Falz’s Prophetic Song of Hope, Mr Yakubu

Written by Victor DeGreat – A good song is a strong tool of communications in human society today. Its social potency transcends entertainment but reaches to enlighten and educate a kin listener on political issues. In Falz’s new music video, Mr Yakubu, as a song comes with a prophetic sense of hope that citizens can air their views on important national issues.

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It is barely, a month after the 2023 presidential elections in Nigeria, when actor, songwriter, and singer, Falz produced a politically-motivated music video titled Mr Yakubu. Instantly, the music video made headline on both tradition and social media space.

Mr Yakubu as a music video encapsulated the events, and personalities of the said presidential elections held on February 25, 2023 with the declaration of results at 3.59am on March 1, 2023.

Falz featured Vector in the music video with a specific role for him as a defence lawyer to Mr Yakubu. The video is dramatically suggestive with the accompanying dramatic suspense and characterization of the characters.

Mr Yakubu’s Character in Nigeria today

First, the character of Mr Yakubu in the music video, comes with a mixed reaction of innocence and pride of fulfilment. He is accused of being a fraudster as the lines of Falz suggests. He will be denied Oscar, an award presenting body and will not prosper.

Mr Yakubu is not shocked at the allegations levelled against thus claiming innocence as his lawyer calms him down in pretense. This character is typical of Nigerian leaders – in politics, government, business and market place. When they are in power or position, nothing bothers them even if they accused of wrong doings.

Everybody in the room are accusing him, but relying on his lawyer, his calm and even laughing. Mr Yakubu is not moved by the anger, pains and agony expressed by the people but walks out of the scene without remorse of guilty.

There are many Mr Yakubus in Nigeria today, and they must change for Nigeria to move on.

Costumes in Falz’s Mr Yakubu

All the costume used in this music video tells about the personalities in the 2023 general election. They are plain but comes with the interpretation of the various characters who took part either as voters, observers, security agents and regulators of the voting exercise.

Costumes are important aspect of motion picture story telling. Falz didn’t fail in that aspect. Some of the costumes just the tell the story. The man with the white agada and the inscription on it tells who the personality represent in the broader picture.

The Set of Mr Yakubu by Falz

The set is simple, but with a strong message. Apparently, a situation room to monitor events as the video opens with various security cameras. It later transformed to a court room with the introduction of judge. Vector is the lawyer to Mr Yakubu and Falz represents the oppressed and victimized.

Use of Language in Falz’s Mr Yakubu

In an interview on a national television, Mr Falz said, “I am a Yoruba speaker myself, a pidgin speaker. These are Nigerian languages. I always aim to stay as true to myself as possible in any way I express my arts. I want to express myself in English and my native languages with majority of my records.

“Majority of the song is in English and that’s why everyone instantly resonated with it. You can clearly understand what’s happening there, even the parts in Yoruba, because you have the content of the entire record, you can figure out what is being said,” Falz said.

It is amazing, how Falz and Vector with the creative direction of Oye 2.0 captured the events in 3 minutes, 8 seconds. But there is hope for the Nigerian citizens with this prophetic song, Mr Yakubu from the one of Nigeria’s act, Falz.