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Article Open Access http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/jla.2025.12.002

Critiquing Power: Falz’s Musical Satire in Nigerian Politics

Idowu James Adekunle1,*, Eniola Rachel Ogundipe2

Department of English, University of Ibadan, Oyo State 200005, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author: Idowu James Adekunle

Published: November 4,2025

Abstract

Songs embody multiple dimensions—they serve as artistic expressions, therapeu-tic outlets, philosophical reflections, and spiritual channels. They are also deeply rooted in cultural traditions and social realities, functioning as tools of education, moral instruction, and information dissemination. While much scholarly attention has been directed at analyzing songs from aesthetic and entertainment perspectives, relatively fewer studies have examined their sociopolitical and economic significance. This article addresses that gap by analyzing the works of Folarin Falana (popularly known as Falz), focusing on how his music confronts issues of political exploitation and economic decline in Nigerian politics. Falz’s songs not only showcase his artistic creativity but also operate as critical commentaries that resonate with Marxist thought, unveiling systemic inequalities without yielding to fear or censorship. The selected songs examined in this study include: Boosit and Wehdone Sir. Audio tracks, live performance recordings and official music videos were consulted to capture visual and performative elements that reinforce the lyrical content. Employing Marxist theory as the analytical framework, the study interrogates live performance recordings of these songs, using content analysis to expose their engagement with Nigeria’s sociopolitical and economic crises in Ni-gerian politics.

Keywords

Politics; Songs; Marxism; Satire; Decadence

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How to cite this paper

Critiquing Power: Falz's Musical Satire in Nigerian Politics

How to cite this paper: Idowu James Adekunle, Eniola Rachel Ogundipe. (2025). Critiquing Power: Falz's Musical Satire in Nigerian Politics. Journal of Literature Advances2(2), 90-98.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/jla.2025.12.002