Uncomfortable truths travel with a great deal of difficulty. People have spent time rationalising why Tuface pulled out of the planned protest. With many suggesting they weren't disappointed. But the situation is what it is.
I urge everyone to read up on Charles Novia and Temidayo Ahamnisi's take on this subject today and understand the implications of what Tuface's actions mean for his legacy.
I was among the growing number of netizens who defended Tuface's involvement in the protest and held my breathe for what seemed an epochal moment. Alas, he pulled his head away from the plough.
Predictably, much of the reaction to Tuface's action was one of sentiments, a la "if you're vexed, you go and protest yourself", "he has achieved a lot by merely popularising the protest", "leave Tuface alone, he was threatened", or "he's legacy is still intact".
Such emotionalised responses mostly served to mask the fact that its purveyors are themselves uncomfortable with the man's actions. Whether you like it or not, his legacy has been blighted. While his talent is never in doubt, what made Tuface the Tuface he is, was our recognition of the man as the common man's musician. The one star whose life and personality you could relate with the most. A man whom although became elevated, maintained allegiance to the plight of the poor or working people, using his music to allow their suffering to speak. Using his music to allow their reality to speak. If Nigerians could vote an artiste as President, Tuface would easily emerge an indisputable winner. Such was the depth of his appeal.
To ask those questioning Tuface to "get off their keyboards and go and protest", is missing the point. Of course, some who challenged Tuface's decision protested today. Most of us aren't actually protest shy. The last protest I engaged in was 1 year ago, right inside the university campus where I worked, for which I know I could have easily earned myself some powerful enemies. Some of my colleagues are on my Facebook, and they know. My very first protest was as a 17 year old in University of Abuja.
So when people ask: why did he chicken out? Why did he not seize the stage when immortality was calling? Why did Tuface not march into the hallowed chambers and stand on the right hand of Fela Kuti? It isn't because we are keyboard activists, or we seek to tarnish a man, no, it is because we saw a giant on whose shoulders a great deal of masses could have stood on. Alas, we would have to accept that not all balls are made of steel.
MO
I urge everyone to read up on Charles Novia and Temidayo Ahamnisi's take on this subject today and understand the implications of what Tuface's actions mean for his legacy.
I was among the growing number of netizens who defended Tuface's involvement in the protest and held my breathe for what seemed an epochal moment. Alas, he pulled his head away from the plough.
Predictably, much of the reaction to Tuface's action was one of sentiments, a la "if you're vexed, you go and protest yourself", "he has achieved a lot by merely popularising the protest", "leave Tuface alone, he was threatened", or "he's legacy is still intact".
Such emotionalised responses mostly served to mask the fact that its purveyors are themselves uncomfortable with the man's actions. Whether you like it or not, his legacy has been blighted. While his talent is never in doubt, what made Tuface the Tuface he is, was our recognition of the man as the common man's musician. The one star whose life and personality you could relate with the most. A man whom although became elevated, maintained allegiance to the plight of the poor or working people, using his music to allow their suffering to speak. Using his music to allow their reality to speak. If Nigerians could vote an artiste as President, Tuface would easily emerge an indisputable winner. Such was the depth of his appeal.
To ask those questioning Tuface to "get off their keyboards and go and protest", is missing the point. Of course, some who challenged Tuface's decision protested today. Most of us aren't actually protest shy. The last protest I engaged in was 1 year ago, right inside the university campus where I worked, for which I know I could have easily earned myself some powerful enemies. Some of my colleagues are on my Facebook, and they know. My very first protest was as a 17 year old in University of Abuja.
So when people ask: why did he chicken out? Why did he not seize the stage when immortality was calling? Why did Tuface not march into the hallowed chambers and stand on the right hand of Fela Kuti? It isn't because we are keyboard activists, or we seek to tarnish a man, no, it is because we saw a giant on whose shoulders a great deal of masses could have stood on. Alas, we would have to accept that not all balls are made of steel.
MO
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