By Nicholas Ojo
Nigeria’s Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, on Tuesday, commended popular Nigerian singer, Kizz Daniel on his hit single ‘Buga,’ at a global conference organised by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).
Osinbajo who said ‘Buga won’ is a Yoruba expression that encourages one to flaunt their successes, thrilled the audience with a rendition of the hit tune.
He also thrilled the audience with the lyrics of Asake’s hit song ‘Organise.’
The event, which commenced on Monday and is scheduled to end on Wednesday, was graced by Osinbajo on Tuesday at the National Arts Theatre, Iganmu in Lagos State.
Osinbajo represented President Muhammadu Buhari as a special Guest of Honour; and received Secretary-General of the UNWTO, Zurab Pololikashvili at the event, according to Laolu Akande, the vice president’s media aide.
According to Akande, the conference focuses on leveraging the tourism and creative industries for economic growth.
In a now-viral video from the event, Osinbajo sang the hit track, while remarking about the function of music as a “global language,” as the audience cheerfully joined him in a sing-along.
He said, “Music, for example, as we all know, is a global language. Even though people don’t know the meaning of the words of a song, they enjoy the rhythm, and some find out the meaning of lyrics by discovering the cultures and ideas that inspire them.
“But let me just test that theory of mine, that is, that you don’t need to understand the words of any song to enjoy it and to be able to sing it, and that music is indeed a very global language. How many people know this song?”
Osinbajo then started a rendition of ‘Buga’, saying, “Koni baje o…let me see you go low low low…let me see you go low low low…Buga wọn, Lemme see…Buga wọn,” which drew applause and laughter from the audience.
“You know that your ‘Buga’ has to be a real ‘Buga’,” he said, amidst cheers.
According to him, with Nigerian music rendered in different languages worldwide, people are now dancing to Nigerian songs like ‘Buga’.
“People all over the world are dancing to Kizz Daniel.
“The phrase ‘Buga won’ is a Yoruba expression. It means ‘flaunt your hard-won success, take the fruit of your work. Take the opportunity, show off your successes.’ Don’t sit down there thinking ‘my success is too small.’ Feel it, show it off.
“Many people all over the world are squaring up their shoulders and saying, ‘It doesn’t matter how hard it seems or looks, I must show off my own success, no matter how little it may seem to others. It may seem to you that it’s small but I’m just going to buga won anyway,'” Osinbajo said.
The vice president also sang Organise by Asake, taught his audience the lyrics and threw in an analysis to boot.
Per Osinbajo’s aide, Laolu Akande, the vice president said; “Many all over the world are squaring up their shoulders, saying it doesn’t matter how hard it may seem, let me see you dance and show off your success no matter how small it may seem to others, Buga Won! And he (Kizz Daniel) will be performing the song at the Qatar World Cup in a few days.
“Burna Boy, a Nigerian Afrobeat star performed in front of 70,000 people in Finland, at Finland’s Flow Festival 2022. Singing songs like “Last Last, he don cast, na everybody go chop breakfast” in pidgin English to a cheering Scandinavian audience is the power of music. The song is also the first Afrobeats song to have sold over 500 thousand units in less than 17 weeks after its release in the United States of America.
“Another Nigerian artist, Asake who sings in pidgin, sang the song Organise. The lyrics: “organise, every other day I organise, some of us are wise, every other person overwise.” Now, these are street slangs in Lagos, but the world loves it and his show at the O2 Arena in the UK sold out to an international audience in less than 5 mins!”
To drive home his point, the VP led his audience in singing the songs; “Buga Won”, “Last Last” and “Organise” to underscore music’s appeal even in languages that people don’t necessarily speak.