Folarin Falana aka ‘Falz the Bahd Guy’ is a Nigerian rapper and songwriter. He was born in the Lagos to renowned lawyers turned human rights activists, Femi and Funmi Falana. As children of legal luminaries. Falz was always brought up in a socio-politically conscious household. This aspect of his upbringing has been reflected in his music frequently in songs like ‘How Far’, ‘This is Nigeria’ and his latest project ‘Moral Instruction’. He has used his music as a platform for the voiceless and to call out the Nigerian government on the injustices it encourages. One of Falz’s thought-provoking is his record ‘Child of the World’ which was released on the album titled ‘27’.
The song is about the story of a young woman who through life’s tribulations feels like she has strayed from a righteous path. The video talks about several issues that plague many young people residing in Nigeria such as rape, HIV/AIDS, depression, and suicide. He doesn’t glorify such issues but sheds light on the issues while talking about potential solutions for anybody battling through them in a society that does not talk about such issues.
The hook which follows the verse is written from the young girl who has been raped. She questions herself by asking
“Am I a fool? Shey I don go astray?
Am I a victim of my circumstance?
Omoluabi ti bo s’owo aiye
And now I’m feeling like I don lost my way”
She’s unsure who to blame for what she’s going through. She’s torn between blaming herself or blaming the society she’s a member of. This thought process shouldn’t cross the mind of a rape victim. However, in a patriarchal society, many young women are often blamed for victim shamed for injustices carried out against them.
In the next verse, Falz talks about the aftermath of what goes on with rape victims, depression and sometimes suicide. Feeling lost and feeling like a wayward child, the young girl is on the verge of taking her life until she comes to a certain epiphany which is that while alive, she at least has a chance of righting her wrongs. He then concludes with and advice for people going through similar troubles and asks for them not be victims of their circumstances
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