Have you ever wondered why an empty CD is more expensive than one with content? The reason is not far fetched. It is due to the impact of piracy. And, for Nigerian artistes, the fear of piracy is the beginning of wisdom. Already, it has suffocated competition and harmed the economy; and has almost assumed an endemic status in every sector.

Will The Fight Against Piracy Ever End?As the Nigerian entertainment industry continues to gain recognition internationally, pirates are cashing in on the hype to shortchange stakeholders and undermine their efforts. Eunice Nze looks into the issue and proffers a way forward.Have you ever wondered why an empty CD is more expensive than one with content? The reason is not far fetched. It is due to the impact of piracy. And, for Nigerian artistes, the fear of piracy is the beginning of wisdom. Already, it has suffocated competition and harmed the economy; and has almost assumed an endemic status in every sector.Simply put, piracy is the unlawful reproduction, sale or distribution of creative work of arts ranging from books, music and movies to software. It is a significant drain on the resources of the creator of a work of art, the entertainment industry and the economy. It makes it difficult for them to recover their research, development and production costs.Fighting piracy is currently the Nigerian entertainment industry’s major challenge, the most common being disc piracy which is allegedly run by an organised syndicate backed by influential godfathers. Many investigations show that most pirates in Nigeria are disc marketers primarily interested in the sale of their CDs. Since demand for empty CD is relatively lower, they illegally copy popular songs on the CDs which they sell to teeming fans at ridiculously reduced rates that only ensure quicker sales for their real wares  CDs.In an interview with the masked one, Lagbaja, M2 asked why his CDs are not readily available for fans to buy. His response was prompt; “The problem of availability has been caused by distribution; this is an attempt to minimize piracy by implementing a different sales method, and a delay with new promotional videos. Now that more videos have been finished, a new Video CD would be released in conjunction with the Audio CDs for wider distribution”. Artiste’s Lament Government NegligenceHarri Best, a music artiste who recently returned to the country, told M2; “The thing is that the government here doesn’t realize the power of entertainment. In the UK, entertainment is the second or third biggest industry in terms of revenue generation. The same goes to America and Germany. If government can just take its eyes off oil for one second and try to regulate the entertainment sector properly, things will be fine. In the UK , if you want to sell music, you should have a store and when you have a store, you must have a scanner which scans the sale and it goes to a central computer.”He continues that for every CD sold, government gets an agreed amount, the artiste gets his share and the record label gets its own. “In a country like Nigeria where they buy music so much, if the record sells maybe 3million; it means government gets the agreed amount 3 million times. The same goes for movies. It’s a pity our government likes it the easy way from oil money.”He advises that hawkers should not be permitted to sell music on the streets while store owners must have a scanning machine. This way, all stakeholders can tell the number of copies sold.Lagbaja charges that a “permanent end might be an unrealistic goal, but significant reduction is highly feasible if the authorities are willing. The Nigerian Copyright Commission needs to effectively lead the war on piracy. More focus should be shifted to direct market action rather than seminars which are turning out to be mere academic exercises.”He continues that two concrete solutions immediately come to mind: first, in addition to the recent directive requiring factories to mark all discs for source identification purposes, the NCC should also enforce the hologram scheme it developed many years ago. Hence, every CD/VCD will be required to carry the tamper-proof serial-numbered NCC hologram. This has three major benefits: any disc without the hologram is easily identified by the fan/buyer as fake and enforcement agents; it will form a verifiable sales data; and generate more revenue for the NCC via hologram sales.Lagbaja’s second proposition is that the successful prosecution of defaulters will serve as deterrent and send a strong signal about NCC’s effectiveness Consumer Negligence factorConsumers also contribute to the rot in the system when they buy fake and pirated CDs. A consumer who spoke to M2 under anonymity was of the opinion that piracy should not be scrapped because this would mean that music and movies would become privileges for the rich. He asked M2′s correspondent if less privileged people like him should be denied the respite they derive from interesting music and movies.Some point out that even if all music and movies were sold online, this would not solve the problem as very few Nigerians possess Credit and internet cards. While most consumers say they do not like the act, they are also quick to point out that piracy favours the mass market. Only a few, such as Fisayo Ojofeyitimi, stoutly affirm that they can never patronise pirates since they appreciate the costs artistes incur in developing their works.Another pertinent issue is that most consumers cannot even differentiate between an original CD and a pirated one. They usually rely on the trader’s counsel during purchase. Tijani Adegbola of Shetade Images points out salient features that differentiate an original disc. It clean on the surface, devoid of lines; it carries a serial number around the shiny side; it carries the signature of the production outfit on both sides; it carries a security feature similar to that on books; and is mostly available in notable departmental stores as these will not want to jeopardise their reputation. Proposed SolutionsIkechukwu Nweke of Iyke Ventures, a CD trader, highlights the advantages of an original CD as follows: it remains good for 10years; does not destroy player lens; does not make crackling noises; picture clarity; behind-the-scenes bonus benefits such as cast/crew interviews, and making of the content.Government also needs to show demonstrable and sustained commitment to containing piracy. Enforcement agencies and investigators engaged in the fight should be properly trained and motivated to carry out their work to the highest professional standards. As Lagbaja rightly proffers, if syndicates are properly prosecuted it will definitely serve as a deterrent to othersAnd lastly, most consumers want to do the right thing but are discouraged by the perceived high costs of the original CDs. They want the costs reduced.

Popular opinion holds that a beauty pageant is a contest based mainly on the physical beauty of its contestants. Sometimes, these contests feature personality, talent, and intelligence as criteria. Pageants are mostly common among women. Men also get involved in body building so as to become fashion models. Beauty pageants are always staged to meet particular needs, the need to have a queen that will either represent the interest of an organization or an outfit, for instance. The manner in which these pageants are organised depends on the need of the organization, although there are no strict rules as regards the need or intention of the institution.
However, a pageant can only be seen as successful if it meets some of the aspirations of people. Some critics have condemned most beauty pageants organised in Nigeria saying they are demoralizing. They say it is a show of shame for girls to parade themselves in front of an audience all in the name of fame, adding that it is immoral. These pageants are therefore termed as unsuccessful by such critics.
Critics of beauty contests also argue that such contests emphasise the belief that ladies should be appreciated for their looks and that this makes women go to any extent in improving their appearance, spending time and money on fashion, cosmetics, hair styling and even cosmetic surgery. This quest for physical beauty even encourages some to embark on a self imposed hunger strike to the point of harming themselves.
Despite the fact that some contests have elements that do not solely depend on physical beauty, contestants that are not physically appealing are still not likely to win, despite their intelligence, talents and all. Some even assume that instead of availing women with opportunities, beauty contests hurt the prospects of ladies who do not have knowledge of what true beauty is about. Some argue that most pageants don’t require a swimsuit as this emphasizes the body features of the contestants.
While clarifying the issue, Iyoha Kenneth, the renowned boss of Sensational Bliss modeling agency and an events expert, submits that the major prerequisite for a successful pageant is the vision or the motive behind it and such motives vary. It is not all about organizing a pageant to crown someone as a beauty queen. For example, the recently concluded Miss Museum beauty pageant was strictly focused on getting an ambassador that will promote the National Museum and represent her interests, while propagating the Nigerian culture.
Beauty queens are considered ambassadors representing an interest, vision, institution, state, country or universe as the case may be. So it is very pertinent that before a pageant is organized, the vision must be properly defined in order not to lose focus else the pageant may not see the light of day.
Expatiating further, Iyoha says that a pageant director must posses both managerial and leadership skills. He must be financially viable, honest and have integrity. Prior experience is also a necessity or one can employ a professional who must pay extreme attention to the goal of the pageant.
Ada Dike, a prominent name in fashion and style reporting, concurs with Iyoha adding that such a person must be able to promote the self-esteem of the contestants. “Contestants must feel a sense of belonging with other contestants, and the larger pageant community because the contest offers a platform on which they negotiate their sense of self. Contestants gain the ability to speak in public and a sense of confidence in themselves, she says.
In addition to the above, a pageant can only be seen as successful when good planning is involved. The concept must be well defined and the impact must be fully measured in terms of manner, poise, carriage, intelligence, and height. It is very emotional, exciting and breathtaking; and although it’s called a beauty pageant, very often, it is not the most beautiful face that wins.
While responding to a question on contestants parading in bikinis, Caroline Johnson, the chief judge at the Face of Nature beauty pageant and CEO of April Events says; “If parading in bikini is one of the yardsticks, depending on the type of beauty pageant, then the contestants must be in a very good shape, well proportioned and well toned.” The basic statistics required for pageantry universally is a bust-line ranging between 32-36, waist-line 24-28, and hip-line 34-38.
Iyoha points out that a beauty queen must be naturally beautiful without blemishes irrespective of her complexion; the color of her skin is not a limitation provided that the skin is gorgeous, glowing and stands out.
Chibuzor Patrick of Meljestin PR & Events however opines that bikini parades do not have any impact on a pageant as she sees beauty pageants as “a vehicle for the propagation of good moral values for a decent and ordered society. True beauty comes from within and showing off in a bikini for me doesn’t add any value except to entertain the audience which is really not necessary. This is because beauty is the essence of nature; its sustenance is the sole intent of creation as seen in the exhibition of God in the quantum beauties of the global environment, the scenic sights and the unimaginable symphony of its sounds.”
Caroline Johnson submits that there is no minimum height requirement for beauty pageants. It is the personality of the contestant that counts. Contestants must also be glamorous and entertaining to get the attention of the crowd, asides intelligence. Judges will only judge on the criteria set for them.
Above all, a contestant’s personality is very essential. Without personality nobody can succeed in the market place, which is why in pageantry special training on personality development and grooming must be organized to prepare the potential queens on how to carry themselves in public. A beauty ambassador must always carry herself with gait and grace.

Rise to Stardom
Tuface’s journey into the Nigerian music industry began with Plantation Boiz. Even at that early stage, people saw Plantation Boiz as a group of talented musicians. Tuface later left the group and signed on with Kennis Music, a move that saw him transported to the heights of his career at the time.
His pioneer solo album, Face 2 Face, was indeed a hit that Nigerians and Africans in general will not readily forget, with songs like African Queen, Keep On Rocking, U No Holy Pass, Nfana Ibanga and Ole, which were all well composed and delivered. The African Queen track in particular heightened his already fast rising image and saw him winning more fans as well as numerous prestigious awards including MTV Europe, Best Africa Male Act, in 2005.
Collaborations with foreign artistes like Beenie Man, Wyclef Jean, and Reggie also placed Tuface on a level far above his colleagues. His sophomore album, Grass to Grace, was an instant hit, a landmark achievement and a force that took him off from the platform of an upcoming artiste to that of an established performer. The album was a mixture of Calypso, Reggae, R&B, Rock and plain Hip-hop, spliced with rap by foreign artistes like Ghana ‘s VIP. Indeed, the strength of that album lay in its variety and Tuface’s emotional rendition. Even though the artiste was already a force in the African music industry; withGrass 2 Grace, Tuface firmly wrote his name on the sands of time as one of the greatest musicians that Nigeria , and indeed Africa , had ever known.

Trying Times
The artiste’s most famous travails began in 2003. First, he was shot three times in his apartment, an ordeal he surprisingly survived. This particular event may have been the first indication that he possesses the proverbial nine lives. Similarly, Tuface survived repeated robbery attacks at different locations including one where he was shot in the thigh in the year 2007.
In the same 2007, the media crowded on him like ants on sugar following the reported cases of his several liaisons with women and the resulting pregnancies. A fan who simply identified himself as Jade told M2; “I once read one of the papers where he said he was only living up to expectations as an African man … I hope his new album is something to write home about else, I’ll just delete him from my list of No.1 Nigerian artistes.”
His claims to have done collaborations with some foreign artistes were also questioned. Despite all the pains, the multi-award winning artiste did not give up. He persevered and acted as though nothing was amiss.

Tuface Returns
But Tuface has proven he is not a quitter. He hit the microphone and came out with his Unstoppable album last year.
Compared to the previous works, the album did not appear as successful, fuelling rumours from the public. Some said he had lost focus due to the baby mama dramas, some said his leaving Kennis was affecting his marketability, and others reasoned he was trying to change his style of music. Mr. Adekunle Ayeni of Nigerian Entertainment Today told M2, “I don’t think there is any problem. If you look at Tuface, you’ll see that he is moving his music into a much more mature level. … It will take a while for fans and the media to understand what he is trying to do. When you move from what is commercial to what is big and profound, there are chances that you’ll leave a lot of people behind.”
Concurring, the artiste’s manager, Mr. Efe Omorogbe of Now Muzik, asserts that the team has learnt a few things with the Unstoppable album, “but overall, a MAMA award for Best R&B, two SMVAs including Video of the Year, one African Music Awards (UK), multiple nominations from Channel O, Hip-hop World Awards, NMVA, and three other nominations can hardly be described as ‘not much impact.’ It’s the same album that we have secured international distribution for and received countless performance requests from all over the world. Maybe it did not meet the expectations of some people but I think its impact is there for all to see and measure.”
Tuface is again topping the charts and receiving accolades from all over. Only time will tell if the artiste is truly back on track.

D’banj blew the lid open when he admitted to Stella Dimoko-Korkus of Stella’s Groove (Economium magazine) in an interview that he had been in love with Nollywood actress Genevieve for sometime asides that she was the only person that matched Mo’ Hits criteria for the Fall In Love video. The artiste’s manager also revealed that D’ Banj had dreamt of working on a video with the actress since his Pere days.

When questioned, Genevieve did not refute D’Banj’s claims but was also non-committal about the status of their relationship. Both of them requested that the public should respect their privacy. However, some industry watchers have refused to see this new found affection between the two-some as a natural occurrence, sparking controversy.

Both parties are like the proverbial goldfish which cannot be hid. And even though they are obviously attracted to each other, one cannot say for sure unless they affirm to this. The lacuna has fuelled two main viewpoints: This is either a publicity stunt or both celebrities are truly in love with each other. If they are in love, one cannot help but wonder what attracted Romeo and Juliet to each other. Could it have been that both were genuinely interested in each other or as a result of their partnering together for a common goal? And if a publicity stunt, the question then is: Who is leveraging who? A brief look into the lifestyle these artistes may provide some clue.

Genevieve is a multi-talented actress and her career has taken her to the nook and cranny of the world. At some point, she ventured into music which did not quite go as expected. It is alleged that she may be looking for a way to get back on the musical track. Needing a push with her music career, the actress could as well be said to be the one that will benefit from the deal.

D’banj is the product of a carefully crafted PR job. His googled eye, unconventional manners and koko seeking adventurism are only attributes of his brand that differentiate him from other musicians in his category. The Koko master is a successful musician. Every song on his album is a hit, a trait shared by the entire Mo’ Hits crew. His only known unimpressive project till date may be the Koko Mansion TV reality show, in collaboration with pay TV provider HiTV. The show, designed to uncover the attributes of the true Nigerian woman, received many knocks as the housemates were believed to lack the requisite sophistication for such image.

In that interview with Dimoko-Korkus, D’banj sounded like a man in love but he also sounded too confident and too blunt to be believable. This is the main reason why one may likely agree with those who suggest that this is a publicity stunt. M2 sought the opinions of PR specialists on the issue.

According to Kola Amodu, the General Manager of a frontline Lagos based agency, “In Public Relations it is quite possible to use someone else’s goodwill for the benefit of another depending on the aim of the effort,” noting that there must however be a platform for goodness. He continues that “this is known as repositioning and it can take the form of CSR. A lot of things that have been done wrongly can be redone while riding on another’s good image. But you must be seen to be ready to be redeemed. It can take the form of you associating with the responsible one who can launch the other one. The most important thing is that whatever you do, you must not be lying. Part of image redemption is to ride on another’s goodwill.  As for the issue of Genevieve and D’banj, it may and it may not be a stunt. They both are doing well in their chosen careers. They are both successful international brands and they fit into the youth market segment.

“There was a situation like this involving Onyeka Onwenu and King Sunny Ade. Sunny Ade is well known and Onyeka is well known too, so there is a brand fit between them and that was why the United Nations project on family planning was given to them. Speculators started positing that they were dating but Onyeka came out and told the world that Sunny Ade was her musical husband. She was able to balance the hook by giving the media something to work on and not lose their support but yet cleared the ground for speculators. D’banj and Genevieve’s case is another one. Both of them are ambassadors to great brands and it is no wonder that they are said to be dating because there is a great fit between the duo. Looking at them from both a sentimental and commercial value, their coming together makes the rumour meagre whether this is true or not.”

Chibuzor Patrick of Meljestin PR reveals that it is not only possible but also normal to rob off someone else’s goodwill on another as PR serves for mutual exchange which ties the loose ends between expectations and results. “Marketers use good products to sell bad ones, companies hire crises managers, so individuals can launder their own image with another reputable individual.”

She maintains that life is not a matter of milestones but of moments, “once the media searchlight is on one’s life, every of the person’s actions are judged by induced sentiment. It is good thinking for the person who notices the gaps in his or her reputation and tries to do something about it. We must create a platform that we own and must realize that the little efforts we commit to our reputation change process through collabos or role model influence can form the mighty ocean needed to wash away negative tags and enhance one’s self worth. PR says that any publicity is good publicity, it is better than being unknown and unnoticed. If there is a relationship between Genevieve and D’banj then I don’t think it is a stunt at all. No one in this world can appeal to everyone’s taste, each person has a preference. Two persons that are already in the lime light have no need for publicity stunts; rather, they will share the mutual benefits of good association which includes mutual enjoyment, mutual respect, shared experiences, trust and reciprocity. I feel that they should rather be left alone.”

Tijani Adegbola, an artiste image consultant, says upcoming artistes can be promoted on the shoulders of established, reigning ones. He asserts that this helps to publicize the artiste and also rubs the aura of the more established brand on him. Adegbola further cautions that, “That is why one has to be careful when choosing whom his artiste rapports with because it has everything to do with your image. Also, depending on the aim of your collaboration with the artiste, sometimes the regular life of the established artiste you want to use might not matter especially if what you’re after is just publicity. I am not sure both Genevieve and D’banj are having an affair and even if they do, I don’t think there is any thing wrong in that. Both of them are accomplished in their fields and it is not as if any of them has been married. Whatever they have in common I believe is business, if not, good luck to both of them.

In conclusion, Patrick asserts that, “I don’t think that their relationship, if they have any, has anything to do with image re-branding. They are both charismatic which has made their confidence contagious. When you develop your self worth, those around you – friends, family, associates and allies – will also increase their confidence levels in you. The fastest way to loose what one possesses is lack of proper concentration and management. You must ensure the clever use of profile rise if you want it to become a life long asset and that is what public relations entails.”

All said and done, the true story between these top rated celebrities remain at best speculations. But whatever the motive, they should be mindful that their reputations can either be furthered or diminished by how this relationship plays out in the public domain. They must play sensibly.

I have been told that dancing is business. Thinking back now, I can see the logic of this in a way that suggests that the business of dancing is dance. We do indeed need to worry about the business of dance not in the least because this, like many of the performing arts, is that rare kind of business that tends to operate at a loss. The glory of dancers seems to be written in red ink.

If treated trivially, there is going to be less money available for dancers in years to come than there was years earlier. These days, dancers don’t get to earn a profitable income. This may probably be due to the fact that the trade is seen as what just about anybody can venture into in as much as “you can shake your body”. It is often believed that other creative fields offer better opportunities – even needlework and cookery come higher.

Although there was a time when the business of dance became very lucrative in Nigeria, for some years now, it has gone down alarmingly and dancers are becoming non relevant as the industry harbours mediocre dancers who do some form of glorified dancing. Yvonne Thompson, leader of the group, Magic Moves, laments that musical artistes too are not making things easier as they employ more glorified dancers than professionals. “They should at least show some discrimination and not cut back the worthy and let, in their judgment, the unworthy get what they deserve.” She says.

Corporate bodies like Guinness Nigeria Plc, NB Plc and groups like Spirit of David gave dancing a new meaning and dimension lately by creating avenues for people to understand and appreciate dance while entertaining themselves through programmes such as Malta Guinness Street Dance, Maltina Dance All and Celebrity Takes series respectively. Although these companies use these mediums to promote and push their brands, the programmes are eye openers for their audiences as far as dance is concerned.

Sustaining a Dance Company at a Time like This

Steve Inegbedion, leader and spokesperson for the group Sleek Steps, opines that to be able to sustain a dance company, one needs to attract a corporate sponsor. Sustaining a dance company means always looking for new sources of funding. By partnering with a corporate sponsor, you can ensure your company’s financial stability. However, you must note the following:

Understand the relationship

A sponsorship may mean long-term funding for your dance company, but what does it mean for the sponsoring corporation? Getting a handle on what sponsors want, according to Inegbedion, is the first step toward securing such relationships. “It’s all about creating an image. They want to promote their corporate name and associate themselves with activities and organizations that their customers find appealing. Such an association means that your image becomes a means for the sponsor to enhance its bottom line.”

“Unlike philanthropy, sponsorship is more than an appreciation of your art. It is about who comes to see you and shares your dance company’s image. Pinning down a sponsor whose marketing strategy will benefit from an association with your dance troupe and with whom you want to be affiliated with requires research on your part. Consider retailers, banks and other companies with new branches in your community as prime candidates since they may be eager to connect with new customers,” Henry of D2X dance group agrees.

Identify your audience

It can be difficult to figure out what image a corporation is promoting. Take note of companies who are trying to reach out to your particular community. Using this approach, you’ll be able to find a generous sponsor.

Develop awareness for marketing trends, but more importantly, find out who is in your audience. Sponsors are looking to be introduced to a specific group of people in a positive light, and if these individuals can be regularly found at your performances, then the partnership might be a perfect match. To find out who is in your audience, compile a mailing list and distribute questionnaires by mail or in person during intermissions. Age, gender, ethnicity, geographic location, income and education levels are some of the facts that you should require from anonymous surveys.

Know yourself

Inegbedion advises that “to attract sponsors who may not be dance savvy, you will need to pinpoint what attracts audiences to your company’s performances. You should be able to easily identify two or three qualities that set your troupe apart from the rest.” This could be your innovative approach to combining spoken word with dance, or your choreographers’ penchant for addressing women’s rights in their works.

Engage the community

Linda Osagie, of Deja Vu states “that you’ve got to put a face to your efforts. Face-to-face meetings have proven to be essential to success in long-term partnerships.” You can get that face time by attending other community events such as plays and by creating activities in your own studio such as an open house or an invitation-only performance. This offers great networking opportunities – you run into people you wouldn’t normally meet, and it provides opportunities for gaining access to and getting appointments with potential sponsors.

Be ready

It is essential to be prepared to take advantage of any interest expressed in your company and its programs. The kit doesn’t need to be elaborate: a brief company history, reviews or quotes, dancers’ photos, biographies and anything else that casts your company in a flattering light. The key is having something up-to-date on hand at all times to capitalize on interests in your work.

Be creative

Throughout the year, it pays to hold special events designed to strengthen sponsorship relationships via recognition at events and in programs. The company can also provide tickets that sponsors can use to entertain their clients and reward employees.

Consider these other compelling opportunities: offering the local dry cleaner a mention in the program in exchange for free costume cleaning, ask a department store for window space to promote an upcoming performance or provide your dancers as models for a local fashion show.

When creating partnerships with a corporate body, your only limit is your creativity. Dance companies in particular have an advantage over other art groups. They offer potential sponsors a high-quality product that is ‘media-genic’ and visually arresting. This quality and media-draw make dance companies appealing to sponsors. But it is up to you to let them know you are out there and just how valuable you can be to them.

Artistes’ rivalry dates back in time. In the international scene, we have had the case of Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, and also the biff between The Notorious BIG (a.k.a Biggie) and Tupac Shakur. The latter is said to be the cruelest. Once friends, it is alleged that Tupac slept with Biggie’s wife. Both turned against each other and soon, got shot and eventually died in the aftermath of hostilities. One thing that stood out in the Biggie/Tupac biff was that it had purpose, which both pursued till death. This is however sad particularly as Biggie and Tupac are remembered as the greatest rappers to ever walk the earth.
Coming down to Nigeria, of course, there are so many artistes biffing each other or talking about biffs, that one begins to wonder if this is another strategy to market their albums. In a recent chat with DJ Jimmy Jatt, he suggested that the artistes may have realised that each time they sing such songs, sales boom. “It is therefore not odd if such biffs are being stage-managed in other to boost sales. What we should know is that the audience dictates the direction the artistes take.”
When asked if the development can send good musicians off the market, Jatt opined that he doesn’t believe that it can because he sees it is a seasonal thing, it has come and it will go. He also says that there are millions of Nigerians who cannot settle for less: they love good music with good lyrical contents. So when artistes with good lyrical contents sing, they have nothing to lose.
The painful fact is that some artistes are not even making efforts to come up with good lyrics, no matter how few. Once they come up with colloquial words that rhyme with the beats, they are satisfied.
An upcoming artiste, Dr. Stretch, agrees that even though some of these quarrels are obviously serious, many are stage-managed to make sales soar. He however says this is so because of the piracy issue in the country. “If these pirates will let us be, I see no reason why any artiste would want to stage-manage a fight just to increase sales. All things being equal, there should be no reason for any of us to descend so low as to do that; but when one sees that it has worked for another, he may be tempted to do same,” he reasons.
Case studies of some of the rifts recorded on the Nigerian music scene are below:
TuFace/Faze: began after the break up of the Plantashun Boyz. TuFace released the single, U No Holy Pass, which sparked off criticism that he may have pioneered the split of the group due to disloyalty. Faze went on to reply TuFace in his lead single for his debut album, Faze Alone. The singles made it clear to the public that biff was building up. This lasted into the release of their second albums. Tuface went on to sing, See Me So, while Faze replied with, Letter To My Brother, a song that stung Tuface the more due to its mild and friendly approach to his disappointment. It was then so surprising when both came together alongside Blackface (the third member of the erstwhile group) and re-united as Plantashun Boyz to do the song, Say You Believe Me. Though word has it that the group only re-united to release the song.
Nico Gravity/Timaya: The Egberi-Papa 1 of Bayelsa, as he calls himself, has been doing a lot of recording lately and exclusive information on his forth-coming album shows that Timaya talks a lot of sense. However, he sounds like one who has just come out of a bitter relationship. It is obvious that he is talking from experience. Could this be connected to his widely-publicized breakup with Nollywood star, Empress Njamah? One hopes not. Still, this further proves that if his fans were not attuned to listening to such songs, Timaya would not have thought of writing a song to get at the actress. In fact, he has a lot to gain because the song will promote him. This also reminds one of Nico Gravity who sang that he wants to “finish/scatter Timaya”. From the beginning till the end of the song, he blatantly hammered on Timaya. Isn’t it surprising that Timaya, despite his famed temperament, finds it easy to keep mute about this but just for the little rift between himself and his ex, he blurts out? It is very obvious that gravity is not only looking for fame, but also saw an avenue to make money out of “war” hungry Nigerians.
Time and space will not allow for more examples of the numerous artistes engaged in this practice. The bottom-line is that the world will soon notice the trend and use it against us. It is not as if the Nigerian music industry is the best in the world, but we are somewhere at least. If care is not taken, we will soon be seen as a country whose entertainment industry is thriving on conflict – in addition to the gruesome news images we seemingly feed the global audience with daily!
The arts are supposed to promote noble behaviour. While conflict is unavoidable in human interaction, it should not be exploited for selfish and parochial intents. Nigerian artistes are therefore implored to find better ways to drive sales instead of the cheap and downgraded path of conflict.

From time immemorial, society has found value in artistic expressions. This is notwithstanding the fact that such expressions often do not shy away from challenging strongly held societal beliefs, be they political, moral, religious, or otherwise. And the truly great works survive penetrating scrutiny from critics – including art scholars, government, consumers and the general public – to become movements that even outlive the artist.
Music is a powerful work of art. The saying that music is the food of the soul was not just coined for the fun of it; but for the impact it has on the performer and his audience. Music knows no country, race or creed but gives to each according to the need. Indeed, it sometimes takes the place of prayer, when words have failed man.
Music is an essential part of Nigerian society. Nigerians are justifiably addicted to it. They make good music and have, over the years, influenced different musical genres and styles in other parts of the world.
With all these attributes, it would be unfair for someone to take advantage of music and abuse the privileges. It would also be unfair for one to invest so much into music and not be allowed to reap the dividends.
Recently, the story of one Saint Janet appeared in the national dailies. Many say that while she is a talented singer, her songs are filled with obscenities. They allege that her lyrics are lewd and describe sex graphically. Word on the streets has it that people have been advocating that her music be banned by the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) with some even pursuing their complaints to the House of Assembly.
Freedom of expression is a globally recognized right and is guaranteed as a fundamental human right in the Nigerian constitution, but this right is not absolute. As a popular saying points out: Your rights end where mine begin. So, any singular right must be balanced against a variety of other rights and interests, including child protection and public order. Some people believe sexually explicit and violent materials contribute to societal degradation in physical, cultural and emotional terms. Musicians must understand and respect these concerns.
In 1998, the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) banned Bang, Bang, Bang by Femi Kuti, and Big Bottom by Charlie Boy. Recent songs also under the hammer for either lyrical or visual indecency include: Enter the place (TuFace Idibia), Shayo (Bigiano), Dance for me (Duncan Mighty), Suddenly (D’banj), Close to you (D’banj), Nwa Baby (Flavours), Rigirigi (Flavours), Maga Don Pay (Kelly Handsome) and Baby Konga (Konga).  The Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) are well within their statutory powers to carry out these actions as it is their primary duty.
For the NBC, this brings to mind the question: what criteria are used in determining what should be banned or otherwise? Why are songs such as “Enter the place” and “Shayo” banned while others perceived to be more offensive remain in circulation?
While art should not be intended to cause offense, censorship should not destroy artistic value, market value, and more importantly, freedom of expression. Given the diverse, unpredictable tastes of society, the effects of censorships and its susceptibility to subjectivity and abuse, decisions of these nature should be approached with due caution.
It may be needful that the NBC go back to the drawing board to formulate clear cut parameters for determining what is in and what stays out. This will serve as a blueprint for artistes before they begin recording their works. After considering the efforts, energies and monies invested into these ventures, one is sometimes tempted to say that the NBC is being insensitive.
Everyone is looking for means to earn an honest livelihood.  As long as these controversial lyrics cater to a decent segment of society, such works should be rated and made available for its consumers. Really, best practices advocate control as opposed to outright bans. Indiscriminate bans frustrate creativity and brand marketability.