"Beyonce Would Definitely Draw More Crowd Than President Jonathan if She Spoke to Nigerians" - Nneka

CNN's African Voices caught up with Nigerian international singer, Nneka, in London to talk about music, memories and the current situation in Nigeria. In the interview she expressed her thoughts on President Goodluck Jonathan, the current political situation in Nigeria and the upcoming elections.

Easier said than done but according to her the President should have dealt with the issue of Boko Haram and the insecurity in Nigeria before the elections.

Her interview below:

CNN: In the past, you've dealt with issues ranging from the environment and politics, to religion and love -- what are the themes that you're emphasizing at this moment? 

Nneka: What is happening in Africa at present concerns me a lot. Boko Haram has always been an issue obviously for the past five, six years -- funny wise, there's a track in the album called "Pray For You" which I recorded when not too many people knew what was going with Boko Haram in the West.

I'm talking about the problems and possible solutions, and what are the reasons for the problems that we have. We as Nigerians, we're not united, that has always been the issue... that's our problem, tribalism, and what belongs to whom.

I also talk about children and the future, bringing children into this world... Everyone's living in a cage and then you bring your child into that kind of society, where your child is forced to live in fear.

People are afraid to express themselves politically, and even in their home -- I remember the way we grew up, I didn't look my father in the eye until I was 22; you call your father "Sir, Sir, Sir" -- apparently it's a form of respect, OK, but respect should not be mistaken with fear. I was afraid and that's the thing, that's the colonial mentality: we mistake fear for respect.

Nneka on the postponement of Nigerian elections

He [Goodluck Jonathan] says he wants to tackle Boko Haram, obviously every Nigerian is asking why now, he could had done it a long time ago...but I'm not good at the whole blaming game, I don't want to blame anybody but I pray that he comes up with a good idea for us if he is an honest and genuine guy. But I know that Fela [Kuti] would definitely not be cool with him, Seun [Kuti] is not cool with him, and many other musicians who are very outspoken are not cool with him.

CNN: What is the power of music and how can it influence things to bring positive change?

Nneka: Music is very powerful, music is big; music is even more powerful than politics at present. Beyonce would definitely draw more crowd than [Nigerian president] Goodluck Jonathan if she was going to hold a speech -- if Beyonce is going to talk about Boko Haram, many people are going to listen, and if she had something to tell Nigerians about love or whatever, many people are going to listen.

CNN: How do you see the political and security situation now in Nigeria?

Nneka: All I can say is that we do need proper leadership. Yes, that's just easier said than done, but we also need ourselves to take more things into our own hands -- so if we want change, we have to show that we want change, peacefully -- I love Malcolm X but I'd rather go for Martin Luther [King] -- peacefully. And be part of it, not just blame our leaders and making sure that you, yourself, contribute to the change that you want to see.  

Credit:CNN