The Songs of Jos

For a long time, the city of Jos has grappled with violence fuelled by religious and ethnic differences. But today, Jos is home to musicians and creative communities who are giving language to the traumas they witnessed growing up.

For much of my life, the city of Jos was coloured by the Abaga brothers. They came into the limelight in the late 2000s; rap stylists whose lyrics were saturated with affectionate references to their hometown. The occasional thunder which struck twice, Jude and Jesse came two years apart, the former born in 1979 and the latter in 1981. Their early musical education happened inside the church, as their father was a pastor. He was Jukun, from Taraba, where ethnic differences have often sparked religious clashes. When his sons began permeating the underground circles in Jos where they had grown up, I wonder what the elder Abaga must have felt. His intimate knowledge of his children notwithstanding, I imagine he would have been like the rest of us; completely unaware of the indelible mark Jude and Jesse would leave on Nigerian music history...

This essay features in our print issue, ‘Nigeria Imaginary’ and is only available online to paying subscribers. To continue reading register for a free trial and get unlimited access to The Republic for a week!Already a subscriber? Log in.