Thought Couture: I don’t expect D’banj to be intelligent, but…

By Joy Isi Bewaji

If absurdity could feed a people we would all be obese by now. Imagine Femi Fani Kayode’s rants as the appetizer, GEJ/Boko Haram as main meal, and just when you thought nothing could be so delicately disastrous to bloat you to shameful flabbiness, here comes the dessert – a full bowl of Dbanj’s excreta!

But that is understandable as we have been made to smell the young man’s fart for way too long and it seems ok that the next thing that would follow would be hot, smelly, brownish-green shit that makes the whole ‘Nigerian meal’ complete and repulsive enough to make us belch.

Given the complete drivel the president has made of his job, it is amazing there’s someone out there trying so hard to beat him to it.

Recently, Dbanj had a few things to say to Sahara TV. And with the plethora of national issues plaguing us at the moment, he damn sure picked the wrong time to be imprudent with his words. Not that we are not used to it already, but at the moment could you not mix milk with excreta and make it look like it’s some kind of chocolate cereal?

I cannot believe that after all the ‘fascinating’ things Dbanj gets up to I am actually going to put my own water in his basket.

I have lived and gossiped about celebrities like everyone does over drinks on a lazy evening hangout. Needless to say that it would do the world a whole lot of good if some of them keep their utterances to themselves, though their words are earnestly sought after because music and society have always been intimately related. And when we need a hero to stand forth and proclaim our needs, we seek one out of an act that has proven to be a star in his field.

GEJ must have felt so when he got Dbanj to prance around on TV licking his (GEJ) shoes and telling everyone who cared to listen that, “this is the man”. Now the problem with dancing in that fashion is you can’t stop until the music stops, and it hasn’t stopped so Dbanj is still dancing and we watch and see just how out of rhythm he always is.

In the interview with Sahara, Dbanj makes a few things very clear:

1.       He is a busy musician who has no interest in politics.

2.       He knows nothing about fuel subsidy protests.

3.       He thinks poverty is not a new thing.

4.       He doesn’t like ‘cold.’

5.       He didn’t collect any money to support GEJ.

6.       And there’s a show coming up, he is inviting all of us.

I am not expecting Dbanj to be intelligent or anything close. He can continue to succeed with his Forest Gump IQ. There’s no doubt his career will continue to soar because what really gets the world ticking are a few ‘wonderful’ things like: a woman’s booty/boobs etc, a man’s bank account, and crass music. But I would expect that as a UN youth ambassador, he shows empathy whenever he speaks of a people that he belongs to. Empathy suggests that you do not sound insensitive to the plight of people who identify with you or what you are.

His words were carelessly thrown back in the camera, signifying no form of interest in the subject. You might ask, “Why should Nigeria’s problems be made his?” it is simple, he started dancing with GEJ (remember?), we heard the song and some joined on the dance floor, now our feet hurt. If we cannot reach the man right at the top, is it strange that we are begging for answers from the one who made us join the dance in the first place?

His disinterest does not in any way erase the fact that he was an active supporter of the president, which isn’t a bad thing but what makes you wonder is why he is so quick to ‘move on’ from the situation. Is it because he can afford a ‘good life’ despite the challenges the government presents to its people? Is it because he is aware he can survive away from the Nigerian situation? Why does he think it is unreasonable to throw these questions his way when he is confronted by journalists? Did he not make GEJ his responsibility when he came on TV to show his support thereby seeking fans and believers of his music to do same?

Dbanj’s recklessness to things that affect our everyday life is a slap. It is the kind of attitude that births indifference which is a clear result of how we live amongst ourselves.

Is it too much to ask of Dbanj to respect the feelings of the average Nigerian? When we cry out to the government to deal with subsidy issues humanely, is it not his responsibility as an ambassador to join in the struggle, put his own indelible words in and cover the shame of a people who cannot afford to sit at home because they are ‘cold’?

If this is too much to ask of him, can he just remain quiet and not speak henceforth? Continue with his music and not have any kind of opinion away from his gift (or the gift of Don Jazzy’s beat)?

You get the idea that his ego is larger than his collection of expensive what-evers. Even when his colleagues showed solidarity during the protest, Dbanj was still somewhere making weak defences.

At this point, we do not need insensitive rants. There’s too much chaos for some of us to live like we are above it. And so if anyone is paid to keep the young man at peace with himself, let them do it, because this dance he will continue till the very end.

Comments (11)

  1. No doubt you pointed out a few obvious facts about his ignorance and delinquency. That said, can't help but wonder why so much effort and vigor in trying to paint whats black "black". Its almost as if you're out to get him on a personal vendetta. "with his Forest Gump IQ!!!, C'mon that's unfair and very unnecessary.

  2. Everybody have the freewill to sing for and dance for Mr Jonathan. In my own opinion however, as a United Nation youth ambassador, Dbang should know better. There are high expectations from him and the position he occupies defines that at every circumstance he should reason along on issues that are related to the interest of African youths. It is bad enough to call a person a fool, but for the person to now open his mouth and prove it makes it worse.

  3. lol @ all the comments on Ynaija, apparently you are only approving all Dbanj's friends comments. SMH!!! Y'all have always been suckers for GEJ anyway…this post was put up there in irony.

    PS: I'm sure you;ll approve this comment to try to prove me wrong. It'll be a nice try though

  4. Dis is one of the problems in naija,dbanj danced for GEJ just as wasiu danced for tinubu/fashola,he is entitle to his own right.d sahara guy had a target so dbanj was being clever and being a youth rep doesn't make him a street fighter,, after all your so call activist are political dogs seeking political points(ask adams),u hate subsidy doesn'τ̲̅ mean I must hate it,that writer would have been sued in a Ǧ☺☺ϑ system for character attack

  5. Na wa for the writer o… I was waiting for you to blame dbanj for all your family problems too. Abeg let Him be and You shld concentrate on more important things

  6. Food for thought. I definitely agree that if he has nothing to say he should stop rambling on and on.

  7. I think this goes beyond his interview. Joy Isi Bewaji, you say Dbanj made you join the GEJ dance. You are a well informed adult and your decision to vote for whomever should not hinge on an artiste! I don't applaud Dbanj's seeming nonchalance, but where does it say in the constitution that you should care? Dbanj's moral standing should be his problem insofar as it doesn't affect your wellbeing. I don't know you but your words are so vitriolic!

  8. Nigerians I hail thee. We have grown very fond of abandoning our real issues and chasing after frivolities. What are the qualities required from a musician/entertainer? My response: the ability to entertain!!! I do not expect a musician to be intelligent, wise or knowledgeable about any other thing but his craft. If he/she turns out to be an intelligent, opinioned person fantastic. Some of us have spent hours discussing Dbanj and his lack of empathy, wisdom, intelligence etc. But have we stopped to think that at no time did this young man sing about being wise, intelligent or brilliant. His chant has always been 'am an entertainer'! Does he entertain the people? Yes for those that like his brand of music! So why put him on a pedestal and criticise him? Let's face Mr President who has canvassed himself has having qualities he has not displayed. Let's face PDP who has made a deceiving the Nigerian masses a habit. Nigerians, to move forward we must understand our issues and face same squarely

  9. This is a total attack on the talented young man dbanj. Every1 has a right 2 his opinion. Meanwhile, d writer sounds as if GEJ is d devil. Cmon, be objective, d man took a hard decision that didn't go well with us, we made him understand his mistake, now give him d correction sheet, not d suicide gun.

  10. MR MAN stop hating occupy ur bank account pls

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

cool good eh love2 cute confused notgood numb disgusting fail