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Yakubu: I don’t fear death, I’ll rather go down fighting for justice – Falz
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Falz Speaks On ‘Yakubu’, Tackles INEC Chairman Over 2023 Elections
Folarin Falana, better known as Falz, has stated why he makes confrontational music and also discussed his most recent song, “Yakubu,” and how he feels about how the general elections in 2023 would be conducted.
Falz recently stated in an interview with Arise TV that he was not afraid of dying and emphasised the meaninglessness of life in Nigeria.
The multi-talented entertainer made an appearance on the programme “Music as a Socio-political Tool” shortly after releasing “Yakubu,” a song he co-wrote with Vector and named after Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the chairman of the Independent National Election Commission, or INEC.
In the song, the rappers criticised INEC, its chairman, and other political parties for allegedly engaging in electoral fraud during the just ended general elections.
Falz asserts that he would rather die fighting for justice than keep mute and perish as a result of the nation’s broken system.
The rapper, who joined the programme via Skype from the United Kingdom, claimed that he was not overseas because he was terrified of confrontation from state actors over the contentious song.
He said, “I knew that was going to come up when you announced that I was doing this from London. Like I said earlier on, this is not the first time, this is not the second time, this is not the third time.
“I have released tons of records that are very confrontational. And I was on ground. I’m always on ground when I released these records.
“It is not to say that I’m running anywhere. Absolutely not. Everyone know where to find me. If anyone wants to find me. But I have no reason to fear anything. And I always say this when people ask me ‘how do you do these things without any fear of consequences?’
“And this is the same answer that I always give: the kind of life we are living already is one which we are more or less fading away already. It’s not a meaningful life what we have in Nigeria as a country.
“What’s the worst that could happen? It’s death. I don’t fear death. I would rather go down fighting for a just cause. I would rather be remembered as someone that lived a life that was meaningful rather than someone that for example was walking down the road and got run over by a danfo [bus] because he was driving recklessly.
“Or, someone that got a heart disease and could not save himself because there are no hospitals capable of saving him in Nigeria,” Falz added.
Talking about his most recent hit, “Yakubu”, Falz revealed that the music video is a reflection of what happened during the elections.
“As you said, pretty much an account of events as they transpired in the last couple of months, you know, with the entire episode. With the elections and everything as they’ve played out.
“That’s pretty much what it is; it’s self-explanatory, you know. If you listen to the record, you follow the story from beginning to end if you weren’t present when it all these were happening…
“You will be able to, just by listening and watching this video, to have a clear or brief summary of events as they transpired.
“And that’s what we were trying to achieve with the record”, he stated.
Speaking of his displeasure with the general conduct of the elections, the rapper stated that the rules and regulations that were supposed to guide the process were not applied.
“To say the least, the rules and regulations that were supposed to guide these elections were not applied.
“Quite simply, the INEC Chairman himself, prior to elections, had come out and released these regulations and said you know, this is the way we’re going to run these elections.
“And then by the time that these elections were then happening, suddenly, you know, we’re seeing this process that is so not transparent and exactly the opposite of what you said it was going to be…”, Falz added.
'Mr. Yakubu' mirrors the account of events that transpired in the last election, the rules and regulations meant to guide this election were jettisoned by even the INEC Chairman, the lack of transparency was glaring and the belief that there was some foul play involved – Falz pic.twitter.com/5s5saw1gHB
— ARISE NEWS (@ARISEtv) April 4, 2023