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Nigerian Stars Fight 419 Scams With Pop Music

by Amar Toor on February 5, 2010 at 12:40 PM

30 years ago, Nigerian Afrobeat legend and Pan-African activist Fela Kuti released the song 'Zombie,' a scathing attack on Nigeria's dictatorial and militaristic regime. The hottest new single (video after the break) to come out of Nigeria today, though, takes aim at a slightly less ambitious social ill: cyber-crime.

'Maga No Need Pay' is the latest pop song to make its way around West African radio waves, and the message behind it is clear: just say "no" to cyber-crime. Nigeria, as you're probably well aware, is a hotbed of "419" advanced fee scams, which typically involve scammers disguised as princes, romantic interests, or venture capitalists soliciting money from unaware victims. The phenomena has snowballed largely because of the cool, rebellious image that cyber-criminals enjoy in the region, a "rude bwoy"-like archetype that's often glorified, ironically, in pop music. Victims, moreover, are usually ridiculed for falling for the scams, and are therefore hesitant to come forward when attacked.

Music can certainly exert a powerful influence over cultural attitudes, but luckily, that's not the only initiative underway to fight Nigerian scammers. As Microsoft Associate General Counsel Tim Cranton writes, members of Microsoft's Digital Crimes Unit will be meeting with the Economic and Financial Crime Commission of Nigeria (EFCC) to discuss other programs to fight cyber-crime (or "yahoo-yahoo," as it's known in the region). Among the collaborative efforts is a grassroots campaign undertaken by the Microsoft Internet Safety, Security and Privacy Initiative for Nigeria (MISSPIN), which deploys 24 regional ambassadors who try to dissuade African youth from getting into crime and educate them about viable alternatives.

Undoubtedly, the most visible anti-yahoo-yahoo effort, though, is the single. We hope it'll have a more lasting and effective impact than an average PSA, but radically reversing a regional psyche won't be easy. It's encouraging, though, that musicians are starting to disseminate a counter message on a large scale. We'd still probably choose Fela (or even Femi) on our own iPods before 'Maga,' but we hope Nigerians tune in -- and listen carefully. [From: Microsoft]

Tags: 419, afrobeat, fela kuti, FelaKuti, maga no need pay, MagaNoNeedPay, music, nigeria, nigerian scam, NigerianScam, pop music, PopMusic, top, yahoo-yahoo

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