The Minister of Information and Culture,
Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said use of old Nigerian music will be a major
component of the Federal Government’s re-orientation campaign.
The Federal Government had in September launched the national re-orientation campaign, tagged ‘Change Begins With Me.’
Mohammed, who said old Nigerian musical works were rich in moral values, encouraged Nigerians to go back to them.
Mohammed’s Special Assistant, Segun
Adeyemi, quoted him as saying this in Abuja on Wednesday when he
received a group of collectors of music dating back to 1914 under the
banner of the Evergreen Music Limited on a courtesy visit to his office.
The minister described music as a tool for inculcating moral values in the citizens and uniting the country.
Mohammed said, “We believe that this is
very important to us because when you look at our campaign, it’s about
returning to those old morals and values that stood Nigeria in good
stead and you can learn more from music than anything.
‘’That is why I believe that we will
gladly partner you because we are pitching from the same side of the
field. We want Nigerians to go back to this old music because they not
only preach good values but they have actually chronicled the history of
Nigeria.”
He praised the efforts of old Nigerian
musicians such as Rex Lawson, Dan Maraya Jos, Victor Olaiya, Victor
Uwaifo, IK Dairo, Mamman Shatta and Fela Anikulapo Kuti, who stood up
against injustice while also promoting morals through their music.
The minister added that good music was a veritable tool for advocacy and in mobilising the people to pursue a common cause.
He said, “Music has been used to build
government and for advocacy. When Nigeria changed from driving on the
right to the left, it was the likes of Ebenezer Obe and Ayinla Omowura
that were used to sensitise Nigerians. When we transited from pound
sterling to naira and kobo, it was the same musicians that were used.”
Earlier, the Chairman of Evergreen Music
Limited, Chief Femi Esho, said the group had a collection of about
150,000 African songs dating back to 1914.
He said the group delved into the
collection of old music in order to prevent them from going into
extinction, especially because of the messages they convey.
Esho advised the present crop of musicians to emulate the old ones by enriching their music with good content.
“I like what the present boys are doing but 90 per cent or 95 per cent
are making noise not music, because good music should have content and
it has to talk about something in particular,” he said.
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