Other People's Money | Featured Artiste(s): Friendz

Other People's Money | Featured Artiste(s): Friendz

Possibly one of the most profound books I read last year was "Other People's Money" by Emile Gaboriau (Read FREE E-book version HERE, courtesy of Project Gutenberg)  I just couldn't put down the book (well, the BN Nook version) no matter how tired I was.  I also took notes (something that slowed down my reading, but it was well worth it) because from page to page, I just couldn't believe what I was reading.  Emile Gaboriau, who is considered the Father of Detective Fiction and lived during the 1800s was describing in so much detail something that has become so normal in Nigeria today, i.e. individuals entrusted with funds belonging to other people, using the said funds to "service" their aristo chicks.

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In Nigeria, I suppose the equivalent would be politicians frittering away public funds on "private" matters. The whole thing just brought to mind the saying that "Nothing is new under the sun."  I really believe that now.

Do you ever wonder what the aristo chicks use the money lavished on them for? Well, your guess is as good as mine and it features the usual suspects:

• Clothes
• Shoes
• Jewellery
• Hair (Yup! Using hair that was once on another human being's head can cost more than a pretty penny)
• Electronic gadgets (Latest phones, and all the other gadgets that promise eternal bliss, but don't)
• Vacations and Trips to exotic destinations
• Boutiques filled with ... Yup! You guessed right: Some of the items already mentioned above (I guess these chicks have some ambition after all *irritated hiss*)

Upon all the curses that people hurl at them, these "ladies" end up as First ladies (to Governors), etc, while hardworking Nigerians with "zero-aristo-ambition" have to wake up to face the music of hikes in prices of just about everything (think "removal of fuel subsidy").  But I guess, if it isn't your money, you can spend it like there's no tomorrow, right? Is there any justice in this world? Just wondering ...

 Featured Artiste(s): Friendz

Today's Featured Artistes are a group of young men based in Jos, Plateau State. I frankly do not know anything else about them apart from that and the following information:

[Friendz / ReverbNation]

Group's Stage Name: Friendz

Artistes' Real Names: Unknown (Please share if you know)

ReverbNation Page: http://www.reverbnation.com/thefriendz

Facebook Page:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Friendz/184564248249460

Featured Song: Godiya

And my brief review:

Likes:  There is something in the lead singer's voice (during the chorus) that reassures me that he means or is sure of what he is saying.  I can't place my finger on it, but I think that is probably the most important thing that draws me to this song.  I discovered it sometime last year and I keep going back to listen to it.  The fact that it is written completely in Hausa (and I have no idea what they are saying) does not make a difference to me.  Maybe that thing in the guy's voice is passion ... or something else.  I also like the flutes and the beats because I think together they lend an air of "authenticity" (I just borrowed this term from one of my valued readers, Ademola O ... Thanks a bunch!) to the song.  The fact that the background vocals are all male voices (something I have noticed with increasing frequency in gospel songs from Northern Nigeria) made the song sound "solid" ... for my mind sha *whistling and walking away*

Dislikes: The major complaint with this song is the recording: it sounds very muddy, and that probably has more to do with the recording studio and quality of recording gear than anything else.  I can imagine a more polished version of this song (with a much better recording), but I still like this version.

And that concludes today's post.  I forgot to ask how your 1st week in the New Year is going ... Smoothly I hope.  See you in the next post ...