We Nigerians often clown ourselves for being a country of too many public holidays – every one is always looking for an excuse to take time off work, it seems. According to a recent survey, Nigerians are given an average of 16 days off work every year, only 2 countries India and Columbia have more public holidays than we do.
In the spirit of our unique tendency to self-deprecate, we often equate our surplus public holidays with laziness. But I do think everyone around the world will agree that Worker’s Day is the one public holiday that is worth downing tools for – if not today, then when?
The 1st of May every year is that one day dedicated to everyone out there doing their best to make ends meet. If you’re one of those, on his latest single “Work”, Adekunle Gold offers some words of encouragement for you, mixed with a lot of caution.
Ole alapa ma s’ise
O o l’owo, o fe flex o
No food for lazy man
Padi, double your work o
On the motivational record, Adekunle wages a twin war against laziness and fake life, while extolling the virtues of hard work and making an honest living. After all, if you’re not working hard every other day of the week, what exactly are you really celebrating on May 1st?
The urban highlife singer released the video for “Work” today, it’s the latest video from his modern day classic, the Gold album. The Mr. Moe Musa-directed flick fits in nicely with the theme of the day.
Watch below:
In marrying “Work” to May 1st, Adekunle Gold might just have given us the soundtrack to the public holiday for the Nigerian worker going forward.
So in the same way that Jaywon’s “This Year” is a must-play for radio stations on January 1st, Prince Nico Mbarga’s “Sweet Mother”, a Mother’s day staple and that Wale Thompson’s “Lalale Friday (Awade)” makes TGIF’s complete, perhaps Adekunle Gold’s “Work” will serve as musical time-stamp for a very special day of the year for all workers.