Niniola is one of the very few artists in Nigeria who sings about sex. Even though she’s explicit sometimes, there’s refrain here and there. Her new song, “Boda Sodiq” is socially relevant and this is why.
In the past few days, word broke out that Biodun Fatoyinbo, an infamous preacher at COZA allegedly raped Busola Dakolo. Since then, Nigerians on social media haven’t been taking things lightly.
There’s been protests around the preacher’s church annexes, mostly in Lagos and Abuja. The preacher has refused to step down despite demands from the public. People want him punished. But the Nigerian authorities are not taking action either.
Issues of sexual harassment are not only rife in churches, it percolates every fabric of the Nigerian society. But not many people want to have that uncomfortable conversation.
So, if an artist were to come out and make a song about sexual assault and harassment, it had to be Niniola. “Boda Sodiq” is the singer’s way of lending her voice to the sexual harassment and assault discussions.
There are many rapists just going about their businesses in the Nigerian society, unpunished for their misdeeds. Even worse, they do so right under everyone’s nose.
Niniola: Did you have to gbemi lo le (take me home)?
“Boda Sodiq” is the old guy you’re supposed to respect; the ones that should provide security in the absence of your parents. But this guy has some other plans.
Niniola knows this. She knows a lot of these people who are supposed to guard and secure are just sexual predators actively looking for where to stick their penises in.
“Boda Sodiq, will you promise me not to touch me?” Niniola acknowledges the presence of risk and she challenges this predator by turning the knife-point back at him. Even if promises are mere words to these people.
Nini paints a picture of one of the scenarios before such act of predation occurs. It’s mostly in moments of vulnerability. In this case, Nini “just had a sip of liquor”.
This is the story of many young women around. Niniola owns this story and creates a moving reproach from it. As she demands “what happened in your boys quarters?” her voice pierces different.
The singer didn’t need a soulful instrumental to drive her message in. Instead, she does so with staccato — infectious — lyrics and a banging beat, the kind to guarantee her airplay on Nigerian radio stations.
At the risk of being dismissed, Niniola takes a serious subject and sings about it over an uptempo beat. The good thing about “Boda Sodiq” is that it takes the battle to one of the numerous home turfs of rapists and serial harassers. And the fact that she crafted a personality to the song makes it more interesting: you can easily swap the “Boda Sodiq” for another name and the message still hits.
If this song’s mileage isn’t snuffed out, when it comes up anywhere one can be sure it’d make people shifty. Of course, how shifty people could get when the song comes up depends on many other factors. But be sure that they’d hear it, because aside from its underlying message, it is a jam!
Listen to Niniola “Boda Sodiq” below: