial administrators and police, Christian mission houses, post-independence governments, modern bureaucracies and the Ghanaian national army (John Collins excerpt from Freemuse on a brief profile of music censorship in Ghana, www.freemuse.org/sw25893.asp.htm).  The hip-hop music a form of music enjoyed by youths in Ghana is now under attack due to the fact that such music as they say are profane and people are suggesting that such music should be banned by the National Communication Authority (NCA) and that banning such music will not amount to infringing on the rights of the people and media.

This study will examine the Nigerian and West African music censorship, and locate it within broader censorial trends. It seeks to examine whether we are practicing democracy in its true form and if this is true why then are some songs that are political are still banned or remains banned.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Music censoring in Nigeria has been ongoing since the military era. One prominent actor in this drama is Fela Anikulapo Kuti whose music “Zombie” was banned and led to the destruction of his home the Kalakuta Republic. “In 1977 Fela and the Afrika ’70 released the hit album Zombie, a scathing attack on Nigerian soldiers using the zombie metaphor to describe the methods of the military” (www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fela_Kuti). This album set off an attack on his home by 1000 soldiers. Fela was seriously beaten and wounded in the melee, his mother was thrown from the window and she eventually died from the injuries sustained, his home was burnt and this led to other songs like “Coffin for Head of State” and “Unknown Soldier”. All this songs were banned by the Federal government through the National Broadcasting Commission. Over the years, various songs having political, religious and moral undertones have been banned. Criticizing the developmental, economic and social decay in the country through music was the only way Fela knew to fight back. The government in power also fought back by banning his songs. Also recording labels have in one way or the other supported the banning of the songs because of their self interest. “Whereas the political, cultural, and religious impulses of censorship have tended to be overt, the economic dimensions remain generally covert, and at times involve not only governmental policy, but also the collaboration of corporate business interests such as recording labels” (Olorunyomi S. 2001, www.freemuse.org/sw5903.asp.htm). 

Femi Kuti the son of the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti sang a song titled “Bang Bang Bang” which depicts sexual pleasure from a woman’s view point.  This song was actually a controversial issue in the country then. “A couple of years ago, the outspoken and direct lyrics of his song 'Bang Bang Bang' caused turmoil in his home country, Nigeria. The government owned National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, banned the title track from airplay claiming that its lyrics are offensive and capable of corrupting youth innocence” (www.freemuse.org.sw9798.asp.htm, 01 August,2005). A song he sang against our corrupt leaders titled “Traitors of Africa” was not banned. This song that was banned in Nigeria later won him the Kora awards in South Africa. We can see that there are some forces at work, maybe political or religious. (Servant J.C, 2003:65), “Unquestionably, a pernicious wind of public salubrity has been sweeping through Nigerian culture ever since the "Bang, Bang, Bang" affair.”

In 1990, a song titled “Big Bottom” by Charlie Boy Oputa was censored and was not given radio play. The National Broadcasting Commission maintained that he was singing about sex. He on the other hand maintained he was singing about African man likeness for big breast and big bottom (Servant J.C, 2003).

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

The kind of theory that will be used is theory of perception theory. Perception according to the definition of Babitski I.V is the process of attaining awareness or understanding of sensory information. The external senses are only instruments in the process of perception. What a person perceives has to be taken in through taste, hearing, smell, touch, sight then it is processed in the brain. Babitski I.V maintained that we have three basic levels of perception which are obtaining information, integration and analysis of information, reaction. Music actually causes new emotions, especially listening to a kind of music you have not heard before. This new experience will not only affect somebody’s hearing but also the imaginations, feelings and even smell and taste, even the heart will start to beta faster (Babitski I.V). The whole understanding of music will change, because I have never heard this kind of music before.

Perception theory to music is applicable because it is somebody’s reaction to music that will determine whether the music is pleasing to the ear or not, moral or immoral. Music of a high tempo being listened to in a car will determine the speed at which the driver will drive. Music that is slow which can be blues or jazz can determine the mood at which a person will be.

FINDINGS

Music is an essential part of Nigerian society. Nigerians are justifiably addicted to it. Nigerians make good music and have, over the years, influenced different musical genres and styles in other parts of the world. Many songs now in Nigeria are now banned not because of the political lyrics but because of the sexual lyrics involved depending on the individual perception and this actually spurs most youths to buy the album and listen to it. An individual person may listen to a song that have sexual lyrics and find it appealing while another person listening to the same song may find it disgusting. The purchase of the artist album actually brings the album to the limelight.

Kerewa a song sung by the duo Zule-Zoo was banned reason based on the sexual lyrical content. 'Kerewa' means: 'adultery' – but according to the duo, the censor’s board misunderstood the lyrics of the song when they thought they advocated adultery. The song lyrics tell about a woman who is unfaithful when her husband travels, and the music makes it sound as if they are celebrating the unfaithful conduct. The group later came out with the album which was a success. The Freemuse News, 15 November 2007 reports that, “The debut song of the Nigerian duo Zule-Zoo was banned by the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation when it came out in March 2006. Instead of silencing them, the ban actually helped promoting their new album, entitled 'Banned In Nigeria', which became a nation-wide hit” (www.freemuse.org/sw22997.asp.htm).

2 face Idibia’s song “Enter the Place” was also banned from radio play by the National Broadcasting Commission, reason being that the song contains sexual lyrical content that is not pleasing to the ears and morally wrong.

Saint Janet that recently came into the limelight is a talented singer. She has been doing radio jingles from time especially in Paramount FM Abeokuta. She came out with an album that contains sexual obscenities to the people, who perceive it as so, and she was also sexually explicit in the use of her lyrics and she made use of Christian tunes in singing the songs. It is no wonder that her album has not received radio play.

Songs also under the hammer of National Broadcasting Commission for either lyrical or visual indecency include: Shayo (Bigiano), Dance for me (Duncan Mighty), Suddenly (D’banj), Close to you (D’banj), Nwa Baby (Flavours), Rigirigi (Flavours), Maga Don Pay (Kelly Handsome) and Baby Konga (Konga).  The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) are well within their statutory powers to carry out these actions as it is their primary duty.

The Kano State Censorship Board through the Kano State magistrate court banned 11 Hausa songs. The Freemuse News Report of 18 June, 2009 reported that, “Chief magistrate Muhtari Ahmed who presides over a mobile court attached to the Kano State Censorship Board said the court is going to prosecute anyone found circulating the songs. According to him, “selling the songs, playing them, and downloading them by any means are also banned” (www.freemuse.org/sw22997.asp.htm). The songs, which the presiding judge now officially has banned, are:

‘Oyoyo’ — by Adam A. Zango
‘Auta’
‘Hasbunallahu’ — by Aminu Ladan Abubakar
‘Gari Ya Yi Zafi’
‘Girgiza Kai (Master)’ — by Nazir Hausawa
‘Kowa Yaci Ubansa/Uwarsa’
‘Martani’ — by Billy O
‘Sankarau’ — by Ibro
‘Sauka a Babur’ — by Ibro
‘Walle-Walle’
‘Wayyo Kaicho’,

It was also reported that none of the songs apparently attack Islam or Shari'a — they are banned because of a perceived contradiction between the application of Shari'a
 laws in popular culture and lack of enforcement of those same Shari'a laws.

 The three day Kano Music Festival, being hosted at the Alliance Francaise in Kano in February was shut down on the first day of the event by representatives of the Kano State Censorship Board and not allowed to continue with the rest of its scheduled events. According to a report by www.carmenmccain.wordpress.com, “the festival was closed down because Hausa musician Maryam Fantimoti and some others were to perform and they were not registered with the Kano State Censorship Board”. All these actions actually have religious and political undertones.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

We can see that music censorship is not all about censorship as it is, it is about witch hunting of musicians. Some music’s are not supposed to be banned or censored. Some songs were banned because of the musician involved and not the music itself. Nowadays artist instil a form of self censorship in their songs though the message may elude the National Broadcasting Commission, people still get the meaning. For example, in 9ice’s new album, track 15 pete-pete talks about our politicians but in a subtle way. For the National Broadcasting Commission, this brings to mind the question: what criteria are used in determining what should be banned or otherwise? Why are songs such as “Enter the place” and “Shayo” banned while others perceived to be more offensive remain in circulation?

The Kano State Censorship Board is actually using religion and sharia as a cover to ban some songs. In Kano now, films are not supposed to carry songs because according to them it brings about indecent behaviour among people. Religion has been a hindrance to the spread of music and freedom of expression in the north. Religion be it Christianity, Islam actually exist as barriers to personal and social growth. Religious ideology separates humanity’s needs and affects the strong reflection in their community in regard to its value, purpose and social relevancies. In the light of these, I believe several measures should be taken:

1. The National Broadcasting Commission should seek the opinion of the general populace before banning a song. The commission can do this by conducting an opinion poll.
2. The musicians themselves should be doing a form of censorship before their music is released for the consumption of the general populace.

REFERENCES

1. Babitski I.V, “What is Perception”. http://www.MyArticleArchive.com.
2. Collins J., 2006, “A Brief Overview of the History of Music Censorship in Ghana”, 06 March, 2006. http://www.freemuse.org/sw25893.asp.htm.
3. Dickinson E., 2007, “Kano State bans all films from carrying music”, 06, November, 2007. http://www.freemuse.org/sw22719.asp.htm.
4. Encarta, 2009.
5. Freemuse 2005, “Femi Kuti”, 01 August, 2005. http://www.freemuse.org/sw9798.asp.htm.
6. Freemuse 2007, “Banned song became Duo’s Breakthrough”, 15 November, 2007. http://www.freemuse.org/sw22907.asp.htm.
7. Freemuse 2009, “11 songs banned by Kano State Censorship Board”, 18 June, 2009. http://www.freemuse.org/sw34137.asp.htm.
8. Olorunyomi S, 2001, “Leash on their Tongues”, 01 March, 2001. http://www.freemuse.org/sw5903.asp.htm.
9. Servant J.C, 2003, “Which Way Nigeria. Music Under Threat, A Question of Money, Morality, Self- Censorship and the Sharia”, Copenhagen, Freemuse.
10. http://www.carmenmccain.wordpress.com
11. Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia.