I would love to add my two-penny opinion to the debate that is currently on social media, especially by Port Harcourt based internet users on whether Duncan ‘Wene’ Mighty was out of place to have paid reverence to Davido with a bow or what others call prostration or not.
To begin, it shouldn’t be out of place to take a moment to figure out the people who feel that it was wrong for Duncan to have done what he was alleged to have done. If I am not mistaken, it may be the young people who may not have a rounded grasp of the idea of reverence and the purposes it serves in the business world, that it is not about age or size, but it is an act shown to appreciate admirable gestures, it is a form of extoling the perceived kindness of whoever that is involved.
To get a better grasp of the debate, it would be fair to find out who Duncan is. What kind of person is he? Why has he remained relevant for years since his first album? What makes him attract attention despite his distance from the centre of entertainment in Nigeria? Does he know something about human ego and how to attract sympathy and kindness unlike others – talented but stuck? How did he secure the friendship he maintained with Chris Aire, a jewelry mogul and one of Nigeria’s fairly rich young men? What about the likes of E-Money? Or we could take our mind back to the release of ‘Port Harcourt Boy’ and how he paid tribute to some prominent men in Port Harcourt and how that gave him gifts of cars and access to these men. Another form of ‘worship’, properly channeled to accessing favour and attention.
What could have attracted Davido to Duncan would obviously be his talent. He must have listened to his body of work and must have been inspired. In an interview before their collaboration, Davido mentioned that Duncan’s sound and music had inspired a particular hit song he made. The proactive Duncan could have explored the opportunity further by pursuing it. In an interview on Pulse TV, Duncan shared that he had been invited to Lagos to work for some people. I think it was the Five Star family. He said by the time he was done, he got calls to come and work for people like Timaya and others. His song with Wizkid has been so successful that more doors have been opened.
What could have attracted Davido to Duncan would obviously be his talent. He must have listened to his body of work and must have been inspired. In an interview before their collaboration, Davido mentioned that Duncan’s sound and music had inspired a particular hit song he made. The proactive Duncan could have explored the opportunity further by pursuing it. In an interview on Pulse TV, Duncan shared that he had been invited to Lagos to work for some people. I think it was the Five Star family. He said by the time he was done, he got calls to come and work for people like Timaya and others. His song with Wizkid has been so successful that more doors have been opened.
It is show business. Why do you think Duncan wears skinny jeans? Do you not feel that he would love to dress like men of his age, but because there is pop culture and it includes appearances and if he must appeal to the set of humans who listen to his music, he must dress like them! Wizkid is one of the few highly ranked pop icons from Africa. He may be a child to Duncan but he commands such influence that could control Duncan’s career for a long time. And if you are a dreamer like Duncan, who wishes to appeal to a global audience or an even larger audience within Nigeria, the best hands in the pop space must be employed and Duncan has not taken chances.
Davido agreed on a job with Duncan. They recorded a song and he flew his private jet to Duncan’s base for a day to shoot a video with him. It is a privilege because Davido is arguably the hottest star after Wizkid to come from Nigeria. Duncan is talented and his sound is revitalization to the already saturated sound that has been in the Lagos airwaves and Davido has come to appreciate that newness wholeheartedly with a visit. And again, a friend who does not know the route to your house is barely a friend. And maybe Duncan knew this and suggested the choice of location; Port Harcourt, which would avail a new form of culture compared to what Davido is used to in Lagos. And flying his jet to him is like soaking up more inspiration for a new space. And he did that with his girlfriend, so it was like a work-vacation.
Duncan has been one of the few chief proponents of the Port Harcourt City Pop Culture. Few years ago at the first Africa International Film Festival in Port Harcourt, I learned Duncan was the only PHC act that was paid to perform on stage. When he realized that a lot of other young people would have loved to share that stage but for the organizers, he made sure that he included some of those young men in his crew and they entered the tent for the event as artistes and maybe cheered him on stage, just to have a feel of such stage.
Duncan is said to have an admirable record studio in Port Harcourt where he makes all of his music. He works so hard that he is also a sound engineer for the biggest church in the city of Port Harcourt, the Salvation Ministries. His humility has allowed him access to people of influence, despite age differences. Judging by a video he posted on Instagram, Duncan is building office spaces for JamCityBase, a music video channel that he hopes would project the young talents from the South-South geopolitical zone. It is called paving the way. It is what the likes of Michael Jackson did when his music video for Trailer, became first from a person of colour to be aired on MTV.
If Duncan gets his TV station up, he would need hypes from the likes of Davido and co. He would need copyrights of these men to air their videos as well. And the station would spur more cinematographers to do better jobs and it would grant visibility to artistes based around Port Harcourt, and they would be paid for their jobs. My friend, Bukwild has amazing videos to some of his hits songs but they can’t fly to Lagos. What if an indigenous station like JamCity Base becomes the propeller?
Humility is an act. It is a tool; one can pull it to serve a purpose. And every adult who earns a legitimate means of survival understands that to get people to look your way, you must earn their trusts and most times, you must give them reverence. What if Mr Adeleke, Davido’s dad decides to invest in Duncan’s business? Would his uptightness put food on his table and feed his wife and child?
We could learn to understand that there is no smoke without fire and it hurts terribly to know that I had to spend about a thousand words to explain the action of a young man who gives me joy. But again, I am glad I am doing it. Port Harcourt to the World! More Light!
If Duncan gets his TV station up, he would need hypes from the likes of Davido and co. He would need copyrights of these men to air their videos as well. And the station would spur more cinematographers to do better jobs and it would grant visibility to artistes based around Port Harcourt, and they would be paid for their jobs. My friend, Bukwild has amazing videos to some of his hits songs but they can’t fly to Lagos. What if an indigenous station like JamCity Base becomes the propeller?
Humility is an act. It is a tool; one can pull it to serve a purpose. And every adult who earns a legitimate means of survival understands that to get people to look your way, you must earn their trusts and most times, you must give them reverence. What if Mr Adeleke, Davido’s dad decides to invest in Duncan’s business? Would his uptightness put food on his table and feed his wife and child?
We could learn to understand that there is no smoke without fire and it hurts terribly to know that I had to spend about a thousand words to explain the action of a young man who gives me joy. But again, I am glad I am doing it. Port Harcourt to the World! More Light!
© Bura-Bari Nwilo 2018
Thanks a lot.
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