One week after we published a report on how internet fraudsters have infiltrated and polluted the music industry, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) clamped down on some artistes, including Naira Marley, who we reported used his social media handle to ask Nigerians to pray for Yahoo boys. In this follow –up to the report, the EFCC and the Nigerian Police have read the riot acts to artistes and celebrities who use their songs and clouts to promote internet fraud and fraudsters. Will this mark the end of brazen promotion of the internet fraud and fraudsters by Nigerian artistes? INNOCENT DURU asks.
The hip hop genre of music from the later part of year 2, 000 witnessed some strange lyrical compositions when some of the artistes with impunity began to record and promote songs that tacitly supported internet fraud, popularly known as yahoo yahoo.
From that moment, the number of artistes promoting the ugly practice began to increase in leaps and bounds, to the chagrin of many industry watchers who wondered if the society still had any values left at all.
But a ray of hope that the society has not lost it all emerged last week when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested two fast-rising artistes, Afeez Fashola (aka Naira Marley) and Temidayo Omoniyi (aka Zlatan) and three others whose names were given as Tiamiu Abdulrahman, Adewunmi Adeyanju and Musa Abubakar.
According to the EFCC, the suspects were arrested for their alleged involvement in internet fraud. Although, all the suspects, except Naira Marley, were released before press time.
Findings showed that some artistes who had at one point or the other recorded songs promoting internet fraud had been jittery since the arrest of their colleagues last week.
“There is certainly a level of fear among our guys who have done such songs. There are some of them who have gone into hiding since last week because they feel that the EFCC would also come for them. We sincerely don’t know where this would lead us to in the industry, especially
as these guys (yahoo boys) are the one filling the financial gap when the need arises,” a fast rising artiste, who did not want his name in print, said.
The level of destructive influence that artistes promoting unholy songs have on their fans became evident during the week when some of them began to attack everyone who spoke ill of their embattled music idols.
Veteran rapper, Micheal Ugochukwu Stephens, popularly known as Ruggedman, who had severely condemned the Naira Marley’s post supporting Yahoo boys received series of death threats for daring to criticise the dreadlock-wearing artiste.
Ruggedy Baba, as he is also fondly called by his admirers, was forced to issue an apology after receiving series of threat from the fans. Ruggedman was alleged by the fans to have masterminded the artistes’ arrest.
One of the fans, Michael_tom_j, in his post said: “You think sending them to jail
will make them learn their lessons? Trust me, you just started something you can’t finish. Watch where you enter . Me and my guys see you for Abuja or Accra. You go believe. If you doubt, announce your coming.
Another fan, who posted using the name swapplife, said: “The day we see you in London or East Africa, you will understand what Naira Marley means to the stress!!! Snitch!!!, … you go get, yours soon”.
Stunch_23, a fan of the artiste, said: “Please, can you mind your business? Thought you were cool but now you are just a snitch. Why don’t you talk about the corrupt leaders milking the country dry? But you came after Naira. Are they the problem of of Nigeria? I regret ever loving your song… you don’t make no sense, free zanku boys”.
In his post, a fan, Dr.young_geo, posted: “Bro, the street hates you for real.”
Issuing a threat to Ruggedman, Vincent 4347, posted: “Hand go meet you very soon. Your cup go soon full.”
Ruggedman eats humble pie, apologises
Apparently rattled by the death threat,
Ruggedman took to his Instagram and posted: “Why would I want an artist arrested? What will be my gain?I have read and heard all sorts of comments pertaining to the @nairamarley case and seen the misinformation making the rounds, which are quite unfortunate, to say the least.
“I note that saying I was ‘happy in a way’ about his arrest has evidently frayed some nerves and for that, I apologise. It was in hope that it would serve as a deterrent for persons who might consider the said ills or need to make a U-turn. It by no means was intended to wish for his downfall. It perhaps was not a good choice of word in hindsight. I do not look forward to anyone’s downfall but rather hope we all learn from the situation.
“I do not know Naira Marley personally”, the artistes further said, adding: “The same way I do not know the over 300 Nigerians I have gotten justice for against police brutality. I do it because it is who I am. All I did was caution a young artist, who has influence, against making utterances about an issue that by the global standard is considered a crime. I believe correcting this was the way to go as an elder, but got insulted for this even by those being misled.
“I never responded to Naira Marley’s invectives nor those of his fans, same way I have not responded to any of the negative comments from social media.
“I hereby state categorically that I had nothing to do with his arrest. We all must recall that he glorified fraud on a public platform where security agencies like the Police, NDLEA and EFCC are also on. I am sure they saw his posts and captions the same way we all did. I, however, was the one that cautioned him. I guess this was what led all the darts and arrows my way as literal mortal retribution to my person.
“Despite the disrespect to my person, I got nothing against him and only longed for him to be discerning and utilise his position of influence appropriately.May God bless you all and yes that includes those wishing me evil and threatening me. Nothing will change who I am and I will keep you all in my prayers. God bless us all.”
EFCC, Police read riot acts to artistes, celebrities
The EFCC Acting Head, Media and Publicity, Tony Orilade, in chat with The Nation said the commission is not limiting its operations to the two artistes .” It is an on-going thing. If you have been following our activities, you will find out that we have been up against these internet fraudsters for quite some time. It is a continuation of that exercise that this last weekend’s operation was carried out. We are not relenting on our efforts. Everything that needs to be done will be done. Whoever is associated with internet fraudsters, yahoo yahoo boys in terms of
aiding and abetting them, it is going to be a total clampdown.
“It is not limited to Naira Marley or the five. We are already out against anything relating to internet fraud. Naira Marley is a musician. His relationship with these boys is what has led him to where is he is right now. We believe that people will learn their lessons and begin to retrace their steps by doing the right thing. They should shun what is evil. Whatever it is that is within the mandate of the commission, we would not relent to carry it out.”
For musicians, who had used their songs to promote internet fraud and fraudsters in the past, Orilade said: “If you have done the song in the past, and for instance, you are invited to perform, and your fans are asking you to give them this song or that song, and you say, I have made a mistake in terms of singing such, I have repented from that which I used to do before. It is normal that we would also see such a repentance as genuine.
“But a situation where you had done it before and we didn’t ask you to come and answer questions and you go out last weekend or next weekend and you are singing and dancing and they are celebrating you, we would still call you to answer questions. That you have done it in the past is not enough. It is that you are still upholding to it that is the issue.”
He added that the commission has always had collaborations with stakeholders with the aim of checking fraudulent activities. He said: “The fight against corruption, economic and financial crime is not a fight for few persons, the acting chairman, Ibrahim Mustapha Magu or for management and staff of the commission. It is for everybody. We are in schools, in public institutions and in markets. We are calling for partnership from the media and everybody. We are saying, come and partner with us”.
Commending the first part of our report, Orilade said: “ What you(The Nation) did was novel. You were able to expose the evil through another dimension- through music. And today, even you, I am sure you are happy seeing the result of the efforts you have put up. From your introductory remark, I know that you are happy. The point I am making is that we need the partnership of everybody. We cannot do it alone”.
Explaining the effect of songs promoting yahoo songs on the citizens, Orilade said: “There is something about hearing. Even the Bible says ‘Faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of God’. It is whatever you hear that defines your future. What we are saying is that there should be re-orientation. There are better things to be done for livelihood. Corruption, yahoo yahoo, internet fraud is not a way of life. Today, more than 200 of the boys have been convicted in the last four months. Today, they are ex-convicts. No matter how they look at it, their future has been given a dent. For the next 10 years, they have no voice in the political affairs of this country. If you look at the laws, they cannot vie for any political office.
“These hitherto are guys that would come out of school and ordinarily would have loved to vie for local government chairmanship , councillorship , and other positions but that opportunity has been lost because of greed. Most of these boys are even in school. I don’t expect somebody who is in school to pursue a four-year course to want to ride a G- wagon, build a house in Victoria Island and Banana Island just because they are into yahoo yahoo and we are saying no to it because it is giving the country a very bad image. We would arraign Naira Marley when our investigation is completed.”
The Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Frank Mba, in a separate chat with our correspondent, said the Force is certainly doing something about the ugly development. “Sure. The only thing I can tell you now, because I am not going to tell you all we are doing, is that we are monitoring their activities and we are monitoring the cyber space.
“Crime, for me, is anything that you do to aid and abet, it is a crime on its own. Nigerians should be made to understand, in both our private and public life, we should not do things that will encourage anything that could aid the commission of crime.
“Let me summarise my point again. We are monitoring the activities of these people you mentioned; we are monitoring their activities and the cyber space specifically for the activities of fraudulent people and the activities of those that aid and abet the activities of fraudulent people.”
Leaving his final words for members of the public, Mba said: “The message I am leaving for Nigerians is that if you are a musician or you are considered a celebrity by any definition, you should be a role model and a positive role model for that matter. Therefore, if you are a celebrity, we expect you to use your influence either your one-on-one relationship, or your social media influence to impact positively on the society. If you decide to do otherwise and begin to use your influence to aid and abet the commission of crime, we would come after you.
“We have not arrested any artiste for promoting internet fraud. But the current IG has a very strong Interpol background and as I speak to you, he is almost perfecting plans to establish a strong cyber crime laboratory for the Nigerian Police Force and I can bet you, when that comes in full force, ah! Nigeria will be too hot for Yahoo and other forms of cybercrimes.”
I wholly support security agencies -PMAN President Pretty Okafor
The Chairman of Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria ( PMAN), Pretty Okafor, in a chat with The Nation, hailed the
plan by the security agencies to put a stop to the promotion of fraud by artistes.
Recalling his remark when the first part of the report was published, Okafor said: “Remember that I condemned the practice when you did the first part of the report without knowing it is going to come to this level. When I was called that Naira Marley and others were arrested, I did’t make any statement. Now, they wanted me to be calling the police an the EFCC, but I said no. We are all adults and once you are 15 years old, you know what is right and what is wrong. The situation of the country right now does not allow us to encourage those kinds of illicit songs or lyrics.
“Musicians are like prophets. Whatever they sing about is what people take. Songs and lyrics mould the mind and if it moulds the mind wrongly, it would mould them to confuse them. That is what this brand of music does. If it influences 60 percent of the youth, it would be disastrous in the country. I saw the reaction of Naira Marley when Ruggedman talked down on that kind of lyrics. You can’t come out openly and be making a boast that you are a yahoo boy. I saw the reaction of the younger ones who were saying that Naira Marley should be left alone because he is living his life and that he is being envied.
“How can you be envying somebody that is doing the wrong thing? We have said you guys can’t be doing this. We have a reputation to maintain in the industry. We need to bring back the reputation of the country. We cannot go far with what we want to brand,” Okafor said.
He expressed satisfaction that the government, through the security agencies, is already addressing the menace. “It is good that the government is looking at it from this angle because we don’t have regulation system. When you are trying to put things up, some are trying to bring it down.
“If this kind of position had been maintained two to three years ago, this kind of songs wouldn’t have seen the light of the day because there is no way it would pass through the channel to even come out on the radio for the society to listen to it.
“It is a beautiful idea that the EFCC has swung into action. I am giving them kudos for that. No matter what the younger ones think, to be yahoo boy or kidnapper to survive…? That is what they are promoting . Are you telling us that we should all be carrying guns because you want to drive Mercedes Benz? Or is it that the weed they are taking is disturbing their thinking faculty? We are not empowered to enforce that kind of rule where people are arrested, but since the security system is now waking up to its responsibility, I give them my 300 support.”
