Bloody Civilian Head Start (2024)
The internet is cracking up over the poetry Nigerians infuse into their English. Instead of simply stating they aren’t having the best day, a Nigerian might say, “my enemies have succeeded.” The original X post which highlighted the flair for the dramatic in Nigerian English also highlighted how the statements aren’t always proverbs or colloquialisms, but can also be individual (and pretty dramatic) responses to unfortunate events. And it seems enemies, imagined or otherwise, are identified as the culprit of a gamut of misfortune from illness and loss to even the most innocuous happenings.
Fela Kuti’s “Water Get No Enemy” immediately comes to mind. On Dr SID’s “Surulele” remix Wizkid asks God to “stop enemies to follow me” and Burna Boy prays for protection from his enemies and his neighbors. Enter Skepta with a quip about wanting to write a diss track for his enemies who are all already, well to put it lightly, indisposed. The enemy, “the ota,” is alive in the Yoruba (one of the major ethnic groups in Nigeria) imagination, and this essay argues that enemies are a part of existence; they represent the material and immaterial forces that seek to deprive a person of success and prosperity. Language and prayer are used as weapons to identify and protect oneself from these attacks.
Today’s song is “Head Start” by Nigerian singer, producer and maverick Bloody Civilian. She sings “enemies they shake shake,” likely having fallen victim to her undeniable talent and musical prowess. “Head Start” is a banger and Bloody Civilian is an exciting addition to the already excellent line-up of musicians coming out of Nigeria.
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