By
Dr. Chimeziri C. Ogbedeto, Dr. Ugochukwu Ogechi Iwuji
& Chiadikobi, Chinwe Mary-Rose
Department
of Humanities, Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Imo State, Nigeria
Corresponding author’s email & Phone No: ugoiwuji@gmail.com, uiwuji@fpno.edu.ng, +2348068781712
Abstract
Nigeria has a
vibrant music industry which churns out tons of music albums on annual basis.
However, most of these songs are thematically threadbare, and their lyrics are
contradictory to Nigeria’s national ethos. There seems to be a dearth of
critical discourses on the texture and tempo of musical releases in Nigeria. This
study expands epistemic frontiers as it investigates a number of contemporary
Nigerian songs rendered in the English language within the framework of
Leavisism. The aim is to establish how poor musical art can be inimical to
national purpose and development. The study identifies a hiatus – a missing
link in the music value chain in the country – the absence of a proactive and
robust censor’s board or agency. The role of the digital media in giving global
visibility to both sound and poor music is unprecedented, hence the need to
censor the art consumed by Nigerian citizens – especially young Nigerians who
are easily receptive of contemporary songs. A serious nation takes what is
consumed by its citizens seriously. The practice of releasing poorly scripted
and edited songs to the public with little or no censorship has been observed
as unhealthy by this paper. The methodology of the paper is essentially
qualitative as a number of musical releases are analysed and examined within
the Leveavisist framework. The findings of the study are noteworthy: one, most
of the lyrics of the songs do not promote cultural excellence, two, there is no
proactive censor’s board to prevent the infiltration of the market with
culturally unhealthy songs. A responsive censor’s board is the hiatus – the
missing – through which a musical art that promotes national development can be
realised.
Keywords: Censor’s board, Contemporary, Leavisism, Music
industry, Nigeria and National ethos.
Introduction
Music is a powerful agent of socialisation whose content and
production should be taken seriously by the authorities of any country. Contemporary
Nigerian music, especially hip-hop and Afro-pop have emerged as a growing trend
that resonates with the young population. Essentially, contemporary Nigerian
music refers to the modern forms of popular music that emerged from the late 20th
century through cultural fusion, technological innovation, and globalisation.
Adedeji (2010) explains that contemporary Nigerian music developed from earlier
traditional and popular forms such as Yoruba music, highlife, juju, and
Afrobeat. It incorporates traditional rhythms, proverbs, and tonal language
features. It also integrates western instruments, studio production techniques,
and global genres like hip-hop and R&B. Contemporary Nigerian music
responds to social change while reflecting generational tastes. Omoniyi (2006) argues
that contemporary Nigerian music, especially hip-hop and Afrobeats, demonstrate
creative language mix – achieving a hybrid of English, Nigerian Pidgin, and
indigenous languages. Obiefuna and Onyeka (2014) view contemporary Nigerian
popular music through its thematic and aesthetic features. They identify themes
of addressed by the musical genre to include love, wealth, social struggle,
politics, and urban life.
The digital media has enhanced the global visibility of
contemporary Nigerian music. Digital media has to do with any form of content
created, stored, distributed and accessed in digital or electronic forms such
as smartphones, tablets and other digital devices. The digital media is
interactive and shareable, having a global reach. It is a veritable avenue to
enhance communication, promote business and brands, connect people worldwide
and entertain people. Examples of digital media may include social media
platforms, streaming services (YouTube and Netflix), websites, blogs, podcasts
and e-books, among others. Digital
platforms that amplify contemporary Nigerian music include: Spotify, TikTok,
YouTube, Audiomack, Boomplay. Apple music and social media platforms
(Instagram, Facebook, Twitter/X), among others.
The digital media
has given contemporary Nigerian music a boost in terms of visibility and
access. Digital media and social platforms
have intensified these debates. Ojukwu (2025) notes that social media amplifies
the reach of morally insensitive songs, making regulation more complex. Adeola
(2020) also highlights how digital accessibility increases youth exposure to
morally ambiguous content. The democratisation of music production and
distribution has therefore weakened traditional gatekeeping structures. It is important
that the authorities regulate the content in digital media so that it does not
undermine the national ethos. The entire process of producing this genre of
music should be adequately censored to prevent the preponderance of negative
art that corrupts. In recent times, contemporary Nigerian music has been
derailed by the growing trend of vulgarism and indecency. This trajectory mars
national purpose and undermines cultural values.
Nigeria’s national ethos is formally established in the
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999), particularly in Section
23, which articulates the core values that are intended to guide both citizens
and government. These values include discipline, integrity, dignity of labour,
social justice, religious tolerance, self-reliance, and patriotism. Beyond the
constitutional articulation, the National Ethics and Integrity Policy (NEIP)
implemented by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences
Commission (ICPC) provides a practical framework for operationalising these
values in governance and public life. The policy emphasises human dignity,
patriotism, personal responsibility, integrity, national unity, and
professional conduct as actionable standards for citizens and public officials.
Falola (2008) enriches the understanding of Nigeria’s national ethos by framing
it as a tool for building a collective identity and shared purpose among
citizens. In summary, Nigeria’s national ethos serves as a guide for a
collective vision and action, emphasising patriotism, social responsibility,
and citizen engagement through which national development actualised and sustained.
Literature Review and Theoretical Framework
This study examines how lack of censorship has made
contemporary Nigerian music to promote values that contradict national purpose
and ethos. Contemporary Nigerian music has attracted significant scholarly
attention due to its growing influence on youth culture and national identity. It
is important that scholars give it the critical attention it so deserves.
Already, several scholars argue that some contemporary songs promote values
that contradict traditional moral standards. Ogunrinade (2016) describes
contemporary Nigerian popular music as a potential “menace to national
development,” noting that lyrical content often glorifies materialism, sexual
pervasion and social deviance.
Adelakun and Williams (2025) examine rural youths in Lagos
State and discover that exposure to hip-hop music is linked to shifts in
perceived moral standards. Similarly, Ibekwe (2017) argues that exposure to
morally questionable lyrics contributes to what he terms a “moral crisis” among
Nigerian youths. The role of music videos in shaping moral perceptions has also
been widely discussed. Akas and Nwofor (2019), in their study of Flavour’s
“Catch You,” highlight the prominence of explicit imagery and gender
objectification in contemporary Nigerian music videos. Ekwueme (2018) further
argues that visual representations of sexuality and luxury lifestyles in music
videos reinforce permissive attitudes toward premarital sex and consumerism.
Language use in contemporary Nigerian hip-hop has also drawn
criticism. Okoye (2021) examines vulgarity and obscenity in hip-hop lyrics and
concludes that explicit expressions have become a norm. Endong (2016) similarly
probes illicit content in Nigerian hip-hop, questioning the effectiveness of
censorship mechanisms in regulating morally offensive material.
There is tension between African traditional moral values
and modern popular culture. Tairu et al. (2024) argue that Afro-pop music often
departs from indigenous ethical systems rooted in communal respect, modesty,
and social responsibility. Ogoke (2018) situates this tension within broader
Nigerian popular culture, suggesting that Westernization and globalization have
influenced changing moral narratives in music. The clash between tradition and
modernity therefore underpins many critiques of contemporary songs.
Media literacy and moral reorientation emerge as recurring
solutions in literature. Layefa et al. (2016) advocate for media literacy
education to help youths critically interpret popular music messages. Ajaero et
al. (2019) propose transforming hip-hop into a tool for educational and
socio-cultural development rather than moral decline. These scholars do not
wholly condemn contemporary music but argue for reform and responsible
creativity.
Empirical studies also link music consumption with
behavioral outcomes. Nwosu and Okafor (2019) analyze media exposure and youth
behavior, concluding that music influences attitudes toward sexuality, drug
use, and social rebellion. Ojo (2023) extends this discussion by examining
global music influences and their impact on cultural and moral behaviors among
Nigerian youths. Together, these works suggest that moral concerns are
intertwined with broader patterns of globalization and media consumption.
Some scholars adopt a more historical and sociological lens.
Okafor (2005) underscores the traditional function of music in Nigerian society
as a vehicle for moral instruction and communal values. In contrast, Onyeka
(2014) observes that contemporary thematic patterns often emphasize wealth,
fame, and pleasure over communal responsibility. This contrast between
traditional moral instruction and modern commercialized themes reinforces
arguments about moral decline.
Overall, the literature reveals a dominant concern that some
contemporary Nigerian songs promote immorality through explicit lyrics,
sexualised imagery, and the glorification of deviant behavior. However,
scholars differ in their conclusions: while Ogunrinade (2016) and Endong (2016)
adopt strongly critical positions, others such as Ajaero et al. (2019) and
Layefa et al. (2016) advocate reform rather than condemnation. The debate
ultimately reflects broader tensions between globalization, youth culture, commercialization,
and African moral traditions. Future research may benefit from balanced
empirical investigations that measure actual behavioral impact rather than
relying solely on moral interpretation.
Psychoanalysis is a relevant theory to interrogate our
primary data. Psychoanalysis is both a theory of human behaviour and a clinical
method that explores the unconscious mind and the underlying causes of
emotional and psychological difficulties. It avers that much of mental life
occurs outside conscious awareness, influencing thoughts, feelings, and behaviour
(Bateman, Holmes, & Allison, 2022). Originally proposed by Sigmund Freud, psychoanalysis emphasises
that the repressed unconscious shapes personality and mental health. This
framework views the psyche as structured around the interplay of the id, ego,
and superego, which regulate instincts, social norms, and conscious
decision-making (Eagle, 2011, 2018).
A basic tenet of psychoanalysis is the importance of early life experiences.
Freud argues that early experiences and relational patterns influence later
personality development. (Bateman et al., 2022). Defence mechanism is another basic concept in psychoanalysis which
has to do with the unconscious strategies employed by the ego to manage
internal conflict and anxiety. Mechanisms such as repression, projection, and
sublimation shield individuals from psychological distress while shaping
personality and behaviour (Bateman et al., 2022; Eagle, 2018). Transference and countertransference
are also key tenets of psychoanalysis; transference occurs when patients
project feelings and expectations from past relationships onto the therapist,
while countertransference involves the therapist’s emotional responses to the
patients (Bateman et al., 2022).
Also, psychoanalysis emphasises the therapeutic relationship as a vehicle for change. Through the
analytic process, patients explore unconscious drives, gain insight into
unresolved conflicts, and develop a deeper understanding of themselves and
their relationships. Contemporary research supports the efficacy of
psychoanalytic and psychodynamic therapy for improving emotional regulation,
personality functioning, and relational patterns (Shedler, 2010; Bateman et
al., 2022).
The paper also deploys Leavisism to interrogate the primary
data. A framework named after its progenitor, F. R. leavis, Leavisism
celebrates the idea of the Great Tradition in English literature which argues
that literature should embody morality. Leavis in his influential book, Great Tradition,
commends the works of Jane Austen, George Eliot, Henry James and Joseph Conrad,
among others for embodying moral seriousness. A primary tenet of Leavis’s Great
Tradition is moral seriousness.
For Leavis, literature should reflect the ethical quality of life. Literature
is, therefore, not a mere entertainment but a disciplined exploration of moral
consciousness. Horne (2004) asserts that Leavis valued writers who demonstrate
a profound engagement with the complexities of right and wrong, responsibility,
and human relationships.
Leavisism argues
that art should embody a vital engagement with lived human experience.
According to Day (1996), Leavis saw literature as a record of civilization’s
moral and cultural health. Artel must present life in its fullness—social,
psychological, and spiritual—rather than focusing on superficial plots or
sensationalism.
Realism
is also a core component of Leavisism, emphasising the need for artists to
portray reality with psychological depth. Schwarz (1989) notes that for Leavis,
realism was not photographic detail but an intense moral and psychological
attentiveness to character. In summary,
art for Leavis, should be a cultural authority – a guardian for cultural values
in a rapidly industrialised and commercialised society.
Both Psychoanalysis and Leavisism are central to this paper
as they emphasise moral rectitude in art and how it can positively impact the
subconscious of an individual for cultural excellence and national development.
When scaled in the crucible of the two theories, most contemporary Nigerian
songs may be found thematically threadbare, explicit and unable to uphold the
national ethos.
Contemporary Nigerian Songs, National Culture and the
Digital Media
The dynamics of
the digital media have given visibility to art forms, oral or written. They
have democratised access to art, such that ordinary folks may not need to go to
the physical market to purchase choice musical albums. They simply download songs
from any digital platform available. This is why a serious nation regulates
what its citizens consume. Essentially, what is consumed constitutes a lived
experience which resides in the realm of the subconscious, finding expression
in due course through conscious acts. An uncensored art may corrupt a society
and derail national objectives and cultural values. Art consumed in a society
should aptly reflect the standard of society while being the moral compass upon
which a society is built. The youth population which constitutes a great bulk
of the population mass of the Nigerian nation is the worst-hit in this era of
digital media. By their nature, the youths are easily influenced by what they
see and hear. Music is a tonic through which they relieve tension. The youthful
age presents a volatile period where young people easily idolise music stars,
who unknown to them, are delinquents churning out poor art for mercantile
purposes.
There are many
contemporary Nigerian songs that are not healthy to the psyche of a typical
Nigerian youth. These songs unfortunately are produced and released to the
digital market without censorship. There seems to be the absence of a strong
regulatory mechanism in the creative industry. Most of the artists that
populate the music ecosystem are ignorant of the Nigerian national ethos or
purpose. They create and produce songs that are thematically threadbare –
unaligned to national values and unable to edify the society.
This study
interrogates a number of contemporary Nigerian songs with the aim of
identifying the hiatus within. Rema’s “Soundgasm” released in 2022 has remained
unbanned in the country even when it is unhealthy for consumption. The song is
bad art that is antithetical to the society. it embodies explicit and sensuous
images and symbols that at best propel a Nigerian youth into antisocial
behaviour. The song presents the female-folk as mere symbols of sexual
gratification, romantisising typical amorous encounter with a female
acquaintance. The latter is presented as nubile, pliable and vulnerable – only
good at following the whims of her male partner. The female partner in Rema’s
song does not deserve genuine love but “sexy love”:
Sexy love, what
she need from a bad boy like me
Yeah, yeah
Sexy kisses, the
thing that she end from my lips
Yeah, yeah
Man’s XXL is the
only air that she breathe
And when I look
into her eyes
I know that she
can never get enough of me
The tone of the
song is self-indulgent. The artist seems only single-minded in satisfying his
lust. The artist could have focused his art on crucial aspects of our national
life rather than recreating a sexual scene. The symbols of “sexy love” and “bad
boy” reinforce the delinquency of the artist. He tags his love a “sexy love”
and does not even spare his personality as he characterises himself as bad. The
artist’s partner is as delinquent as he appears as all she wants are sexy
kisses”. Beyond this, the partner also needs a man’s XXL, a metaphor for a
man’s organ. It is incomprehensible that the said metaphor forms the “air that
she breathes.” The use of air in the foregoing is a metaphor suggesting a
symbol that assuages hunger. The partner is unable to “get enough” of the
artist because her heart seems preoccupied with satisfying fleshly yearnings.
The artist and his concupiscent love are overwhelmed with lewd thoughts on mere
issues of emotion.
Onuekwusi (2013,
p. 5) avers that any society that neglects good literature “will find out with
time that it has chosen anarchy and barbarism instead of peace and harmony.”
Art can order and reorder a society. Creativity should be developmental in
nature, pushing frontiers of societal evolution and not one that is for
commercial gain which reinforces consumerist behaviour. Rema’s art in the
foregoing son is simply commercialist in nature, promoting antisocial behaviours
that appeal only to the id. He further presents his partner as a worthless
symbol of sexual appeal:
Your body high me
like lean
When we do it skin
to skin
And as you rush
they increase
I feel the drip in
your V
Shorty say she
feeling sore
She grab my neck
and she whisper, “Please”
Shorty give me
dirty splash on my chest to my knees.
The song continues
to evoke lewd images to capture the artist’s escapades with her lover. The
phrases “skin to skin”, “drip in” and “dirty splash” present images of
sensuality which only catalyse imaginations inimical to national development.
Contemporary
Nigerian music should edify youths who form its primary audience and not expose
them to vulgarism and lasciviousness. Rema’s “Soundgasm” is antisocial and
should be banned. It is injurious to the subconscious of a young adult,
offering only obscene which promote petty, patriarchal agenda that contradict
national values. The female in Rema’s song is a symbol of lust and
gratification. In the end, the artist acknowledges her thus:
Baby girl your
body is my medicine
Sweet baby
melanin, sweeter than sugarcane
If I hickey,
hickey on her neck
Sex like gangster
on my face, innocent…
The foregoing
lines promote sexual promiscuousness. It is no eulogy as there is nothing
heroic about the action or posture of the female partner. She is addressed as a
“medicine”, a metaphor for a healing balm. There is simile in the second line
where the female partner is considered sweeter than sugarcane. A young female
adult listening to the song may be lured into promiscuity, having been made
aware of her “soft” powers and not intellectual capacity.
The title of
Rema’s immoral song “Soundgasm” gives a foretaste of the indecency of his art.
There is an unabashed promotion of sexual act and its orgasmic outcome. The
song is a reckless invitation to a life of licentiousness and incontinence. The
art consumed by the public should be defined by verbal and moral restraint. A
nation is not built on art that promotes profligacy and libertinism.
Some contemporary
sacred songs may unwittingly catalyse immoral thoughts, which derail their
artistic quality. Art must be seen to address fundamental human and moral
realities and not promote crude words and acts. Chinyere Udoma’s latest musical
release “Ihe Di Gi Nma” shows traces of crudity which could have been flagged
and expunged if music censors board were in place. Some aspects of the song,
especially the latter part, does not show restraint in its deployment of
symbols to describe iniquitous acts:
Anu aru m choro
kam zuo ori
My flesh desires
to steal
Anu aru m choro ka
m kwaba iko
My flesh desires
to fornicate
Anu arum choro kam
siba asi
My flesh desires
to tell lies
Anu aru m choro
kam sebe igbo
My flesh desires
to smoke marijuana
Anu aru m choro ka
m ruo aka
My flesh desires
lesbianism
Anu aru m choro
kam kpowa ntu
My flesh desires
homosexuality.
The foregoing
verse unwittingly exposes itself to the crudities that define immoral secular
songs like Rema’s “Soundgasm” as discoursed earlier. Art that is consumed by
the public clearly keeps faith to the values of the society that produced it,
while showing restraint and moderation in its lexical and semantic
ramification. The brazen mention of the sins from which the artist seeks
salvation is counterintuitive, contradicting the piety earlier expressed in the
song. The beauty of art lies in its ability to deploy figurative expressions to
address even the crudest of circumstances. This preserves art and makes it
timeless. Leavisism argues for a strict, moral-centred art that priortises
societal wellbeing.
The foregoing song
may be two weighty and even absurd for a child or young adult to sing. Some of
the immoral acts so mentioned may ne strange to them. They may certainly not be
familiar with lesbianism, homosexuality and marijuana addiction. Exposing them
to these antisocial habits may be injurious to their psyche. What the
subconscious mind assimilates determines what the conscious personality
expresses. Artistic works are consumed by a mixed audience of children, young
adults and adults, hence, an artist should not assume that his audience are
knowledgeable with certain lexical items used in the work. Essentially, art
should edify the public at all times and not assault the emotion. By its
nature, musical art deserves great caution at the stage of creativity and
production as it can hardly be restricted from anyone. The digital media has
democratised access to knowledge and the musical art is no exception. An
effective censor’s board should censure both secular and sacred songs at the
stage of production and escalation.
Like Rema’s
“Soundgasm”, Naira Marley’s “Pxy Drip” is entirely explicit and vulgar, evoking
sultry images and symbols that are unhealthy to the public. The verse promotes
male chauvinism and promiscuity. It creates a binary between a lecherous male
and a vulnerable female. The lustful male holds the female in derision, hence
the generous use of the yonic symbols: “Make that pussy drip/Whine your body
and go down low.” The first line of the excerpt implicates the title of the
song which in itself is indecent, only using the letter “x” replace other
letters that point to a yonic symbol. The rude male is impatient in the song
and dishes out commands to the female partner who is malleable and vulnerable.
The female partner thus has no mind of her own, making herself readily
available to the male “lord” who wants to be satiated all the time. In his
impatience, the man says: “And I can’t wait till we get inside.” The lexical
item “inside” is a metaphor for the woman’s body which the male admirer takes
for granted.
Most contemporary
Nigerian songs are entirely driven by mercantile interest. In the process of
appealing to the id of the young generation, these songs lose real, tangible
meaning that can impact virtues in the psyche of a youth. Driven by the
pleasure principle, these songs contradict national values which they ought to
embody. For Naira Marley whose songs resonate with a vast majority of the
youthful population in Nigeria, what matters the most is the quantum of profit
he makes from his songs and not the values it propagates. The end part of his “Pxy
Drip” emphasises how vanities can attract a woman to ta man, reinforcing the
little value he wants the society to place on women:
And you turn me
on, on
Girl come make me
spend my money
Girl you make me
spend my money…
And you turn me on
Girl come make we
spend money
Girl you make me
spend money.
The tone of the
poem is vulgar and tawdry. The verse addresses the female-folk as mere pleasure
tools that are captivated by epicureanism. The diction is inelegant and shoddy.
The work is threadbare hence the mindless repetition. The use of repetition
deepens the emotional impact of literary lines, creating rhythm, musicality and
cohesion. However, lines are recklessly repeated in the verse because the
artist lacks the art to appeal to the intellect. There is no value to
communicate and there is no tangible theme that is created or sustained in the
work. A good art ought to teach and delight. In the case of contemporary
Nigerian songs, there is no intellectual effort to develop the superego of
humanity as the songs are primarily created to appeal to the id, and in the
end, art loses its value as the society endures its backlash.
Conclusion
and Recommendation
The dynamics of
the digital media have given visibility to art forms, oral or written. They
have democratised access to art, such that ordinary folks may not need to go to
the physical market to purchase choice musical albums. They simply download songs
from any digital platform available. This is why a serious nation regulates
what its citizens consume. Essentially, what is consumed constitutes a lived
experience which resides in the realm of the subconscious, finding expression
in due course through conscious acts. An uncensored art may corrupt a society
and derail national objectives and cultural values. Art consumed in a society
should aptly reflect the standard of the society while being the moral compass
upon which a society is built. The youth population which constitutes a great
bulk of the population mass of the Nigerian nation is the worst-hit in this era
of digital media. By their nature, the youths are easily influenced by what
they see and hear. Music is a tonic through which they relieve tension. The
youthful age presents a volatile period where young people easily idolise music
stars, who unknown to them, are delinquents churning out poor art for
mercantile purposes. There are many contemporary Nigerian songs that are not
healthy to the psyche of a typical Nigerian youth. These songs unfortunately
are produced and released to the digital market without censorship. There seems
to be the absence of a strong regulatory mechanism in the creative industry.
Most of the artists that populate the music ecosystem are ignorant of the
Nigerian national ethos or purpose. They create and produce songs that are
thematically threadbare – unaligned to national values and unable to edify the
society. This study strongly recommends
an active music censor’s board to properly regulate the music industry,
evaluating songs – secular or sacred before their release.
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This article is published in ALQALAM: A Journal of Language and Literary Studies, FUGUS, Volume 1, Issue 2 - June 2026
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