NIGERIA AS A COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN: REFLECTIONS ON ASA’S “ FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN

Abstract

Nigeria is an independent sovereign state with its own leaders. It got independence since October 1 st , 1960 with a constitution to guide the conduct and benefits of her citizens. It is currently running a democratic governance with three tiers of governance (the executive, judiciary and legislatur e), whose duties amongst others are to protect the lives and property of citizens (by provision of security) as well as welfare (including basic amenities like health, food security, affordable education and jobs etc). But the government have been insensit ive and docile on this now leading to severe social vices including injustice, insecurity, insurgency, kidnapping, sea pirates, tribalism, corruption, religious intolerance, inequality, nepotism, massacre, human slaughter, terrorism, banditry, territorial expansionist agenda by Boko haram, Iswap as Islamist jihadist sect, selective academic policy imbalance, and parallel laws amongst Christians and Muslims (ISLAM) states now making it an untrue and non egalitarian society. These forced the American governme nt to proscribe it as a country of particular concern(CPC) by its president Donald Trump through congress legislative recommendations, a moved welcomed by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), effective Saturday November 1 st , 2025, referencing Christian’s genocide as a reason. But there had been signals to curb this menace through national dialogues including confabs and music to mention a few. Retrospectively, Asa’s music “Fire on the Mountain” is apt for reflections on the Nigeria’s state. Released in 2007, it uses literary devices (figures of speech) and others to caution and alert the government on this looming tragedy. This paper appraises the song text composition of her music. Using conglomerated creative based musical so ng text, socio political, and cultural analytical design, in addition to collected primary and secondary sourced data of literatures (from multi media and legislative proceedings),the paper concludes that philosophical statements especially from musicians, if adhered to, can save a nation as to be forewarned is to be forearmed. It recommends that proverbs, parables, and idiomatic expressions remain vital cultural tools for guiding ethical practices in African societies.