Analysis of Lagbaja’s music “200 million Mumu”: Corruption in Nigeria, Historical Perspective

Abstract

Lagbaja is a popular Nigerian musician who wears mask during musical performances. In his musical composition titled ‘two hundred million Mumu’, Lagbaja paints a picture of corruption in every sector in Nigeria. ‘Mumu’is a Yoruba word that can be interpreted as fool. The Nigerian population has been estimated to be around 200 million. Lagbaja discloses that Nigerians (the whole population) have been fooled by corrupt leaders who promise heaven and earth to make life comfortable for them, but when they are elected into offices, the reverse is usually the case. Through the medium of music, he reveals that Nigerians have been fooled, Nigerian leaders and their followers are corrupt. He reveals that the concept of his usual costume of wearing mask during musical performances represents the faceless, voiceless and disenfranchised common man. His mask is a cultural representation of the common man’s sufferings and agonies. The paper is an analysis of ‘two hundred million mumu’, pari passu the forthcoming general election and it traces the history of past governance in relation to Nigerian corrupt practices. It concludes that the reproach of Nigeria can only be removed by electing the right people into offices, Nigerians need to go out en masse to vote. The paper analyzes and notates the song texts.