Falz Ft Vector Yakubu Lyrics Meaning Explained

Summary:

• The song is a critique of the Nigerian electoral system and its players, specifically calling out Mr. Yakubu, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), for allegedly manipulating election results and accepting bribes.
• The lyrics highlight the power of social media and public pressure to expose corruption and hold those in power accountable.
• The song encourages people to get involved in the democratic process and demand transparency and fairness in elections.

Nigerian rappers Falz and Vector have recently released a new single titled “Mr. Yakubu.”

The song has caught the attention of many due to its politically charged lyrics, which take aim at the Nigerian electoral process and those in power.

The song references a People’s Gazette exclusive that exposed plans for a secret meeting between President-elect Bola Tinubu and Chief Justice Kayode Ariwoola in London.

Falz and Vector talk about a number of problems, such as election fraud, differences between tribes and ethnic groups, and politicians and judges who are dishonest.

In this article, we will break down the lyrics of “Yakubu” and explain the meaning behind the politically charged lyrics.

Falz Ft Vector Yakubu Lyrics

Verse 1:

“Mr Yakubu! ẹ ma n se bi fraudster You don’t want to prosper Come and collect Oscar Three hundred billion te gba lọwọ ijọba Kí le fi se ná sir? (A ti fi je mossa) Twitter dey talk, this one go hot Other chairman corrupt but this one is not Youth sef dey talk, when we protest, they shot Make we carry PVC, make we see wetin go sup (Go sup) Suddenly, e scatter, area boy ti jagba As ole dey japa, Ọlọpa dey guide am You wayo the number, the portal, e shut down You drop us the lamba, somebody e hack am”

Chorus:

“Mr Yakubu! ẹ ma n se bi fraudster (Ah ah) Mr Yakubu! ẹ ma n se bi fraudster Mr Yakubu! ẹ ma n se bi fraudster (Ah ah, are you calling a dignity-?) Mr Yakubu! ẹ ma n se bi fraudster”

Verse 2:

“The same Mr Yakubu?, who? Oju at’ọrun? Ẹnu no dey work (Work) Ọpọlọ ti burst (Burst) Na who do the law? (Law) Na who kill the law? (Law) Who people go ask? (Law) Na who dem go call? (Law) I been dey my own (Dey my own) Shey make I do like I no know wetin I know? (Wey I know) Or make I do like I no see wetin I see? (See) Shey make I be person wey no be wetin I be? (Wey I be) You must be stupid if you think you have a case (Have a case) Mr Yakubu who came from out of space (Out of space) Mr Yakubu who is not like Gowon (No) He’s not head of state (No) He doesn’t need a gun (No, no) He took the results verified by a lot (Yes) The honorable court even ruled back then that all parties can go ahead and access the source of their claims Mr Yakubu is just a name”

Verse 3:

“Yeah! Ki lo wi? Talk am make I hear (Make I hear) Ole, alatenuje You want lie say the cheddar no flow The right thing na wetin you no know? Lion no dey sleep for jungle As the breeze blow, fowl nyash e don show Lion no dey sleep for jungle As the breeze blow, fowl nyash e don show Thank you my lord, I respect you my lord Unreasonable tribal prejudice galore Sebi wọn ti sanwo? ẹ ti sáré kọ O wa sọ fun p’o ti jọba tan, kan ma gbadebọ No be say the job clean, dem no get janitor Evidence everywhere, everybody capture Wetin you come write for inside your report card? You think two hundred million people are not smart?”

Falz Ft Vector Yakubu Lyrics Meaning

[Verse 1: Falz, Vector]

The song kicks off with Falz and Vector trading verses, with Falz starting things off. He calls out Mr Yakubu, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), saying “Mr Yakubu! ẹ ma n se bi fraudster” (meaning “Mr Yakubu! Don’t act like a fraudster”).

Falz then criticizes Mr Yakubu for not wanting to do his job properly, saying “You don’t want to prosper, Come and collect Oscar, Three hundred billion te gba lọwọ ijọba, Kí le fi se ná sir? (A ti fi je mossa)”, which roughly translates to “You don’t want to succeed, come and collect your award. Three hundred billion for the government, what are you doing with it?”

He then turns his attention to Twitter and the public sphere, saying “Twitter dey talk, This one go hot, Other chairman corrupt but, This one is not, Youth sef dey talk, When we protest, they shot”. Falz highlights the power of social media and public pressure in exposing corruption and holding those in power accountable.

Falz then encourages people to get involved in the democratic process, saying “Make we carry PVC, Make we see wetin go sup (Go sup)”. He acknowledges the challenges of navigating the complex electoral system, saying “Suddenly, e scatter, Area boy ti jagba, As ole dey japa, Ọlọpa dey guide am”, meaning that things can quickly become chaotic and the police are more likely to protect criminals than the public.

Falz then accuses Mr Yakubu of manipulating the electoral process, saying “You wayo the number, The portal, e shut down, You drop us the lamba, Somebody e hack am”, suggesting that the election results were fraudulent and manipulated to favor certain candidates.

[Verse 2: Vector]

Vector takes up the mic in the second verse and begins with a rhetorical question, “The same Mr Yakubu?, who?” He then goes on to criticize the incompetence of the electoral officials by saying “Oju at’ọrun? Ẹnu no dey work (Work) Ọpọlọ ti burst (Burst)”, which means that their eyes are in heaven, their mouths don’t work, and their heads are swollen with pride.

Vector then questions who is responsible for the law and asks “Na who do the law? (Law) Na who kill the law? (Law) Who people go ask? (Law) Na who dem go call? (Law)”, meaning that those who are supposed to uphold the law are not doing their job properly.

He then goes on to question the credibility of those who are trying to dispute the election results, saying “You must be stupid if you think you have a case (Have a case) Mr Yakubu who came from out of space (Out of space) Mr Yakubu who is not like Gowon (No) He’s not head of state (No) He doesn’t need a gun (No, no)”. Vector implies that those who are trying to dispute the election results are grasping at straws and have no real evidence to support their claims.

Vector then defends Mr Yakubu and says that he simply verified the results that were already there, saying “He took the results verified by a lot (Yes) The honorable court even ruled back then that all parties can go ahead and access the source of their claims Mr Yakubu is just a name”. He emphasizes that Mr Yakubu is not the problem and that those who are criticizing him are misguided.

[Verse 3: Falz]

Falz, in the final verse of the song, continues to question the integrity of Mr Yakubu and the electoral process. He starts with the rhetorical question “Ki lo wi?” which means “what do you want to say?” in Yoruba, a language widely spoken in Nigeria. Falz goes on to call out the election officials who he believes are not doing their jobs properly and who are allowing corrupt practices to happen. He says “the right thing na wetin you no know?” which means that those responsible for conducting the elections are not doing the right thing.

Falz then uses a metaphor to describe the situation, saying “Lion no dey sleep for jungle, as the breeze blow, fowl nyash e don show”. The phrase translates to “The lion doesn’t sleep in the jungle, as the wind blows, the chicken’s rear end is exposed”. He means that the truth will always come out, no matter how much people try to hide it.

He then shifts his focus to the judges who preside over election matters. He accuses them of having “unreasonable tribal prejudice galore”, which means that they are not impartial and are influenced by tribal affiliations. Falz calls out the corrupt judges and tells them that evidence of their misdeeds is everywhere and that they will be held accountable.

In the final lines of the song, Falz questions the competency of those who conducted the election and asks “Wetin you come write for inside your report card? You think two hundred million people are not smart?” This is a direct challenge to those who are responsible for organizing the election, asking them what they have to show for their work and implying that the Nigerian people are not easily fooled.

The song ends with the chorus repeating the phrase “Mr Yakubu! ẹ ma n se bi fraudster” (meaning “Mr Yakubu! Don’t act like a fraudster”) several times, driving home the point that the electoral system needs to be reformed and that those who are responsible for it need to be held accountable.

Conclusion:

In general, “Yakubu” is a politically charged song that addresses issues of electoral fraud, tribal and ethnic divisions, and corruption among politicians and judicial officers. Falz and Vector are encouraging Nigerians to hold their leaders accountable and demand a fair and just electoral process. The chorus emphasizes the message of the song, and each verse provides specific examples of the problems with the current system. Through “Yakubu,” Falz and Vector are calling for change and urging their listeners to take action.