"This Is Nigeria": Can music and freedom of speech go hand in hand? [This is Culture TMC]

Can music and freedom of expression go hand in hand? This is the dilemma faced by Falz the Bahd Guy.

If you do not know his name, you’ve probably seen his latest music video, “This Is Nigeria”, which has created such a buzz since its release earlier this month.

In this video, a militant parody of Childish Gambino’s “This Is America”, Falz draws up an inventory of the political, economic and social situation of Nigeria, a few months away from the next presidential election.

This controversial artwork has attracted the wrath of the Muslim Rights Concern. According to the group, the video manifests ethnic bias and has the potential to cause an unprecedented religious crisis.

But sparking the debate is exactly what Falz had in mind, and many today, compare him to the king of Afrobeat, Fela Kuti.