Music is a powerful tool. Musicians should learn to use it well.

So there's no confusion, everyone agrees music has a moving power right? I've often heard it described as a bunch of things like; Soul food, inspiring, uplifting, does not judge, is influential, is comforting etc. Arguably, depending on perspective, all that is pretty much true but one classification i'd argue for any day is that


MUSIC IS UNITING.
Seriously. Did you know more often than not, acquaintances are forged based on similar musical preferences. Sometimes there does not even have to be a preference. You 'd strike up a conversation with the stranger sat next to you just because they are humming that tune you love (or hate) so much.
Something happened a couple weeks ago that completely threw me. While waiting in an almost full BRT bus, over the radio, Dido's Life for Rent comes on and the oddest thing i ever saw happened. Everyone, i kid you not, everyone started to sing in unison along with Dido. Although in all fairness, it was mostly mumbled lyrics but when the chorus hit, everyone was in sync asking "if my life was for rent and i don't learn to buy..." Imagine a bus chock full of strangers and for 3 whole minutes, everyone forgot the person sat next to them was either Hausa, Igbo or Yoruba. Everyone was oblivious of  the state of things in the country, everyone just sang got their Dido on and it was beautiful. For a moment there, there was one people in the bus and it felt peaceful. Then Life for rent ended and reality set in. A little to quickly if you ask me.
First, Some Hausa Guy in the back goes "shege wa na Beyonce, akoyi voice walahi". He's forgiven for his tiny goof (Music is forgiving).
Then Shakiti Bobo comes on next and 2 guys try to initiate another sing along but turned out to be more of a Duet than anything else. A poor duet at that. No offense to Olamide.

But after that occurence i realized something i have always known but never gave much thought to. From the time we are born till we keel over, we all consume music in one method but mostly, the world over and Nigeria, we consume secular music much more. Even toddlers can sing along to Wizkid or Davido these days.Which brings me to: Why can't our local artists use this medium through which they have carved a niche for themselves to influence people positively? Enough with all the "my-money-and-your-money-no-be-mate" one liners or "she-say-she-no-come-for-the-money-o-she-come-for-the-oreo....OREOOOOOOOO!!!" (sorry, got carried away there). We all know you guys are bloody rich or that Mr Oreo has Abs like a spartan.

What the world needs now dear artists, is for you to spread positive word. There's so much discord and misunderstandings, enough already. Love your neighbors as yourself...wait o, before the perverts out there start running to the girl next door saying "Label say make i love you", any and everyone counts as your neighbor. Be your friends keeper. Extend a helping hand. Those should be the salient but strong messages your music teaches. Don't even get me started on the accompanying videos to most of these songs and how they are mostly themed to make guys horny and us girls as shallow minded play things. All said and done, the old and the young are watching you. Nigeria is watching you. The world is watching you. Positively uniting, soul feeding, influential music is what you need to churn out. You never know, 10-50 years from now, it could be your timeless music that unites strangers in a bus or space shuttle. #DropsMike #DropsLaptop.