Punk Rock in Nigeria?

This is take-off on what grindcore just asked. Have you been to Nigeria? What do you think about punk rock as a possibility in Nigeria?

Like I said, I was just there, and I asked my cousins (the ones aged 19-23) if they had ever even heard of punk rock and they all three said no. Talked to another one of my cousins (age 30) about the possibility of any subculture happening there that goes against mainstream values and he seemed very skeptical. From my perspective when I visit there, Nigerian society seems very conservative to me. Very religious, very much into formal education, very into the creation of a heterosexual nuclear family. There doesn't seem to be very many opportunities to diverge from that. Any other perspectives?

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Permalink Reply by osa on May 15, 2009 at 7:48am

Yes! This is amazing. If this were connected to a wide-spread urban youth movement, I'd be doubly excited. I guess, from what I can gather through the maze of conversation on this thread, if there is an underground youth political arts movement in Nigeria, we just don't know about it. I think I got my answer. Thanks everyone!
P.S. Keep looking!

HCIIMAN said:

osa said:
It's making music and other art with whatever meager resources you have at your disposal. It's turning shit into gold.

then I guess every artist is a punk in Africa at one stage.

Permalink Reply by grindcore on May 16, 2009 at 5:38am

Gosh! I love this group and everyone's responses. You know, throughout my adolescence and well now into my young adulthood, punk (especially hardcore, and post-hardcore) has been a refugee for me to relate my experiences being a first generation person into this culture. I find myself identifying with latino punk the most because that best explains what I live, the struggle of the 1st immigrant trying to fit in, deportation, assimilation, poverty, racism, all of which I assume some of us in this group has experienced one time or another. Its funny because if you were to ask me today which documentary I identify with the most between Beyond The Screams: A U.S. Latino Hardcore Punk Documentary by Sorrenguy from Los Crudos or Afro-Punk, I'd have to agree with Sorrenguy's documentary, because for me it addressed my reasoning for belonging to punk music and this diy culture that I treasure soo much. Afro-punk made me realise what my color was and how that reflected to everyone in the scene, but being an African Immigrant has so many other elements that is not addressed in Black Punk today, or you could even stretch and say ever. (however, with artists like wale, hip hop is slowly addressing what it means to be African in the United States). Sorrenguy effectively portrayed the artists that were trying to appeal to diy in a cheesy sense, their own style, as on the contrary Afro-Punk addressed the struggle of trying to fit it, which again its funny because the aesthetic and the appeal of diy Punk is to not fit it.

Osa (btw if you read this, New Bloods is soo Awesome, tour and come to Austin plzzz!!!) you asked whether there is a chance a diy punk scene in Nigeria (even just in terms of the ascetic) was possible, to me the answer is yes. Now which band is willing to go over there and show them how its done? Punk rock was almost non-existent during the 70's and early 80's in Latin American, but once these bands from the states started to tour Mexico, the music eventually spread to the southern tips of Latin America because the music contained the message of change during political revolution in those countries, to me that is diy in its truest sense, create your own message and spread it, and that is exactly what in a sense Latino punk/hardcore accomplished during that time period. In Nigeria, or even Africa as a whole, not only needs that band to bring that message, but someone/anyone has to agree on that message.

And this is where Fela comes in! He had a message, pan-africanismo, black power, socialism, this dude had a fucking commune, all thoughts not imitated or duplicated from the west (which some could blame for their current political, social, or economical problems), it was genuine , it was diy, it was actually made for the people (which is my response to those who bring up pop punk from South Africa as a source of Punk, it is like the only source of punk but it doesn't exemplify the purpose of having a punk scene in Africa), its what made it so attractive, so alluring. During the Abacha click, that kind of rebel music had to die down, and now during obasanjo and this new guy( i feel that he hasn't done anything politically for me to remember his name, lol), we have this rap culture exported directly from urban areas of the west, including Eedris Abdulkareem, who does rap about social change, (his song about uni girls and their professors is something i suggest everyone should check out) but also raps about material things that is common in our shitty rap that is played on the radio. That is what the majority of Nigerian pop music, even what is considered "underground" consists of. Want for material items, I mean just look around at what everyone is listening to and wearing, whatever 50 cent or the next guy says is cool, is cool in Nigeria, and its because he looks like them, sort of, talks about the struggle, and then gives his own answer to the problem. I'm convinced there is a group of people that don't agree with "his answer" or just society in Nigeria as a whole. For instance, how does an atheist survive in a place where the mercy of God dictates whether Nepa will take light as you are studying for your final exam!

the truth is, the need for rebel has died, Pan-africanism with Africans as a whole has died, the spirit of the revolution of the 1960's is dead, when I talk to my family about it, its like the state we envisioned has failed, we fucked up, now what's next, in comparison to Latin America where it is still alive, people still believe in the revolution because its their own, no one created it for them. and bands of latino descent still carry the dream alive, through the states, latin america and europe. There are way more latino punk band than Afro punk bands, but imagine if the Bad Brains hit up Lagos during the 70's, I honestly believe we would not be having this conversation.

So, I think there needs to be punk bands from here playing in Nigeria and other places in Africa, addressing the problems of our state and our people and showing our brothers and sisters that there is another way of expressing yourself, and its ok to think certain ways, and just because you think and dress a certain way doesn't mean you are a witch, or crazy, lol.

Do I see this coming? Yeah, but its a long time coming. There are hardly any Afro-punk/hardcore bands that are truly diy anymore. There are certainly not many African-American punk bands addressing the problems of being African here and abroad, and I am definitely not aware of a band of full 1st generation African Immigrants addressing the problems of being what we are, new, or moreover what we experience when we go back to our 2nd home.

All in all, when I go to diy punk or hardcore show, I may or may not be the only black person there, 8 or 9 times out of ten I am pretty sure I am the only black female there, but as of now, I am sure as hell Im the only Nigerian from Delta state, who has tribe members as pirates kidnapping shell workers and has seen her auntie dry cassava from pipeline explosions, and it would be pretty nice to sing/scream along to lyrics that actually pertain to my experience as a whole. African and American.

Permalink Reply by Jenny Taelyah on May 18, 2009 at 12:28am

I can relate to Osa in her observance of Nigerian society. I think on the surface it does try to maintain a conservative-turtle-neck-wearing image. I thought that too for awhile until I actually lived there.

What I've come to notice is not that Nigerians are into a certain type of lifestyle but they are into a certain type of image. I think this has a lot to do with the tight community thing (it's hard to tell the family that helped you through a hard time to "mind their own business" when they talk about what someone wore or said ). I was shocked to hear about a lot of "interesting" sexual behavior, political/feminist/tribal fueled rants , along with other behaviors that would be deemed "rebellious".

I'm not sure if what we know to be punk would develop in Nigeria b/c the setting is very different than that of the west; but I can see some "punk themes' not only peeking through the music scene but socially as well. Rebellion, resistance, DIY, etc all themes I have seen in many Nigerians, maybe not blatantly, but there is a counterculture there.

Permalink Reply by Rhinos Have More Fun on May 18, 2009 at 5:28am

Oh wow!! Osa--you're OSA from New Bloods? I didn't even make the connection. I saw y'all's show in LA a couple of years ago and you really make some great sounds.