P-Square,J Martins,Timaya,Bracket and many more,day in day out get considerable air time on our local radios and snack bars in Cameroon.Their popularity in Cameroon has triggered criticism from some in Cameroon who cannot understand why “foreigners” have become the people’s favourite.Their resentment even pushes them to point fingers at Cameroonian radio D.Js for dedicating so much time to foreign music at the expense of national music.But is it really a problem of foreign music or better music?
Music cannot be confined to another area,it cannot be controlled so that it doesn’t intrude into another ‘s territory.Urban music ,most especially,speaks to any group of people regardless of their country.When it is brilliantly done, this remark is even more true.However, those vexed by this situation should interpret this as a call to excellence made to Cameroonian artists.If Nigerian urban music is popular then maybe this is due to an existing void which the music has come in to fill and Cameroonian artists have to churn out good and sufficient music to compete .Rather than call for some form of musical protectionism,our artists should take this as a challenge and come up with songs which can equally make their way into Nigerian airwaves. In this debate,people should keep in mind that urban music has no frontiers whereas local genres can be circumscribed to a particular area.Furthermore,we live in a free market context where the audience decides what it wants.If they decide to choose Nigerian artists then let it be.
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