Dede Mabiaku
Dede Mabiaku was an undergraduate studying drama at the University of Benin in 1981 when I was a graduate student there.
How did I meet Dede?
Late one evening, I packed my Volkswagen car, popularly called Bintu, near the University of Benin theater during a drama rehearsal.
I was the stage-design director for the Convocation play in December 1982.
I needed to retrieve some article which was inside Bintu.
As I moved near Bintu, I heard loud grunts and banging sounds coming from inside the car parked under the shade of a tree.
As I was about to open the door, lo and behold, on the rear seat was a young man and his woman bulldozing one another, like there was no tomorrow.
I simply turned back and left them to continue with their demolition mission.
The man turned out to be Dede Mabiaku, and his beautiful woman, whose name I cannot recollect.
In those days, it appeared that I had a little bohemian reputation.
Plus Bintu was always unlocked.
And Dede enjoyed both circumstances to conduct his amorous activity inside Bintu.
Dede and I became friends.
After graduating, he did not seek employment like other young men. He simply joined Fela, and mastered Fela’s act so perfectly, that he always opened for Fela whenever Fela performed.
After Fela died, Dede continued to do AfrpBeat, just like Fela.
Last year, he did a song on the END SAAR crisis, titled HOOLIGANS AND HOODLUMS.
I listened to the lyrics, and wrote it down as carefully as I could as I followed the song.
Please enjoy it:
HOODLUMS AND HOOLIGANS by Dede Mabiaku.
Ewe ayo, ewe
Ewe ayo, ewe
Aah ha, un hunh,
Ewe ayo, ewe
Who no know go know
Who no sabi go sabi
Una dey forbid o
Na so dem talk am
Na so we see am o
The youths of Nigeria rise up this morning
For their basic human rights
They start to dey plan to unite to make things better
to make the land better
Before we know, ye i ye,
Gofment show come start again
Gofment show come start o
Dem bring dem guns, police and sojas
Gofment show come start o
They come dey scatter the peace arrangement of the youths
Gofment show come start o
Dem say the youths wan dabaru the land patapata
Gofment show come start o
Because they called for the end of the oppression injustice and unconstitutional killing
Dem say END SAAR
Una call dem hoodlum.
Na who be hoodlum?
Na dem be hoodlum.
Wettin be the meaning o?
Na dem be hoodlum.
Na person wey deprive him brother
Na dem be hoodlum.
Na person wey dey ruin the land o
Na dem be hoodlum.
Obasanjo, Shagari, Buhari
Na dem be hoodlum.
Babangida, Shonekan, Abacha
Na dem be hoodlum.
Abdusalam, Yaradua, Jonathan
Na dem be hoodlum.
Governor, and executive
Na who be the people who dey start to shoot for Lekki Toll gate?
Na hoodlumu o!
Who be the people wey dey hide wetting belong to the commonwealth?
Na hoodlumu o!
The people wey nor build hospital and school for the common man?
Na hoodlumu o!
People wey dey pack our money go anoda man kontiri when we dey suffer?
Na hoodlumu o!
When you use my people to do your political abracadabra?
Them no be hoodlum?
When you use them for thuggery, wuruwuru political rigging?
Them no be hooligan.
When you use them to harass people for END-SAAR
Them no be hoodlum?
Many many things na im happen for Lekki Tollgate
Many people wound.
Dem say nobody wound
Many people die.
Dem say nobody die.
Who shoot the gun?
Dem say dem no know?
Who shoot the gun?
Dem say na hoodlum
Many people wound.
Dem say nobody wound
Many people die.
Dem say nobody die.
Who shoot the gun?
Dem say dem no know?
Who shoot the gun?
Dem say na hoodlum
Ewe ayo, ewe
Ewe ayo, ewe
Aah ha, un hunh,
Ewe ayo, ewe
Who be hoodulum?
I nor be hoodulum.
Say, who be hooligan?
I nor be hooligan.
Presidenti hoodlum.
I nor be hoodulum.
Senator hooligan
I nor be hoodulum
Governors hoodulum
I nor be hoodulum
Legislator hooligan
I nor be hoodulum
Bad bad people o
I nor be hoodulum
Looku dem go o
I nor be hoodulum
****
The photo here: Today, as I listened to Dede Mabiaku’s HOODLUMS AND HOOLIGANS, I packed a small painting that I just sold to its new owner, a brilliant professor living in Ohio.
Please google Dede Mabiaku’s HOODLUMS AND HOOLIGANS on YouTube. He deserves more listeners and his incredible music deserves greater support.
