The state of Nigeria as a nation is in a crisis. Everyone is feeling it, even those that might be considered as higher class citizens. Falz and Tekno speak on this societal crisis in the Chillz-produced Owa.
Falz the Bahd guy has never been one to shy away from speaking on the ever-debilitating issues of Nigerian society, be it bad governance, cost of living, corruption, etcetera. With Owa, he aligns with singer Tekno to tackle the ongoing political crisis, unavailability of cash, and upshoot in the standard of living in Nigeria.
“All the tax wey we generate / Why the cash no dey circulate?” ask Falz in countering the current new notes non-circulation in the nation which has left many citizens stranded, and grossly affected the flow of regular business operations across Nigeria. As expected with a situation like this, a civil uprising will occur, to which Falz continues “And when we start to calculate / Everybody come dey agitate.”
Owa is a popular slogan used mostly by residents of the Southwestern part of Nigeria. It translates to “It’s here”, and it is said to get the attention of the driver or the bus conductor whenever a passenger wants to alight from the vehicle.
This we hear Falz and Tekno say in the chorus, as they name two notable locations/bus stops in Lagos, “Ojota, O wa / Owa oh, Owa / Agege, O wa,” they chant.
Tekno Miles is saddled by the current increase in the cost of living in Nigeria, so much he laments “Hustle critical / We no fit retire / O jọ cinema / E don turn wahala.” The pain in his voice as he sang those lines is representative of what the mass population feels.
This has led to many citizens looking for immoral ways to fend for their families or a quick fix for the sake of mental health. Prostitution is on the high, substance abuse is inevitable, and death sadly keeps visiting homes. Tekno acknowledges: “Population dey for prostitution / I say dem mama, dem papa / Dem dey cry / Dem no know how pikin dey kpai / Money no dey, he dey drink kai-kai.”
As regard the governance of Nigeria, Falz is displeased. He questions the higher authorities “Why you no give me change? (Change) I para / Dem dey do us ojoro oh” for not being diligent in fulfilling their promises.
Owa is accompanied by a thought-provoking video that depicts the lyricism and sentiments of the audio. It is directed by OYETWOPOINTTO and Falz. Watch:
