This time, it’s the Federal Ministry of Health ‘chooking’ their mouth where it doesn’t belong. Or rather, where it should never even belong in the first place. The Federal Ministry of Health is not only warning that “smokers are liable to die young,” but has revealed its displeasure over Olamide’s new song, “Wo.” The ministry has warned the public of the “dangerous public health content and violation of the Tobacco Control Act 2015.”
Via their Twitter handle, the Ministry, which is
being represented by an overzealous intern, or a company that
desperately needs to score cheap points, took a clip of less than a
second and used it to brand Olamide’s new video bad for Nigerian youths.
It’s nonsense. It’s a classic case of ‘reaching’ and has no use.
I support different arms of the Federal Government
doing their jobs. The Federal Ministry of Health has one of the most
important jobs in the country. It is concerned with the formulation and
implementation of policies related to health, with several departments
specializing in different aspects of health care. But turns out, they
now have a department focused primarily scrutinizing music videos for
cheap points.
Let’s
look at Olamide’s ‘Wo!!” video and independently analyse it for claims
about it encouraging secondhand smoking. The 4-minute visual shot by
Unlimited LA takes Olamide back to his old neighbourhood of Bariga,
where he grew up. The rapper engages the youth via dancing, brings the
community together with music, and curates different dance styles from
the streets. Before the video, three dance crews had won N1 million each
for making dance videos of the song, and a group had their visual
incorporated into the final cut of the video.
It’s almost four minutes of dancing and celebratory
brilliance. A hood hero had returned, inspiring the poor people of the
community and showing them how hard work and good fortune can befall one
of their one. Before his stratospheric rise to superstardom, Olamide
roamed those streets, with nothing but hope and a talent. He got
rewarded and has always given back to the community. One of his projects
has been Lil Kesh, who he picked from the hood and made a star.
‘Wo’ video is the hood becoming art, but not for the
thirsty folks at the Federal Ministry of Health. The only time a smoker
is shown in the video is at 00:5, and the young man spends less than a
second on-screen. He barely registers in your brain, your mind forgets
that a smoker showed up, instead, you are drawn to the very healthy
scenes of young people keeping fit.
The Federal Ministry of Health didn’t take its time
to see the dancing which is the main feature of the video. Dancing is
healthy. Dance is a great form of exercise because it provides you with
both aerobic and anaerobic movements. Our bodies need a combination of
both types of exercise in order to be at their healthiest. But no, that
flew over the Ministry’s health.
What
I see here is an opportunity to trend, which was cheaply grabbed by
those at the ministry by stretching. They stretched really hard, and it
has paid off. They are in the news, people have engaged them on social
media, and they have trended. Also, for the first time in a decade, you
now know that Nigeria has a Health Ministry, and they watch Olamide’s
video. Let them clap for themselves. Job well-done lads, way to go.
We should see it as what it is. Don’t be fooled into
thinking that they really care. If they do, they would encourage the
dancing that was abundantly provided. But no, they had to pick the most
obscure, inconspicuous part of the clip to drive home an agenda. It
isn’t just selfish, it is low and makes no sense.
Just when you want to enjoy something such as
listening to Olamide’s new ‘Wo’ video or cruising in your new car, the
Nigerian government finds a way to take it from you. From SARS extorting
people indiscriminately, to the cost effects of the fall of the Naira,
there’s just one government bogeyman hiding by every corner of your
life, and waiting to ruin any sliver of happiness from you.
This time, it’s the Federal Ministry of Health
‘chooking’ their mouth where it doesn’t belong. Or rather, where it
should never even belong in the first place. The Federal Ministry of
Health is not only warning that “smokers are liable to die young,” but
has revealed its displeasure over Olamide’s new song, “Wo.” The ministry has warned the public of the “dangerous public health content and violation of the Tobacco Control Act 2015.”
Via their Twitter handle, the Ministry, which is
being represented by an overzealous intern, or a company that
desperately needs to score cheap points, took a clip of less than a
second and used it to brand Olamide’s new video bad for Nigerian youths.
It’s nonsense. It’s a classic case of ‘reaching’ and has no use.
I support different arms of the Federal Government
doing their jobs. The Federal Ministry of Health has one of the most
important jobs in the country. It is concerned with the formulation and
implementation of policies related to health, with several departments
specializing in different aspects of health care. But turns out, they
now have a department focused primarily scrutinizing music videos for
cheap points.
Let’s look at Olamide’s ‘Wo!!” video and
independently analyse it for claims about it encouraging secondhand
smoking. The 4-minute visual shot by Unlimited LA takes Olamide back to
his old neighbourhood of Bariga, where he grew up. The rapper engages
the youth via dancing, brings the community together with music, and
curates different dance styles from the streets. Before the video, three
dance crews had won N1 million each for making dance videos of the
song, and a group had their visual incorporated into the final cut of
the video.
It’s almost four minutes of dancing and celebratory
brilliance. A hood hero had returned, inspiring the poor people of the
community and showing them how hard work and good fortune can befall one
of their one. Before his stratospheric rise to superstardom, Olamide
roamed those streets, with nothing but hope and a talent. He got
rewarded and has always given back to the community. One of his projects
has been Lil Kesh, who he picked from the hood and made a star.
‘Wo’ video is the hood becoming art, but not for the
thirsty folks at the Federal Ministry of Health. The only time a smoker
is shown in the video is at 00:5, and the young man spends less than a
second on-screen. He barely registers in your brain, your mind forgets
that a smoker showed up, instead, you are drawn to the very healthy
scenes of young people keeping fit.
The Federal Ministry of Health didn’t take its time
to see the dancing which is the main feature of the video. Dancing is
healthy. Dance is a great form of exercise because it provides you with
both aerobic and anaerobic movements. Our bodies need a combination of
both types of exercise in order to be at their healthiest. But no, that
flew over the Ministry’s health.
What I see here is an opportunity to trend, which was
cheaply grabbed by those at the ministry by stretching. They stretched
really hard, and it has paid off. They are in the news, people have
engaged them on social media, and they have trended. Also, for the first
time in a decade, you now know that Nigeria has a Health Ministry, and
they watch Olamide’s video. Let them clap for themselves. Job well-done
lads, way to go.
We should see it as what it is. Don’t be fooled into
thinking that they really care. If they do, they would encourage the
dancing that was abundantly provided. But no, they had to pick the most
obscure, inconspicuous part of the clip to drive home an agenda. It
isn’t just selfish, it is low and makes no sense.
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