By Kebesobase Ibiang Ofem
A heart touching video clip that I bumped into some days back prompted this piece. In the video, five youngsters, all females were seen in abject merriment while professing their membership of the Marlian gang.
Like a scene from one of the pervert Nollywood movies, the video opens with Naira Marley's 'Tingasa', (with all its lurid coinage) wafting from a high tech, phone. A heavy cloud of smoke hoots from wraps of marijuana that would make the legendary afrobeat king, Fela roll in his grave.
Then came the announcement from one of the ladies, "Marlians". While one was busy wrapping and cutting the weed to sizes, others puff away in we-don't-give-a-damn manner. Perhaps, in defiant of whatever any one may say, one was seen doing a video recording of the scene.
The announcer continues: "Na di house o. We dey class o. We don set the science class" She took a measured drag of the wrapped hemp held between her fingers. Such was the debauchery.
Azeez Fashola alias Naira Marley, is a Nigerian musician, who came into limelight with his hit song, "Issa Goal" and his subsequent controversial masterpiece, "am I a Yahoo boy" in 2019.
Undoubtedly, his genre of music is widely perceived as promoting immorality of sorts, internet fraud, sagging culture, beltless-gang-wannabes, drinking spree, drug addiction and abuse, marijuana smoking, among other related acts repugnant to African culture and tradition.
He was nabbed sometimes ago by a team of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, who found him culpable of internet-induced fraud, otherwise known as "Yahoo Yahoo" in street lingo.
Since his arrest and subsequent release, Naira Marley, has remained a bad influence on the youth, given his status as a celebrity, especially as he has garnered admiration from all and sundry, predominantly among young folks, who see him as a role model.
He has pulled a large pool of discipleship across Nigeria and Africa, who go about preaching the Marlian gospel. In Nigeria today, you can hardly find a household without a Marlian; "I am a Marlian" is the common profession you would find in their mouths.
As though he is a perceived bad influence, many have argued on the contrary, positing that one can only choose to allow bad influence drive their thought process if they so wish, and not by attributing such to the character modes of another.
They hinge their argument on the fact that Naira Marley graduated with distinctions across his various academic degrees abroad. So, the poser on the street is, why didn't these youths imitate the good side of Naira Marley?
That said, but truth be told, can the society make our youth any better? Fine society is one where there is protection against the vulgarities of the street and the tavern.
Virtues usually erode most kids the moment they leave home and mingle with other elements of the society. A society, in the common acceptation, has neither ideas or aims. It renders the services of a perfumery, or a laundry, not of a farm or factory—it certainly cannot make anyone better. It is unfathomable how our youth chose immorality which is costlier over decency which is priceless.
It's crystal clear, and unfortunately disdainful, exasperating and disgraceful in all respect, that most of our youth are toeing the wrong path of Naira Marley. This is abundantly true because in our homes and schools, we stylishly permit and watch our wards exhibit these tendencies under our gleeful eyes and nose. To the crux of the matter, which is this video. I wonder which parent would not whimper after seeing this video. (see attached clip)
Note that this clip isn't intended to denigrate, or disparage the characters therein, in the eyes of right thinking members of the society. Their identity, even as I write, is not known; but just a pointer to the future our youth who are supposedly the leaders of tomorrow, project for themselves. A vivid look at the video shows that the young girls are barely in their twenties. A little bird whispered to my ears that they are students of a popular higher institution in town.
Nonetheless, they were busily and exuberantly doing their stuff with some chants of "Marlians", as well as declaring their current state of affairs, their classroom and moment of rehearsals. What are they rehearsing? It's really disappointing to see that this is how far our youth can go in this current pandemic that has caught us unaware and crippled most of our engagements that would've otherwise kept us busy.
And I ask, isn't the lockdown instructive enough to get our youth engaged in skill acquisitions to add value to themselves, rather than smoking and weeding away their destinies in such a hasty manner?
Do we still have leaders of tomorrow in a generation of Marlians? Are parents and guardians aware of the effect of Naira Marley on their kids? What is the implication of this on the future of our nation? Is it gonna salvage or ravage our predicaments as a people?
I wish you can answer these posers and many other puzzles in my heart. Although I am not a judge, this act of anomie must be rebuked or condemned out rightly!
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