Growing up under the Eagle eye of my late Lecturer father back in dem days…to read, remember and vomit na must…or “you die.” I jam one book dat year that revealed a truth that jarred me to the harsh reality of the mind games + visual hallucination that brands, be they corporations or individuals play on fans, followers or customers. I don forget the name of the book but in there I realized that the whole brouhaha and deep biff between Mohammad Ali and Joe Frazier na one big package… Sakamaje nla! I trip. So it was all acting? These two legendary boxers and perceived arch-enemies were really friends…but dem and dem PR teams check and balance every move…come run everybody mugu…smile enter bank with too much Ba, come still cement permanently their legendary status into our consciousness and world history for eternity.
The GAME!
When you look at it critically…you can raise arguments on religious, fantasy, idealist and moral grounds and scream “bloody deceit” from the highest sky Scraper (breeze at that height nor go even let your voice fly)…but in simple reality…it’s just business.
Haaa! Maradona better pass Pele! Mugu! Siddon dere dey fight over made men wey nor get issue with each other…except ego wey dem go just share once, once. As a tay tay Barcelona fan and as I take Mugu reach I don shout tire way back, fight sef, collect wound join because of Lionel Messi wey nor know say I exist all because one Kraze somewhere get mind to compare CR7 to am (you can blast me about not being loyal to the Nigerian Professional Football league o! We go talk dat mata anoda day). In re-realizing my “mugu status” I stepped back a bit so I go fit see clearly.
I nor go lie you…I dey enjoy these brands and celebrity biff o ‘cos I get my favorites and will always want to see them win. Blood runs through these veins maaahn! Who you loyal to you loyal to o…if dem get “ish” you get “ish.” Consciously or unconsciously, the mata go dey bite you. I rooted seriously for NAS during the war of many battles between him and Jay Z and I enjoyed him wiping the floor with Jayz on the virulent track “Ether” that ended the war officially after Hova thought he had NAS floored and out with “The Takeover.” I remember when Mallam Spicy took Terry G to the cleaners on the track “1 thousand 5 Naira” (wonder where Mallam Spicy dey now sef. His potential was huge inside and outside of the Tribunal). Then comes the new age Fire eaters; Wizkid, Burnaboy and Davido amidst others. Hmmm… Are they really new age? These men don use style tay for the game o! Well, see the groove and cruise wey dem don put everybody…in real time, offline and online. Davido vs Burna Boy, Davido vs Wizkid, Burna Boy vs Wizkid. On and on it goes and everybody is hammering mad money off this coordinated chaos. Hits and counter hits are dropping, online platforms dey vibrate steady with gist and funny pictures of Davido’s eye based on the so-called Burna Boy slap, while Wizkid remains super Kool, seemingly untouchable and aloof to the whole matter. Smart YouTubers hook us with sweet gist and hazy visuals to generate views and clicks, because our thirst for violence and blood must be fulfilled as Gladiators slug it out to the death…Coliseum style. But based on wetin I don klear una for up…I re-realize my mugu status and step back to see clearly. Inside of dem biff…”sakamaje” or not, I don’t want to believe these men are enemies. These sharpies are cashing out steady and living their dreams…while you and me…super mugus dey voltage each other for street…on their royal behalf.
©️ Onus Obinyan @obinyanonus
