LETS GO REBRANDING : OUR WAY!!!!

What I want to write today is an article I will love you to pirate. I’ll like you to dub it, and put it on your blog post. Modify it if you like, give me credit if you want, or give me none at all. They say we’ll achieve a lot more if we don’t care who gets the credit.

I have refrained deliberately for a long time to make any comments about our National Rebranding exercise. I hope I will be able to say what boils in my throat and wrists tonight, without making too much reference to it. For all it’s worth though, I think the fundamental error I can see, is that Nigerians have not been made to own it, and hence rather than having people championing it, and helping others buy in, what we have is criticism and condemnation by the same people who would have been it’s champions.

Having said that however, I have a proposition of an exercise that we can own as Nigerians. It’s a simple idea and it came as a fallout of a discussion that ensued in my office yesterday. It’s an answer of what we can do to focus our leaders on the problems that we have as citizens and to assist them in giving it the attention it deserves. We no longer need any assistance from any source to know that our most crucial problem in Nigeria is Leadership! If we are all on the same page in this realization, then our efforts towards a better Nigeria must be channelled to support, focus and direct our leaders.

I remember shortly before the elections last year I wrote an article I titled, “Power is all we need!” I pleaded with our would be leaders not to promise us roads or education, but to promise us just one thing - Power! That if in any leaders 4 yrs tenure, we can celebrate 1 yr of uninterrupted power supply, then we should immortalize that president. Haven been to Egypt now to watch tombs, I say we must do the same, but before they die however.

First for the nation, then the states, then our local governments. Once we have a new president for example, we should as a nation analyze our most significant problem that we want solved in his or her tenure. After we have agreed on this problem, we should then go ahead and give that problem the same name with our president. We should substitute the name of our leader with this problem in our conversations, in our articles in newspapers, in our slang’s, in our music and drama. We should do this per state and per local government as well.

Let’s say for example that we have discovered that our biggest problem in Nigeria is Electricity, and for example that our president’s name for the tenure was Yaradua. Then everytime light goes, every time we are in darkness, everytime we have any issues, our conversations should be like this.

When it is bad as it is - “Chai, Yaradua has gone again”, “Ah, we have not had Yaradua for the last 2 days”, “This Yaradua is so unstable”, “Ah what did we do today oh, we have half Yaradua today”,” What’s wrong with you, you are complaining that you haven’t seen Yaradua for 3 days, what about people that haven’t seen Yaradua for one year! or ever!”, “I wasn’t able to do it overnight, because Yaradua kept fainting”, “We have been using Yaradua as backup to our Generator”, “Iron your shirts, Yaradua may soon go oh”, ”

When this start becoming good - ” Up Yaradua!”, “Yaradua is really trying oh, we are not where we want to be, but we are far from where we were”, “Yaradua has been consistent for the past 24hrs”, “Ah, we need to celebrate 1yr of uninterrupted Yaradua”, “Yaradua is so much better these days”, “With Yaradua so constant, Nigeria is really becoming the most desirable nation to live in on earth”. “Yaradua is constant in all the states of Nigeria and the structures are in place to get Yaradua into all the local governments.”

Can you on your own get new ones?

If we keep speaking this way, our leaders will know that we mean business with our desire for solutions. The next president will also know that one critical unsolved problem will bear his name until it’s solved. I recommend, that whichever president fixes electric power be given the opportunity to forever bear the same name with electricity in Nigeria and be forever immortalized in the lips and minds of Nigerians. The same for every future identified problem. A similar approach should be taken to the state levels. Whatever problem we align and identify must be instantly changed to the name of the Governor. If the issue in Lagos for example was Transportation and assuming the Governor was Fashola, then by now, people should be saying “Fashola is getting better in Lagos now”, or ” I entered one wrong fashola and they collected my phone and laptop.” or “Big Fashola (BRT) is actually making life easy for Lagosians”. We can identify the states one by one and identify the problems that need to be solved and replaced with their name.

My people say that whatever hurts one, must be primary in one’s conversation - “Oun to ba duni lo n po loro eni”

HHWA Nominee list out!!!

The organizers of annual Hip Hop World award has released the list of nominees for the 2009 edition. Enjoy

HHWA1 ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Best album (solo or group) in year under review that meets judges’ requirements of excellence (in every realm: songwriting, production, rendition, promotion and acceptability (sales, popularity)

ENTERTAINER
Artiste - D’Banj
Producer(s) - Don Jazzy
Record Label - Mo Hits Records
GONGO ASO
Artiste - 9ice
Producer - ID Cabasa, Puffy T
Record Label - Alapomeji Records

PARADIGM SHIFT
Artiste - Mode 9
Producer(s) - Kraftwork, Jonah D Monarch, Wazbeat, Light house, Jesse Jagz
Record Label - Red Eye Music

TALK ABOUT IT
Artiste - M I
Producer(s) – Jesse Jagz, M.I, Kraftwork
Record Label – Chocolate City

UNSTOPPABLE
Artiste – 2Face
Producers – J Sleek, Mic Tunes, Chakademus & Pliers, R Kelly, Sharks, Ozzy, Wayne Mc, Jiggy Jegg, B. Howard
Record Label – Hypertek Records
HHWA2 ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
Most critically and commercially adjudged artiste in the year under review Overall most successful artiste for the year under review.

D’BANJ OLADAPO DANIEL OYEBANJO JUNIOR PSQUARE PETER AND PAUL OKOYE TIMAYA INETIMI ALFRED ODOM 9ICE ABOLORE AKANDE
HHWA3 SONG OF THE YEAR
Most popular song from an album in year under review. Decided by voting

“FALL IN LOVE”
Album- ENTERTAINER
Artiste- D’banj
Producer - Don Jazzy
Record Label - Mo Hits
“INCASE U NEVER KNOW”
Album - MUSIC BUSINESS
Artiste – 2Shot ft. Timaya
Producer – Terry G
Record Label – Umunamu Records

“GONGO ASO”
Album- GONGO ASO
Artiste - 9ice
Producer - ID Cabasa
Record Label - Alapomeji Records

“GOOD OR BAD”
Album - GET SERIOUS
Artiste - J Martins ft. Timaya and P-Square
Producer - J Martins
Record Label - Don Family Records
HHWA4 RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Best single recording (on-air only or released) by artiste or group in year under review. Originality and production very essential

“STREET CREDIBILITY”
Album - GONGO ASO
Artiste - 9ICE FT. 2Face
Producer – Id Cabasa
Record Label - Alapomeji Records

“NOT THE GIRL”
Album – UNDAREYTED
Artiste - Dare Art Alade
Producer - Tee-Y Mix
Record Label – Soul Muzik
“MITCHELL”
Album – ETCETERA
Artiste – Etcetera
Producer – Etcetera and Jo’kaynie
Record Label – X3M

“CAN’T DO WITHOUT YOU”
Album – UNSTOPPABLE
Artiste – Tuface Ft. Melissa Briggs
Producer – Mic Tunes
Record Label - Hypertek Music

HHWA5 PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
The individual responsible for producing the most acclaimed album in the year under review. His CV for the year includes top notch tracks and production credits no one can fault.

TEE-Y MIX
Album Title – YOU KNOW MY P
Artiste - Naeto C
Song Title – “KI NI BIG DEAL”

DON JAZZY
Album Title- ENTERTAINER
Artiste – D’Banj
Song Title – “FALL IN LOVE”

ID CABASA
Album Title – GONGO ASO
Artiste - 9ice
Song Title – “GONGO ASO”

TERRY G
Album – MUSIC BIZNESS
Artiste - 2 Shotz
Song Title – “IN CASE YOU NEVER KNOW”

JESSE JAGZ
Album – TALK ABOUT IT
Artiste – M.I
Song title – “SHORT BALCK BOY”
HHWA6 BEST MUSIC VIDEO (AWARD GOES TO DIRECTOR)
Best conceptualist, best edited, best picture, best directed and most exciting video in year under review as voted by fans and decided by the jury.

ALFONSO DORMUN
Album Title – BIG BOY
Artiste - eLDee
Video Song Title – “BO SI GBAN GBA”

JUDE OKOYE
Album Title - GAME OVER
Artiste - P Square
Video Song Title – “ROLL IT”
DJ TEE
Album Title - CV
Artiste – Mo Hits All Stars
Video song Title – “PERE”

IGHO
Album Title – GET AWAY
Artiste - Igho
Video song Title – “NAIJA BOY”

HHWA7 BEST REGGAE/DANCEHALL ALBUM
Best reggae or dancehall album in year under review

GIFT AND GRACE
Artiste - Timaya
Producer(s) - K Solo, Akeem D’Beat, Jeggs, Spankie, Terry G,
Record Label – Dem Mama

ME MUSIQ AND I
Artiste – Blackface
Producers – George Nathaniel, Blackface Naija, Terry G, Pro-Kessy, Henry Hope,
Record Label – Loud Houz Entertainment

ICHIBAN
Artiste - Chakka Da’ Souljah
Producer(s) - Del B
Record Label - Premier Music

MY SHINE
Artiste – Black Solo
Producer(s) - Jah Mix, Zeeno Foster, DMM
Record Label - Kiss Music
HHWA8 BEST R ‘N’ B/ POP ALBUM
Best R&B or pop album in year under review (by single individual or group)
ENTERTAINER
Artiste- D’Banj
Producer(s) - Don Jazzy
Record Label- Mo Hits
UNSTOPPABLE
Artiste – 2Face
Producer(s) – J Sleek, Mic Tunes, Chakademus & Pliers, R Kelly, Sharks, Ozzy, Wayne Mc, Jiggy Jegg, B. Howard
Record Label – Hypertek Records

ETCETERA
Artiste – Etcetera
Producer(s) – Etcetera, Jo’ Kenny, Mr Daz, Chris Yakub
Record Label – X3M
GONGO ASO
Artiste- 9ice
Producer(s) - ID Cabasa, Puffy T
Record Label- Alapomeji Records

MR CAPABLE
Artiste - Banky W
Producer(s) - ID Cabasa, Music Men
Record Label - Empire Mates Entertainment
HHWA9 BEST RAP ALBUM
Best album by a rap artiste or group in year under review

TALK ABOUT IT
Artiste- M I
Producer(s) - M I, Jesse Jagz, Kraftworks
Record Label- Chocolate City
PARADIGM SHIFT
Artiste - Mode 9
Producer(s) - Kraftwork, Jonah D Monarch, Wazbeat, Light house, Jesse Jagz
Record Label- Red Eye Entertainment
SECOND TURNING BY THE RIGHT
Artiste - Lord Of Ajasa
Producer(s) - ID Cabasa,
Record Label – Oti Po Ju

YOU KNOW MY P
Artiste - Naeto C
Producer(s) - Tee-Y Mix
Record Label - Storm Records
HHWA10 BEST COLLABO
Best R&B, Pop or hip hop collaborative track (including cameos) in year under review

“STREET CREDIBILITY”
Artistes – 9ice FT 2Face
Producer – ID Cabasa
Record label- Alapomeji Records
“LE FENU SO”
Artistes - Lord Of Ajasa FT 9ice
Producer – ID Cabasa
Record Label- O Ti Po Ju
“GOOD OR BAD
Artistes - J Martins FT Timaya AND P-Square
Producer – J Martins
Record Label- Don Family Records
“E FI MI SILE”
Artistes - YQ FT Da Grin
Producer – Dr. Frabz
Record Label- 2 Koncept Entertainment

“BUSH MEAT”
Artistes - Sound Sultan FT 2Face & W4
Producer – J Sleek
Record Label- Naija Ninja

HHWA11 BEST RAP SINGLE
Best single released on-air recording of a rap song

“SAFE”
Artiste(s) – M I ft Djinee
Producer – M.I
Record Label- Chocolate City

“TALKING TO YOU”
Artiste(s) – Mode 9 ft Banky W
Producer – Banky W
Record label- Red Eye Music

“WA WA ALRIGHT”
Artiste(s) – Kel
Producer – Suspect
Record Label- Capital Hills Records

“KINI BIG DEAL”
Artiste(s) – Naeto C
Producer – Tee-Y Mix
Record Label- Storm Records

HHWA12 BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (MALE)
Single male artiste with most outstanding vocal performance on a single song or album

DARE ART ALADE
Album Title - UNDAREYTED
Record Label – Soul Muzik
Producer- Cobhams
Song Title - “NOT THE GIRL”

BANKY W
Album Title - MR CAPABLE
Record Label - Empire Mates Entertainment
Producer- Muzik Men
Song Title - “DON’T BREAK MY HEART”
ETCETERA
Album Title - ETCETERA
Producer- Etcetera and Jo’Kaynie
Record label – X3M
Song Title- “MICHELLE”
WANDE COAL
Album Title - FROM M TO M
Producer- Don Jazzy
Record Label – Mo Hits
Song Title- “TABOO”
HHWA13 BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (FEMALE)
Single female act with most outstanding vocal performance on a single song or album
OMAWUNMI
Album Title - WONDER WOMAN
Producer - Cobhams
Record Label – Wonder Woman
Song Title - “IN THE MUSIC”
NIKKI LAOYE
Album Title - ANGEL 4 LIFE
Producer - Cobhams
Record Label – Wahala Media Entertainment
Song Title - “NEVER FELT THIS WAY BEFORE”

WAJE
Album Title- BREATHLESS (Unreleased)
Producer - J Martins
Record Label – Dome Records
Song Title- “SOMEWHERE”

HHWA14 NEXT RATED
Most promising upcoming officially unreleased act in the year under review

YQ
Track Title – “E FI MI LE”
Record Label – 2Koncept Entertainment

MP
Track Title – “PASA PASA”
Record Label – Lime Lite Records

KEL
Track Title – “WA WA ALRIGHT”
Record Label - Capital Hills Records

D’JINEE
Track Title – “LADE”
Record Label – Polar Media

OMAWUNMI
Track Title – “IN THE MUSIC”
Record Label – Wonder Woman
HHWA15 HIP HOP WORLD REVELATION
Best new artiste in the year under review

M I
Album - TALK ABOUT IT
Full Name – JUDE ABAGA
Record Label – Chocolate City

BANKY W
Album- MR CAPABLE
Full Name – BANKOLE WELLINGTON
Record Label – Empire Mates Entertainment

NAETO C
Album- YOU KNOW MY P
Full Name – NAETOCHUKWU CHIKWE
Record Label – Storm Records
NIKKI LAOYE
Album- ANGEL FOR LIFE
Full Name – NIKKI LAOYE
Record Label – Wahala Media Entertainment
HHWA16 AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR (NON NIGERIAN CATEGORY)
Special award for an individual African artiste with the most outstanding album and astonishing achievements in year under review
BUFFALO
“BUBBLE YOUR BUMZ”

TINNY
“I DEY KOLO”

DOGG
“CAN YOU FEEL IT”

WITNESS
“ZERO” HHWA17 LYRICIST ON THE ROLL
Rap Artiste with best lyrical depth and performance on a single song or album

MODE 9
Album Title- PARADIGM SHIFT
Record Label- Red Eye Music
Song Title - NINE

M I
Album Title - TALK ABOUT IT
Record Label - Chocolate City
Song Title – TALK ABOUT IT
LORD OF AJASA
Album Title - SECOND TURNING BY THE RIGHT
Record Label - O Ti Po Ju
Song Title – ESA LO BA DE
DAGRIN
Album Title – CEO (Unreleased)
Record Label - Satty Record and Mi So Fun Yin
Song Title - PON PON PON
HHWA18 BEST STREET HOP
The most popular street-hop single in year under review

“E SA LO BA DE”
Artiste- Lord Of Ajasa
“PON PON PON”
Artiste- Da Grin
“04 KA SI BE”
Artiste- DJ Zeez
“E FI MI LE”
Artiste-YQ

“COLLABO”
Artiste- DeeBee

HHWA19 HIPHOP WORLD HALL OF FAME
Non competitive category

GRAND MASTER LEE
PHILLIP TRIMNELL

THE NIGERIA WE DESERVE!!!

I’m sorry if I’m digressing from the better life gist a little. I don’t know if it’s just me, but I feel really really moved when I think about Nigeria. Do you? I know I am not alone, I certainly am not. I’m not even the first to feel this way, but I feel so strongly that I must contribute my quota into transforming Nigeria into the future I know it has. We might be divided in our past, but we are united in our future. We might have diverse tribes and languages, but we can aspire to one vision. My destiny and if you think about it, yours as well, is tied to this country! When we pray for the peace of our Jerusalem, we are qualified to prosper in it!

I’ve had an opportunity to attend a few brainstorming sessions recently with Fela Durotoye and a number of other passionate change agents in Nigeria, and I know that the cloud is gathering, and the rain will fall! I have had the opportunity also of speaking with accomplished Nigerian business leaders, and the question I find on the lips of the ones with the right values is, “after we have made all this money what next, what legacy will we leave to generations unborn, is this our best as a country?” Think about it, we all believe we deserve a Nigeria that is better than this. I mean, really think about it, you and I know people who would lead and administer every state, ministry and parastatal better. What will it cost us to have 36 Fashola’s spread across Nigeria? What will it cost us? I’m not claiming that he’s a saint, and really maybe what we need as a next step is not an outright saint, but concientous leaders who believe they owe us something in their tenure as leaders.

I regularly marvel at how blessed we are as a nation. You sit down and think about it, not out of patriotism or anything, but standing outside as an observer, if I wasn’t a Nigerian, I would have said that God favoured this country.

Is it arable land? We have it in abundance! While countries like Japan are chocked up without space, and to survive would build airports on water, we have land mass, not only land mass like they have in the Dubai and UAE deserts, we have arable and fertile ground. We have land that can grow anything without much efforts. CIA reports say that we have very good surface water, Malaysia for a fact proved that we could have made more from palm oil than crude oil. Our problem is not our land.

Is it brilliance or intellectual prowess? I don’t mean to be proud, but I have heard of average and percieved below average Nigerians get overseas {yankee or Jand} and become classified as geniuses. I’m sure a number of you out there in diaspora can share stories and testimonies of how you got to your class with a complex and became a super star in 1yr. Do I have a witness? If you look into different disciplines globally as well, you’ll find Nigerians excelling and in top positions. Our brains are correct. Our problem is not in our brain.

Is it man power? Skilled and Unskilled labour, we have! With a population that makes us the most populous black nation on earth, a quarter of Africa and 10% of the black race. We have the numbers and the cost of living that can help us be the manufacturing hub or IT hub of the world. Our unemployement and underemployments rates are so high, some of us are doing more than we should be doing. We have people that we can direct, we have an army that we can lead. We’ve got the numbers. Our problem is not our population.

Is it natural resources? We have in Nigeria over 37 mineral resources that have been discovered in commercial quantity. This means if we shift our gaze from oil, there are 36 other minerals that can occupy our attention sufficiently. In natural resources we rank among the top countries in the world so blessed. We don’t have a want of what to naturally generate income from.

Is it our personality? Nigerians are some of the most passionate people in the world, if not the most. If you want to know, just get two Nigerians to argue about a football match or anything in particular. I once attended a training in poland where I was approached by some of the facilitators on the account of my contagious passion. I told them, that if they think I am passionate, it’s because they have not been to Nigeria. Passion is that quality that makes you put a lot more into whatever it is you are doing. We are passionate people.

Is it our culture? We have one of the closely knit together cultures in the world. We have very close extended family systems, we are more united than most countries. Telecommunication companies are making a killing in Nigeria because we like to be in touch. If viral marketing can work anywhere in the world it’s with us, if word of mouth epidemic can be spread anywhere in the world it’s with us. If all the nations of the earth do network marketing together we have proven our capacity to be number 1. Our culture is not our problem.

What then is our problem? What one thing will we solve that will make it clear to us that things can begin to change? I believe very strongly, and I have the backing of my elders in saying that that thing, is that we the enlightened rise up and take responsibility for our nation. If darkness reigns it’s because light refused to shine. Darkness has no measure, the degree of darkness we suffer is a direct measure of how lightless we are. For how long will we have candles and not light them up, for how long will we have generators and not switch on the light. For how long will we be slaves in our own countries? For how long? For how long will we travel out of our nation to slave it away for other economies simply because they have better systems and consequently better leaders? For how long? For how long will you and I continue to be spectators in the game of our lives? For how long will we wait for television and radio to tell us the fate of our nation. When will you and I become news makers? When?

The answer my friend is NOW! The future is a moving target that changes with every passing second. To capture the future, we must begin NOW. In the weeks ahead, we will put flesh on it, in weeks ahead we will come out with our strategy. Today, let’s build the workforce and the financiers of the future. You are not alone, we are legion! When we come together our productivity increases by as much as 80%. Together, we must build a critical mass of people who when they put their voices together and step out in the same direction, can steer the direction of this nation. Our quest is simple, we want to deliver for Nigeria, the right (visionary administrators who have concrete plans for Nigeria and have demonstrated the capability to lead us) political leadership, and an enlightened (people that are easy to govern, difficult to rule and impossible to enslave) followership. To Join us, click here.

We will celebrate key milestones. Once we are 100, everybody on the database get’s a congratulatory text message. Our next milestone will be 1000, all the 100 will be required to get 10 of their friends subscribed. Then we will work towards, 5,000, 10,000, 50,000, 100,000, 1,000,000 and 5,000,000. There is no demand from anybody at the moment, but the demands will come - demands for skill, for time, for finance, for vision, for presence. Together, we will make this country work, we will leverage on support in Nigeria and in Diaspora. Our brothers and sisters outside are a great advantage, they can be our voices in the cases where our being on ground can be threat. Our activities will be pro-good governance, we will not be a political party but we will work with all political parties. We will be a voice and an arm in the birth of the future. Am I interested in politics? Yes! Do I want to vie for political office in 2011? NO! If we find someone who wants to and has what we are looking for, we will make them our leader. We need light in this country, in evey sense of the word!

The future is the Voltron, the New Nigeria Club is one of the Lions. Let’s form the Voltron! Join the future movement today, and send the mail to your friends. www.thefuturemovement.org/register

N.B THIS ARTICLE IS FROM MY FRIEND'S WEBSITE. DEOLUAKINYEMI.COM