‘Mama Africa’s attack on FG is selfish and makes her a hypocrite

For some weird reason, our top celebrities have exited their bubble, and decided to show us all that they also live in the same Nigeria that we feel.

These people, kept mute all through 2016, where the recession bit hard, and many of our systems experienced total structural failure. There’s no part of the country where the wailing was not heard. The economic recession brought untold hardship to the masses, as jobs were lost, and inflation was at an all-time high.

But did Yemi Alade care? Did she feel the cries of her fans and give voice to complaints by standing up as a model and leader in the society that she has benefited from? Did she in any way seek to use her good position to influence policy and infrastructure?

No. Yemi Alade did nothing, content to perform at State-sponsored concerts to these politicians, rake in the money and scream to the high heavens at critics that “She is smiling to the bank.” She didn’t just do absolutely nothing, she failed to even admit to be on the same page as the rest of Nigeria, while chasing her beloved money.

That’s why her current activism is hypocritical and fake. That’s why she has no place to complain.

Yemi Alade did not speak out when people got bombed. She didn’t complain when people were wrongly jailed, and the executive arm of the country flouted judicial orders with impunity. The numerous bombings and death of innocents and soldiers at the hand of Boko Haram were ignored by ‘Mama Africa’.

Why then did she speak now? Why has she opened her mouth?

Because it affected her money. And here’s how.

Yemi Alade’s recent outburst on Twitter is because of one thing: It affects the source of her money. Last week MNET launched a new edition of Big Brother Nigeria. The show which will run for over 78 days, was shot and produced in South Africa.

That discovery generated a lot of strong and polarizing opinions from Nigerians until it got to the Federal Government, who ordered a probe on why the Big Brother Naija is shot in South Africa. Reactions to that move has been overwhelming with people slamming the government for misplaced priorities.

Enter Yemi Alade.

The singer took to Twitter to blast the government, and link it up to the recent bombing of an IDP camp by the Nigerian Airforce. She fired:

On paper, this looks like a well-meaning attack on the government by a celebrity. This was a prized voice joining the struggle and generating conversations which will put the government under pressure to perform in the interest of the people.

But isn’t it surprising that Yemi Alade, who has abstained from activism all this while, will speak out? Why is she so vocal all of a sudden?

That’s because the government came for her money. By ordering the probe of Big Brother Nigeria, the Federal Government is coming too close to Yemi Alade’s money. At the launch of the TV show in South Africa, Yemi Alade was contracted to perform at the show. She made money by giving another trademark performance, and smiled to the bank thereafter. That’s why she feels personally aggrieved by the Federal Government’s response and has spoken out.

When isolated, she does have a point. The Federal Government ought to do more and be more responsible in the security of lives and property, and calling for them to fulfill their responsibility is a step in the right direction.

But she only joined the fight when a body which has affected her personal pocket is in the firing line. That in itself is so selfish, and hypocritical. Yemi Alade, please stop trying to skip the struggle, and truly join in the fight for the common man.

If Yemi Alade wants to join the struggle and push for social justice, she needs to get off Twitter and use her music to preach the message. She needs to commit her talent and her platform to the struggle, and not fire off some words on Twitter.

Everybody can tweet. Even this article was twitted automatically with no effort. See?