"How Reggae Helped In Molding And Stabilizing Me During My Teenage Years"

T “How Reggae Helped In Molding And Stabilizing Me During My Teenage Years”

Just like in all other things, Children learn most by observation and mimicking. That was the case for me and have stayed so to date. I grew up listening to the songs that my cousin that was living with us then plays most, REGGAE. In middle 80s, when I was in my teens, a cousin and two elder siblings, for sure, it was their choice that was offloaded into me, it naturally became my choice too.

Then, Bob Marley was the in-thing with them and I am sure that it was what society in turn offloaded into them that they unknowingly handed over to me. Root rock Reggae was the rave of the moment in those days, and since they were the ones seeing money then, they were the ones buying CDs and Cassettes. Recall it was the era of side A and B Cassettes them, with their coiling, scratching and cutting problems. I had a lot of those problems with the Cassettes, some with no noticeable effect, some with serious harassment. In spite of that, what they bought them was regarded as family property not withstanding that they were the ones controlling events, I still flowed along then.

I knew most of the Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Jimmy Cliff, U-Roy, Burning Spear songs offhand. Not that I learnt by following what the song was playing but through reading the text books on songs especially on Reggae for Nigeria was vividly a Reggae country then and about 60 percent of the musicians in the country was into Reggae. For sure, it helped a lot in dealing with my teenage angst I in hindsight realized I had quite a sizeable number them.

Outside Reggae, it was soccer that occupied most of my time in teen years. I was perfectly in it then that it was also one of the vehicles that carried me know through my teen years.

Every society and generation has things that see them through each decade, whether in Television, Radios or books etc. During My Teenage years, there was this television drama series running in Television then known as 'New Masquerade', this drama was being televised in Nigerian Television Authorities (NTA) every Tuesday from 8:30 to 9:00pm. It was so popular that State Televisions all hookup to NTA to Televised it.

It happened that the same Tuesday was the day Radio Broadcasting cooperation of my State had their Reggae night from 8:00 to 9:00 pm every Tuesday night. It conflicts with the drama in TV both were favorite of the masses. It means I have to choose one against the other. It be honest with you, it wasn’t an easy decision for me. Tuesdays in the life of every grown-up then was a day to lookup to each week.

In my family, we were using two flats in a storey building. My parents live in one flat with the girls and the other was for boys. The Television on our side was that big Sanyo brand that has draws as it’s lock. Normally, it was usually locked by my Dad to control what we watch. So, the drama was always watched at their side.

One Tuesday, we the boys were listening to the Reggae time on Radio on our side and eying time as usually, when it was nearing 8:30pm and everyone was preparing to crossover to the other side, the Reggae Moderator put on Peter Tosh's ' Johnny be Good' we the four Reggae bangers rushed back to our flat and that weeks new masquerade was narrated to us later. That incident stuck to my mind up to this very day.

But it wasn’t Reggae only that had strangling on me then, there was Michael Jackson's 'Thriller and Bad' that was competing seriously with Reggae on the life and time of teenagers of my era. Jackson was in his apex had this penetrating way of releasing wonderful songs and enticing videos that he monopolized both the TV and Radios non-stop, and those days, there was nothing like privately owned TV like we has now. All were under the State control. No internet, not even VCR's were common then. So, the state owned TVs and Radios and content they churned out was controlling behaviors during my teenage years.

Then, early 90s, MC Hammer and Shaba Ranks took over. Every teenager was into ‘you can’t touch this'. It was the rave of the time and most of the teens then could sing and dance it. I could still virtualize shuffling around like him then but his type of trousers refused to catch on with the youths then. Nigerian teens then were like Catholic members, they might attend other denominations services, but they usually returns to their roots.

Nigeria was Reggae inclined then and we the teenager wasn’t left out. Late 80s and early 90s were era most Africans fought Apartheid through music, almost 5 in 10 songs released then was dedicated to Mandela and it was mostly Reggae. American were poking seriously at the foundation of the Reggae in the minds of the teenagers but we always returned to the root, REGGAE.

During the early 90s, Shaba Ranks came out with their fire brand kind of music they called dancehall and Nigerians immediately catch on as usual. Even the local artist like we at times refers to the Nigerian youths were doing find works too, so, Reggae dominated the land and yours truly was not left out. Even to this day, it still have a tight grips on me.

What most don’t know was that inside Reggae, there are many genres. Artist like Don Carlos releases what many refers to as the ‘Reggae blues' that’s suitable to listen to under any conditions.

Another special thing about Reggae was that those artists of 60s to 80s were pure modern prophets.

Do you see how Marley’s 'Natural Mystic' prophesied about Covid-19 four decades before it happened?.

Always pay attention to the songs from so era, and digest what’s being said.

It usually reveals the present, past and future.

JAH LOVE.