At the start of 2024, we all agreed for the motto of 2024 to be ‘No Gree For Anybody’. We had no idea the Nigerian economy would take this motto seriously and literally. Just like our presido, Shallipopi said, “100k no dey last again, even 1million no dey last again”. Some of us can’t even have our groceries in peace!
If you have never had to wake up at midnight, stare at your account balance and laugh in omashe oh, then you may not be able to relate to what you’re about to read because you are a rich kid and you have not experienced the four walls of Sapa. But if you have, then pay close attention – this might be your ticket to Freetown.
There is music for every moment / situation, whether good or bad, sad or happy. Music can be an instrument of escape from whatever you might be going through. Whether heartbreak, loneliness or even the almighty sapa, there is always a song to put you back on track and for this, we have put together 5 songs to listen to when you are at your brokest.
MIDF (Na Money I Dey Find) – Victor AD
We love Victor AD, as a proud Warri boy, we guess he has faced one or two for him to always serve songs of motivation. This song, just as the name implies, is for manifesting better days and seeking help out of difficult times from the higher power. It’s just Victor’s way of saying staring at your account balance will not prevent the next debit alert from entering unless you get on your feet and get work done.
Pick Up – Adekunle Gold
Remember when Adekunle Gold was calling Baba God to pick up his call in 2016? Well, 8 years later, he sold out the Wembley Arena in London. This also is a song of prayer which illustrates how he prays to God to buy cars, build houses and live a fulfilled life because Dangote and Otedola do not have two heads. Elon Musk has just one head like every other human being. As long as you have a working head, you can do it too.
Hustle – Teni
Teni’s ‘Hustle’ was the anthem for all the hustlers back then in 2021. This record talks about the pressure that accompanies building one’s life from pieces. The naysayers, the mental journey and the failures. This is a song that encapsulates the beginning of every success story. This is the type of music that helps you in times of financial crisis to make you feel like you’re not alone. We suggest listening to this song at midnight with your headphones. Ensure you have a lot of tissue paper too.
Pray For Me – Darey
This is the story of a young man leaving his father’s house for the city to seek greener pastures. He has no help, no connections; just hope. He doesn’t know what awaits him in the city in which he is headed, but he has faith that something good is going to come out of it. After four years, he writes back to his father to exclaim excruciating shege and alligator pepper that he witnessed in these four years but he is still hopeful, beseeching his father to keep praying for him. If you were in his shoes, you would have worn those shoes back to the village.
Uyo Meyo – Teni
Teni must have been through a lot to write such a song. If you have been working tirelessly but with no results to the point when you feel like giving up, Uyo Meyo was written for you. Teni said “what my eyes have seen eh”, “ohun toju mi ti ri ah eyeh”. English didn’t do justice of explaining the horror she had seen that she had to use Yoruba to add more clarity.
With everything, remember that one can only rise up after falling and we can only build from pieces, not a whole.