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Music video review: Benue Boy should look beyond Benue by Ameh Comrade Godwin

Published

8 years ago

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Away from politics this week! Let me go back to my first love – entertainment; where I actually honed my reporting skills.

Unknown to many, I started out as an entertainment journalist in the newsroom of the Sun Newspaper. Anyway, that is a story for another day.
This week, I want to talk about a brother. A young, talented up and coming singer called Benue Boy (Obaje).

His sonorous voice reminds me of another good friend, Omo Jesu who made waves in early 2000s.
It was my long time friend, Susan Enenche who first drew my attention to his song when she came visiting sometime last year—
“Enenu onya nu biwole, oyegeyege nu’nle,”   that is the mesmerizing first two lines of his hit song entitled Ameriya, which became a wedding anthem among music lovers in Benue State and Nigeria at large.
That song overthrew Falvour’s Adada from wedding in Idomaland, nay, north central.
 In fact, at a point, Benue Boy became a beautiful bride for all wedding ceremonies in the land.
I was able to grab a copy of his latest (perhaps, first ever) studio album during my last trip to Otukpo and it has been cooling my busy brain ever since.
From the stables of DJ Slow Music Production, Ameriya Da, a six-tracker album parades heart-renting didactic songs but with poor visuals.
The album, whose video is finding it hard to break the Benue boundaries opens with his hit track, Ameriya.
My close observation about the track is the director’s failed efforts to replicate Clarence Peters Adada‘s opening concept. 
Aside his poor interpretation of the song, visually, the director, Ochigbo Peter, otherwise known as DJ Slow failed to make viewers grab the message the young man was trying to send out.
Enter the second self-titled track, Benue Boy, the director again failed to solve this creative puzzle as the concept of the video contradicts the message in the song. 

The singer, in this self-titled track was trying to recall his rough rise to the top while the director, DJ was busy passing out another message to his viewers. Funny!

In track four, Akoko (pepper), the singer tried to explain the pain of losing one’s mother at a tender age. In a clear indication that the director is still in the old boat, he again failed to drive home the real message behind the song. Aside the fake drama, the video is full of unnecessary activities and effects.
Unfair to the singer, the face behind the camera, DJ Slow could not again back the track, Customerwith good visuals. He ended up making the video look like an Arabian sacrificial festival.
Sadly, Imeli and Opeyi where the singer poured out his heart on what is happenings in the society, the director clearly showed that he only hijacked the job with a deliberate attempt to pin the singer’s career to Benue. 
Observations:
Poor locations
Poor costumes
Poor interpretation 
Unnecessary activities 
Bottomline:
For this young man with a blossoming music career, he needs to look beyond the Benue and DJ Slow mentality. His music future is bright and thus he has to belt up and move beyond the local scene where the likes of DJ Slow are champion. 
Dear brother, look beyond Benue and see that the sky is just your starting point.
 Ameh Comrade Godwin is the entertainment Editor of DAILY POST NEWSPAPER.
(08024305915) SMS only)
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