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Funmi Iyanda
Lagos, Nigeria
Funmi Iyanda is a multi award-winning producer and broadcast journalist. She is the CEO of Ignite Media and Executive Director of Creation Television
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Friday, June 29, 2007

Sing it Sista



Just got this sent to me, think you'll find it interesting. I come in peace so l will ignore the cringe worthy comments et al and look at this from another perspective. I have often argued that the world will take you, your language, your culture serious when you become relevant mostly economically but also in other ways. Apart from 419, hostage taking and occasional football feat, one way Nigeria has gained international prominence is through religion. Either by the gay opposition and the potentials for breaking the ranks and file of the Anglican Church or the large growing churches Nigerians control worldwide. Now if only we can direct such efforts and creativity into building national economic and civil prosperity, creating an unignorable global market given our population size and its potentials for rapid growth then l swear they will not only sing church hymns in Nigerian languages, ogbono soup will become as cool as sushi in a brave new world.

BTW l wonder if a 9ja babe would be allowed to rock that sort of outfit on stage in a church, hey don’t shoot just asking questions. Thanks Wale Ajadi arakunrinmi omoluabi for sending the video. Ire o.

9 comments:

Afolabi said...

true talk, I agree that when we are a stable country, most things we have will be appreciated and probably amala won't be associated with just "nigeria (that poor african country)"

Anonymous said...

Ha!Ha!Let me make a proposition Funmi, it may be right or wrong but this lady may actually be a Nigerian. For example, my name is Mukesh but I was actually born and bred in Kano. My first language was Hausa but now I speak Yoruba and Igbo flawlessly.

I have no other place to call home but Nigeria. If I post a video of me singing in hausa on youtube, I am sure you will all marvel but I will wonder why ? I am as Nigerian as they come despite the colour of my skin.

So this lady may be like me but of course to most Nigerians she is just an oyinbo, the same way I am termed Kora etc. However, if you pierced our white skins, green and white will be following from through our veins. E go better!

Omolola said...

Yes i agree with you on this one.But the problem with us naija ppl is dat we are too fake.If a nigerian were to sing this song in america now,she woulda sang it with one kin phonee u wouldnt even know it was the same song.We are just not proud of our heritage and until we begin to find our custom pleasurable then the world would begin to take us seriously.But ehm,kai which kin oyinbo be dis,she even dey say halelu like nigerians,lollll.

Ms. Catwalq said...

Amazing!
I agree, there is so much we have to share with the world that is more beautiful and productive and besides being constantly seen as the beggared continent.
I am always tickled by foreign nationals that try to assimilate a culture other than theirs...nice. If I could sing in any other language, I think it will be...french/spanish/japanese/hindi/portugese

Funmi Iyanda said...

@ mukesh, na so l go yab one oyinbo (no be kora like you) in yoruba one day, na him de ma look me for eye tell me say ori e o pe (you are crazy). the shock and shame l neva still get over am. go on soun jare.

@ here in aspen, the fellows are drawn from 26 countries of the world and everyone is uniquely talented and extremely intelligent. the real beauty of our conversations are the rich varied accents (mine included, as you know, l no dey spik phonerics), if only we can make more of our people realise that one's worth is from inside out not outside in. Prof Soyinka at one of the talks was most eloquent in his nuanced clear nigerian accented speech.

aloted said...

I was really tripped when I saw this video.
I think we Nigerians should be proud of our heritage and quit wanting to be more like the oyinbos...they want to be like us sometimes!

boluak said...

The lady is from Sweeden, indeed, a lot of cross-cultural events, feats if you prefer are taking place these days... check this out Iyin. or Iyin on Youtube By the way, Nigerians are definitely making waves all over the globe!!! (e.g. the very first non-indegene Mayor in the whole of Ireland's history was just elected recently, yes :-), he happens to be a Nigerian.)

Gbemi's Piece said...

I wondered the same thing about her outfit. I don't think they'd let a Naija babe/woman get away with it in that type of setting.

cleo.kelvin said...

well colour does not determine race nor the do it if we set our mind to it nor the absence becos somtimes we just dont know how to speak it. i believe dat if u are nigeriane live it out it most not be thru spoken words wat of ur dressin,ur attitude towards ur countries matters, ur c`haracter is worth this country being proud of becos we hav various ways of showing it and if u can sing in all de dialets do it also . that is being patriotic of ur country
cleoterria