How can we go global if all we sing about is sex, love?

By Abenea Ndago

An embarrassing fact about African music is that nations that are more successful than the others are typically found in regions known for a culture of philosophical thought.

Their singers worry about the purpose of human existence, the nature of the world, and the place of human beings in it. Conversely, much of Kenya’s urban music is so malnourished in this regard that we need to congratulate Charles Njagua Kanyi (Jaguar) for Kioo, a song with a philosophical touch.

In Another Last Word (1990), Taban Lo Liyong’ curses East Africa’s inability to think three dimensionally. Disagree with him, but the relationship between the distribution of African thinkers and African music proves that he probably knows more than you do – that is, if you consider music to be another level of creativity.

If we consider the most committed theorists out of the whole pool of pioneer African statesmen, then the following would feature: Julius Nyerere (Tanzania), Nnamdi Azikiwe (Nigeria), Kwame Nkrumah (Ghana), Nelson Mandela (South Africa), Ahmed Ben Bella (Algeria), Sedar Senghor (Senegal), and Modibo Keita (Mali). Zaire’s Joseph Kasavubu is slightly overshadowed – but compensated for – by Joseph Mobutu’s late arrival. These are the same countries that coincidentally boast the best musical success in the African continent, and also the most number of philosophers.

Senegal’s musical foundation was laid by two cultural theorists, Senghor and Cheikh Anta Diop. Senegalese philosophers include Gaston Berger, and Souleymane Bachir Diagne. The country has one of Africa’s most international artistes – Youssou N’Dour. Arguably one of Africa’s most philosophical songs today is a collaboration between a Senegalese and a Kenyan – The Road by Baba Maal and Eric Wainaina.

No Kenyan singer was ever as revolutionary as Nigeria’s Fela Kuti. The Kanu regime used to snap its teeth like the hyena behind DO Misiani, but Owino was a Tanzanian. Nigeria also gave one song to the African continent in 1976 – Prince Nico Mbarga’s Sweet Mother. Her philosophers include Nana Asma’u, Joseph Omoregoe, EJ Algoa, and Peter Bodunrin (I do not know if Wole Soyinka is a writer or a philosopher).

Africa’s cornerstone

Kenya’s Afro-fusion band Sauti Sol has a bright future, chiefly because they have the sense to incorporate the melodies of pioneer songs such as Someni Vijana, a collaboration between David Amunga and Ben Blastus Obola. But no Afro-fusion band has ever bested Ghana’s Osibisa. She is also the birth-place of African Highlife music. Ghanaian philosophers include Anton William Amo, Kwame Antony Appiah, Kwami Gyekye, and Kwasi Wiredu.

As you would the Senegalese, you can count international Malian singers till you fall. Mali is also the home of Salif Keita, arguably the heaviest cornerstone of Africa’s griot culture. The most prominent philosopher there is Al-Hajj Salim Suwari.

Even DR Congo follows the same path. Apart from the legendary fame of Luambo Makiadi’s TPOK Jazz, I am not sure which Congolese songs aren’t direct contributions to the treasure of African music. Congolese philosophers include VY Mudimbe, Jacques Depelchin, Ernest Wamba Dia Wamba, and Mubabinge Bilolo.

A big disappointment with Kenyan music is the total black-out given to the music of communities who live in the arid and semi-arid areas by the media. Kenya is not aware that the Borana, Oromo, Rendile, and Gabbra communities are responsible for very vibrant music in Ethiopia and Eritrea. Ethiopian philosophers are Zera Yacob and Walda Heywat. Eritrea has Tsenay Serequeberhan.

Only insects do not know South Africa’s contribution to African music. One would easily gauge that by the greedy appetite with which Kenya’s landscapes – specifically the Rift Valley – are willing parasites upon that country’s musical blood. South African philosophers include Mogobe Ramose, Rick Turner, Jonathan Jansen, David Spurrett, and David Benatar.

Barring a few exceptions, there is a clear connection between serious thought, and serious music. The Congolese sing a lot about ‘liwa’ (death), ‘mateya’ (education), ‘boumbu’ (slavery), ‘boloko’ (jail/entrapment), ‘songi songi’ (gossip), ‘mobembo’ (journey), ‘mbongo’ (money), ‘bitumba’ (war), ‘etumbu’ (curse), ‘libala’ (marriage), and a bit of ‘bolingo’ (love). Yet much of Kenya’s urban music is not about love; it is about sex, peppered with American music.

JS Mbiti and Odera Oruka are Kenya’s best known philosophers. Unlike The Gambia’s 1.8 million people behind one philosopher, our case of 40 million people behind two philosophers means that Mbiti and Oruka each have 20 million people groping behind them for philosophical direction, a whole Indian Ocean of thoughtlessness. Achebe calls it “children who wash their stomach but forget their back” in No Longer at Ease (1961).  That’s why urban artistes who choose Robert Frost’s The Road Not Taken’– like Jaguar – should be urged on at all cost.