Vice President Yemi Osinbajjo has described the African Continent as one that offers huge potentials for Tourism, culture and the Creatives.
The ice President who represented President Muhammadu Buhari at the opening ceremony of the UN World Tourism Organization Global Conference on Linking Tourism, Culture and the Creative Industries, explained that music is a global language and as a result people who do not know the meaning of the words of a song enjoy the rhythm.
The vice President who thrilled participants at UN Tourism Conference with the rendition and dancing of Nigerian singer Kizz Daniel’s hit song, “Buga’’ and Afro beats star Burna Boy’s song, ‘Last Last’ said some could go further to discover the lyrics’ meanings, discovering the cultures and ideas that inspired them.
“See how the Black Panther movie and it’s sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has taken the world by storm, breaking box office records and making over 330 million dollars in sales in its first week,” the Nigerian Vice President noted in his opening speech at the National Theatre in Lagos.
“It proved a point that Africans local and in the diaspora can, using African themes, music, actors, producers and technical people create a movie that is an outstanding cinematic and technical achievement, with a modern, relevant theme. And that an African premiere of the movie was held in Africa is an important statement all by itself.”
Prof. Osinbajo noted that Nigerian music, rendered in Nigerian languages, is currently played worldwide.
He went ahead to sing and perform “Buga’’ and as well as gave the interpretation of the lyrics
“Let us see how many people know this song “, Koni baje o. Let me see you go low low / Let me see you go lolo…..Buga won.’’
The phrase “buga won” is a Yoruba expression, it means flaunt your hard won success while “collect your money” means, “take the fruits of your work’’.
“Many all over the world are squaring up their shoulders, saying it doesn’t matter how hard it may seem, let me see you dance and show off your success.
“The musician will be performing the song at the Qatar World Cup in a few days,’’ he said.
The Vice President, who also sang the Afrobeats star Burna Boy’s music, “Last Last’’ recalled that the musicians performed in front of 70,000 people in Finland at Finland’s flow festival 2022.
“Singing songs like ‘last last’ (He don cast ‘last last’ na everybody go chop breakfast) in pidgin English to a cheering Scandinavian audience is the power of music.
“The song is also the first Afrobeat song to have sold over 500 thousand units in less than 17 weeks after its release,’’ he said.
The Vice President said another Nigerian artiste, Asake’s song “Organise’’ though sung in pidgin English with street slang, is loved globally.
