23 Top Songs To Listen to During Election

The Nigerian society is currently breathing through its mouth due to the national election frenzy, giving time to reflect on vital Nigerian songs to help during this time.

The ongoing Nigerian national election, which has had the citizens at the edge of their chairs, has put so much tension in the air. In light of this, here are 23 songs to listen to during the election season.

On Saturday, February 25, 2022, Nigerians trooped out in large numbers to actively participate in the 2023 presidential, senate, and house of representatives elections. The exercise, which is still ongoing in the case of the result announcement as of Monday, February 27th, 2022, has attracted so much attention from different societal and age classes of the nation.

With the governing elections on March 11th, here are some songs to keep the momentum going in reclaiming our country!

Sound Sultan ft M.I Abaga – 2010

Sound Sultan, the late singer, rapper, and fashion enthusiast, featured the buzzing M.I. Abaga on the song “2010,” which was released in 2011. The groovy hip-hop song that emphasizes the then-Nigerian government’s promises of remarkable development throughout the country by 2010 turned out to be a fallacy filled with hardship, stagnancy, and lies. The song urges the citizens to “wake up,” exercise their power as people, and demand better governance.

2. This is Nigeria – Falz

Another masterpiece by Rapper, singer, songwriter and activist, Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falz released ‘This is Nigeria” in 2018. Inspired by American singer Childish Gambino’s “This is America,” the hip-hop song highlights the nation’s socio-political ills, such as government decay, fraud, police brutality, and religious fanaticism, among other societal ills.

3. Burna Boy – Collateral Damage

Known for consistently using his music as a tool to speak about societal issues, Damini Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy, released “Collateral Damage” in 2018 off his Grammy-nominated “African Giant” album.

The groovy afro-fusion tune produced by Kel P highlights the in-depth corrupt operations orchestrated by government officials across all parastatals – an unending scene of intense looting that, of course, continues to drag the country backward. Burna Boy speaks equally highly of the cowardice displayed by the people in this song, citizens who are supposed to take on the leaders they elect with their votes, but who cowardly do not speak up in the face of oppression.

4. Burna Boy – 20-10-20

Released nine days after the Nigerian Armed Forces shot at peaceful protesters in Lekki, Lagos State on 20th of October 2022. The Grammy-winning singer painted a vivid picture of the massacre that went down that day. The bloody event that put a deadly halt to the peaceful protest of the Nigerian youths against police brutality and bad government was put into perspective by the singer, emphasizing the fact that the Nigerian heroes that were gruesomely killed by the government while exercising their rights will never be forgotten.

5. Falz ft Sir Dauda – How Far

Again, Falz makes the point with his ever-conscious personality as an artiste. The song, which was released in 2014 as part of his “Wazup Guy” album, features familiar face Sir Dauda and is an introspective song that takes a toll on the country’s statganant activities since its independence in 1960. Falz and Sir Dauda are asking “how far?” which directly translates to “what’s happening?” due to the backwardness of the nation since its independence. Interestingly, the song emphasizes how the people continue to suffer while the country’s leaders and elite continue to advance through looting, corruption, and other heartbreaking means. part of its lyrics read:

Someone told me long ago say life go better.
Still we dey under the weather
So someone tell me how far
This is 1960 we Don dey wake even now self we still dey the matter.
How far.
I beg tell me how far.

6. M.I Abaga – Wild Wild West

Nigerian ace rapper Jude Abaga, popularly known as M.I. Abaga, comes into the conversation with the song “Wild Wild West.” Released in 2010 off his “MI2 The Movie” album, the song, although directly speaking about the horrific situation of “Jos,” at the time highlighted the incompetence of the Nigerian government in ensuring the protection of lives and property, which indeed is the reality of most Nigerian society. M.I. emphasizes how bad the situation is and how people have no choice but to defend themselves against external threats in this song. Lyrics read:

Better get your gun
Better get your vest
‘Cause in J town is the wild wild west
Down here everyone curse, no one bless
Nobody care, nobody notice
So know this, until you feel the gun blast
Nobody gon’ sleep and nobody gon’ rest
Down here everyone curse, no one bless
‘Cause in J town is the wild wild west

7. M.I Abaga – Craze

Released off his “MI2 The Movie” album as well, “Craze,” as “unserious” as the title, delivery, and beat tempo of the song are, speaks a lot about what the Nigerian society has turned into. Vote rigging, vote buying, heirachy intimidation, low living standards, stagnant educational standards, kidnapping, and other issues that plague the country are highlighted. Lyrics read:

Lets face the fact
That the people are slim and the
Governors fat
And the people laboring, only
The oga relax
It’s just a matter of time, the
People gonna react
People wanna eat but there’s
No money at all
So they gotta be sharp coz the
Governors dull
People struggle and toil, others
Chopping them all
Some people koko with oil, others
Are chopping the oil

8. African China – Mr. President

A classic from the Reggae-Dancehall singer African China, even though it was released as far back as 2006, continues to be very relevant in today’s Nigerian society. Speaking on bad leadership, poor infrastructure, and a poor standard of living amidst other difficulties that continue to plague the society. Lyrics reads:

Food e no dey
Brother eh water no dey
And our country no good o
Everyday for thief
One day for owner e
Poor man wey thief maggi
Omo, dem go show im face
for crime fighter Rich man wey thief money
Omo, we no dey see their face
for crime fighter
Tell me something now rudeboy
Rich man go dey halla prayer Poor man go dey shout Rich man go dey halla prayer Poor man go dey shout Make una lead us well
No let this nation to fall inside well

9. Brymo – Down

The sonic artiste who loves to speak in parables paints the picture of a crumbling society, which evidently equates to the Nigerian society where “everything goes.” Irregularities, confusion, chaos, etc. are the order of the day, and people continue to live in this society. As expected, this aforementioned society continues to sink into wretchedness and underdevelopment as the “anyhowness” persists. Lyrics goes:

Something dey go round town
People dey go downtown
The world is spinning round round
The world is going downtown

People dey go uptown
Anyway anyhow now now
Chop your own and clean mouth now
We print and loot and sharе around

Them say the priest
E dеy pray for the thief
Shadaka for Allah
Blood for the spirit

People no bother
Dem they wait on the Lord fa
Rere run
O run

10. 8tch – 9-5 in Lagos

A storytelling rap song that paints the struggle of surviving in the work space of the city of Lagos. “Lagos” in this sense paints how hard it is for even the educated middle class in a society like Nigeria.

11. Asa – Fire on The Mountain

The Nigerian-French singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist contributes her quota to this list with the evergreen “Fire on the Mountain.” The soothing tune, released in 2007, highlights the hostile environment that Nigerian (African) society has become. Plagued with violence, corruption, ethnic war, bigotry, and other things, Asa foresees that these dominant societal ills will eventually lead to the doom of this society. Lyrics reads:

There is fire on the mountain
And nobody seems to be on the run
Oh, there is fire on the mountaintop
And no one is a-runnin’

I wake up in the mornin’
Tell you what I see on my TV screen
I see the blood of an innocent child
And everybody’s watchin’

Now I’m looking out my window
And what do I see?
I see an army of a soldier man
Marching across the street, yeah

Hey, Mr. Soldier man
Tomorrow is the day you go to war
But you are fighting for another man’s cause
And you don’t even know him

12. Dremo – Thieves in Uniform

Released on October 4th, 2022, which was sixteen days before the Nigerian Armed Forces shot at peaceful protesters in Lekki, Lagos State, on October 20th, 2022, the hip-hop song was the perfect song during the #ENDSARS protest. The title “Thieves in Unfetter” refers to the intense police brutality Nigerians have experienced, but it also refers to the intense government brutality they have experienced. Lyrics read:

You can never trust Sars with a gun
A de le trust ole pelu ibon
So the difference is not really much
Dem just be armed robbers in uniform
Dem no dey try protect us (protect us)
They only tryna extort us (extort us)
The government won’t even say a word (FEM)
Not until their family dey involved

Its so sad mehn its so sad
So many dreams cut short cos of one gunshot
Mane we end Sars sharp all this shi*t gaz stop
How can your first check point be your last busstop (Damn!)

13. Fela – Coffin for Head of State

14. Fela – Authority Stealing

15. The Cavemen – Brother’s Keeper

16. Tekno – Freetown

The song, Produced by Xtofa is a socially conscious single released on 24th of February 2023, a day before the general election in Nigeria. On ‘Freetown‘, Tekno highlights some of the harsh conditions the Nigerian people are forced to live with. He also lends his voice against the promulgators of these harsh conditions. Lyrics read:

What goes up must come down
When I dey vex dey calm down
Sierra Leone is freetown
But the people no dey see chaao

So me go down to Lagos city
Giant of Africa wey no get constant electricity
Say me go to the street too many people i dey pity
3 years old for road dey beg money,
highway no be for small pikin

For long we go pray make e better
How many times we fo pray make e better
Since mama born me my people dey pray make e better
Offer and tithe, everyday them dey pay, say make e better