"Nigeria Is No More Jaga-Jaga" — Eedris Abdulkarim

Gulf International Technology Exhibition was held in Dubai from October 12-16, with Nigeria as the official Country Partner of the event, reputed to be the biggest technology show in the MEASA (Middle East, Africa and South Asia) region. One of the highlights of Nigeria’s participation at GITEX was an Investors’ Gala Dinner which held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel and Top Nigerian singer, Eedris Abdulkarim, was billed to entertain guests, but for “technical problems”, he could not. In this interview, He disclosed why he could not perform, and why Nigeria is no more jaga-jaga!, See Excerpts below:

Eedris, what is a musician doing at GITEX 2014?
You know, as a Nigerian and an individual, I like to expand my reach, I like to learn because I believe everybody learns every day. I am here in Dubai to perform during GITEX. NITDA brought me here to perform; it was a beautiful experience, but the performance didn't take place because of some technical problems and I also used the opportunity to know the age which we are in technology and I must say that technology has gone to digital science and anybody who is not literate with computer is living in the past.

What hitches prevented you from holding the show?
I came in with a tourist’s visa, and it was after this we then understood that I needed a work visa to perform. The work visa took two weeks to get, so I couldn’t perform, as the event had held. But definitely I would be performing in Nigeria on November 19th at the next NITDA event, which is the e-Nigeria event in Abuja.

Since your last album it seems you haven’t been active. What’s with you?
Basically because my kind of music talks about ills in the society, and it needs research which takes time, to know what is going on, evaluate the present government, then compare and contrast with the past governments. I must tell you that for the first time I’m very positive about this government. In three years, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has been able to show Nigerians that there actually could be development.

So, Nigeria is no more “jaga-jaga?”
No, no no! Twelve years ago Nigeria was jaga-jaga, but now Nigeria is no more jaga jaga, even though we know that the insecurity happening in Nigeria is propaganda against government, but Dr. Jonathan is doing his best and is trying.

What’s your take on the kind of music making waves now?
For me, music is a call from God; He asked me to speak to the people, I speak for the voiceless. I don’t know about the other guys, but for me the music they play today is always talking about boobs, booty and all that. For me I think music should be educative, it should be a platform where you can educate people. Some wouldn’t know what education is all about but when they listen to music they learn. If you listen to my music 12years ago, I talked about the ills in the society.
I also remembered then when I came back from Egypt when I represented Nigeria at the Olympic Torch with Prof Pat Utomi, late Dora Akunyili, Chief Olusegun Odegbami and others, I came back and sang about the ills in the society. “Mr Lecturer” was one of them, Jaga-jaga was another. Those are the kinds of songs that I do and for me I think that is the best way to educate the people. There are lots of things to talk about; there is rape, there is insecurity and lot of more things to talk about. So why would you waste time singing about boobs and booty? It’s crazy.

Source: Vanguard