Music is said to be the life of a soul, it produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without.”
― Confucius
It was Albert Einstein who said he probably would have become a musician if he wasn’t a physicist. He often thinks in music. He lives his daydreams in music. He sees his life in terms of music.”
Music has a powerful soothing effect on a soul. No soul no matter how sad and forlorn withstands the sound of a good music and remains moody.
“Obikerenke” is one of the commonest lyrics often sang during football matches. More of a hyping song expecially when the match is either goaless or a winning side making some flouncing of their victory. It is not for the vanquished.
One thing about this song is its detribalised appeal, accepted and embraced by all tribes and religious persuasions.
No football match worths it salt ends without the chant of “Obikerenke Obi”. The wordings though in Igbo language are very motivational, lifting spirits and spuring them to do the unimaginable.
Beside the wordings , the rhythm is top notch, creating and bringing life both for the players and the spectators.
“Obikerenke Obi” may be liken to “BUGA” lyrics today. Nobody, no matter how depressed and emotionally down, once the sounds of “BUGA” or “Jerusalema” is heard automatically there would be spark of fire in their life, brewing and stoking up energy for an electrifying dance steps.
Such is the kind of energy that “Obikerenke” was giving to people in the yore days. Today that old football song has taken a dramatic and most phenomenal transformation. From a football match song to a branded song, obidently patented and Yusufully popularised.
It ceased being a song for football supporters at the triumphant entering of Peter Obi to the race to a politically copy righted song for a particular movement with a set agenda to bring back the lost glory, promising to recreate as it were the vision and aspirations of our heroes past
It has become a signature tune, for a particular ideal, vision and mission; making it a bit complicated to be used freely again. It is no more freelanced. It has a brand name attached to it.
Using it outside the premeter of its use, would suggest a whilly nilly promotion of the movement that has it patented.
Before now, many political parties during their campaign rallies used it very copiously.
Unfortunately, they wouldn’t try such again, however they so much wanted it because of the energy and fire that come with its rendition.
Using it would mean doing an unsolicited advert for a certain candidate.
Obidient is before now an English word so also usefulness. Even the expression not giving “shishi” was common. But today they are no more words and expression which can be randomly used without speaking loudly for a particular candidate.
Though English words but through some political exigency are now a reflection of reform and renaissance, surging like a “lokojaic” flood, causing revolution and moving to pull down barriers and ancient walls of socio- economic and political strongholds.
Recently PDP had their rally at Uyo, the rally was mega as evidenced by the clips making the rounds on social media. To their peril Obikerenke became a song that dominated the charged atmosphere of the rally. They sang it in innocence may be, thinking it was bussines as usual, when the song had no affiliation of any sort with any political ideology. Not anymore! Sing that song, one may not be singing a song but promoting an ideology of value, integrity, competence and excellence.
“Shishi” is another age long expression that has gotten a raise in acceptability. It is no more a causal saying, it is more of an ideological expression that speaks deep, beyond the normal understanding of it. We no dey give “Shishi” is also a brand, patented also, use it now in whatever sense and guise, it makes a single meaning to all, speaking nothing but a political revolution that is guaranteeing new hope and new dawn.
Forever, the lyrics Obikerenke and the words obident, usefulness and Shishi have evolved, gone through desquamation of their skin of commonality, wearing a new skin of a movement on a mission of destiny liberation, speaking deep to soul beyond the usual feeling, to a feeling that suggests “Pharaoh let my people go”
When one hears or sings Obikerenke, when one uses obident , usefulness and shishi, nothing less of “Pharaoh let my people go” comes to the consciousness of people.
They have all become synonymous with liberation, struggle and ideological expression than mere comic and common expressions.
The past is but the beginning of a beginning, and all that is and has been is but the twilight of the dawn….A day will come when beings who are now latent in our thoughts and hidden in our loins shall stand upon this earth as one stands upon a footstool and shall laugh and reach out their hands amidst the stars…… Herbert George Wells
The above is prophetic, speaking reality to our nation Nigeria, she will once more stand on a footstool and reach out her hands to the stars singing Obikerenke. That time is now!
Jarlath Opara Jarlathuche@gmail.com
