MY 'BESTS' OF 2016

This year was by far my busiest professionally as i was in court on almost all working days.I broke my personal record of 4 articles in one month by writing 6 in October in what had to be my most hectic month ever; It was work and right back to typing.As always,life taught me a couple more lessons and i'm grateful for that.A lot of things combined to keep me happy when needed to stay that way,lift my spirits when I was down and take my mind off stuff I needed to shut out.

These are my very 'bests' of 2016.

BEST MOVIE

I didn't really have as much time for TV (i'm old skool like that.Lol) as I used to and most of the time I made out was spent binge watching series.My mom came visiting and we watched a lot of her favourite Hausa movies. I liked one called RUMFAR SHEHU and it had this popular song I kept hearing all round town.It was quite a hilarious movie and I really enjoyed it.

BEST COUPLE

Messi and his long time girlfriend, Antonella reportedly got engaged last month and are set to wed next year.The humble and introverted geniuses are usually better at keeping long term relationships than the loud,flashy and outgoing ones(No disrespect Cristiano Ronaldo.Lol).They tend to live off the little things and value whatever keeps them happy above everything else.

Messi is just that.They have had a crisis-free relationship that seems to have been going on forever and are blessed with 2 gorgeous boys.Its really one of those instances where its only just a matter of making it official.

BEST BOOK

Jeffrey Archers' THE FOURTH ESTATE is a tale of 2 media moguls-one coming from nothing and the other building on what he inherited. Vintage Archer; 2 separate lives crossing paths at the climax.It reminds of another book of his titled SONS OF FORTUNE.

BEST CLUB

Leicester City without a doubt.It was amazing to watch them suprise everyone including themselves en route an epic premier league triumph.Their story would make a great movie-from relegation-battlers to Premier league champions in just a season.Though,they haven't replicated last season's form in the EPL,they have been outstanding in their debut Champions league season and are through to the knock out phases.

SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR

Cristiano Ronaldo.He won the Uefa Champions League with Real Madrid and scored the most goals in the process. He capped off the 2015/2016 season in some style by winning the Euros with Portugal.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Claudio Ranieri led Leicester City to their magnific Premier league win.Prior to that he was deemed a 'has been' who could no longer hold it down in the big leagues.Ranieri it was who built the great Valencia team of the early 2000s and transformed them into overnight contenders in the major tournaments.He has done same with Leceister City and this was a much harder task considering the circumstances he was able to succeed under.

COLUMNIST OF THE YEAR

I hand this to Simon Kolawole of TheCableng.He was outstanding all year and I really enjoyed reading him.

ARTICLE OF THE YEAR

My 8 BUHARI GAFFES:THE BAD,THE VERY BAD AND THE UGLY is an article I love so much. Communication skills are essential attributes of good leaders and some of the gaffes highlighted were capable of heating up the polity even if that wasn't the intention of the President.He is heavily flawed in that regard and I think that is why he stopped hosting Media Chats after his first one a year ago.

BEST LEADER

A lot of Governors are hiding behind the country's current financial state to justify their poor performance but I doff my hat to Gov.Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos state for the good job he has done so far.More grease to his elbow.

BEST MOMENTS

I got judgment on a matter I took over at the start of the opposing party's case and it was more or less pulling a rabbit out of a hat.The former person handling it had messed the case up bad and I was glad I could turn things around.I got a commendation from the DPP of my state on the respondent's brief I wrote in a virtually hopeless appeal case.He spoke about his plans of pushing for an amendment of the criminal procedural law and he told me he was going to place heavy reliance on that brief.

WORST MOMENTS

I was deeply saddened by the killings of the herdsmen and government's seeming reluctance to sympathize with the victims.

I had some issues with my bank account and believe it or not I couldn't access my funds for months.It got resolved after i put my lawyer hat on and threatened to petiton the CBN.For someone who had to be in the office when he wasn't in court,it was a most trying time and I thank God for family and friends who were there when I 'gassed' out.God bless y'all.

Watching the Super Falcons begging for their dues after the AWCON win broke my heart.These ladies who ordinarily should be handed national awards at the very least were made to suffer for what is rightfully theirs.I also feel saddened by the fact that the record breaking exploits of our Paralympic athletes were not rewarded in any way by the Federal government. Not even a Presidential handshake.Same for our Olympic athletes who were subjected to the worst embarrassment by having to appear in their tracksuits because their attires weren't ready before the opening ceremony.

Fuel got bumped to N145 a litre and the exchange rate kept falling hard like it were Humpty Dumpty.Things got more expensive and it was hard for a lot of Nigerians.

MAN OF THE YEAR

The Rap King of the East,Phyno grew bored at top and delved into pop.He made the biggest hit this year in FADA FADA to prove the success of CONNECT was no fluke and he didn't stop at that.Having conquered the pop terrain, he moved to highlife and recorded 2 back to back hits as well-E SURE FOR ME and PINO PINO.He released the much anticipated THE PLAYMAKER album to critical acclaim.It was amazing to watch him drift through genres like only a Master would.He is undoubtedly the most versatile Nigerian musician at the moment and he has gone on to conquer every territory he has waded into in a manner unprecedented in the history of Nigerian music.Like that title of a song of his,Phyno is my man of the year.

WOMAN OF THE YEAR

Florence Omagbemi made history as the first African Woman to win the African Women Cup Of Nations as a player and Coach when she led the Super Falcons to victory in this year's edition. She was Captain of the Falcons when women's football started to gain momentum in Africa and she led the team to establish an absolute dominance lasting almost a whole decade.

Amidst a cash strapped campaign,she was able to keep the troops motivated and focused on winning the trophy.

For this feat,Florence Omagbemi is my woman of the year.

A WALK THROUGH MY 2016 PLAYLIST

A lot of good music was made this year and I did try to catch as much I could.Our 'big' local artistes delivered-from Phyno to Sheyi Shay while the lesser foreign artistes fared better than their more established counterparts. Drake's VIEWS  may have shattered lots of sale records but it just didn't work for me.'Ye let me down as well.But overall, the artistes who held it down outweigh those who didn't.
Lets walk through my 2016 playlist.

This year officially popped off for me with Meek Mill's PRAY FOR 'EM.The lyrics were catchy and he put in just the right energy to create Max effect.It came at a time when the dust from the Dreezy beef was yet to fully settle and he did take a coupla good shots...'OGs see me comin thru & they say thats a baller,thats a N***@ started from the bottom really in that order.....Mac 11 hit u 20 times,have u Harlem shaking like u Diddy.Pop N**@s spittin melodies wen theres really nothing they can do with me'.Meek killed this murder one!!.My best rap joint for 20 16.
The 'Oga Boss'-Illbliss's NKU feat Flavour and Stormrex was a song I felt to the bone marrow as well.Illbliss is the 'Stunna' of Nigerian music.Nobody does that boss talk better...'Came up from nothing to national, they say my people irrational, they say we buying the same cars different colours but that is intentional...'.Stormrex was great on the hook and even if some may say he jacked MI' style, it won't change the fact that Illygati made magic.My best naija hip hop song of this year no doubt.
My best rap album this year wasn't 'Ye's LIFE OF PABLO and it sure wasn't Drake's VIEWS,it was Yo Gotti's THE ART OF HUSTLE.A great piece of work.Gotti has a style that might not really work on everything but he did play to his strengths without any attempt at getting overly versatile.BIBLE feat Lil Wayne was dope.So was GENERAL with Future and LAW feat the legendary E-40.BANK TELLER is my pick of the bunch..Crazy hook.
While I agree EMPIRE is one of the best things to happen to TV in recent times, I don't quite think the quality of music is top notch.Too many sub-standard songs for a music themed series.However, it did spawn one of the best love songs I ever heard-BORN TO LOVE YOU by Jussie Smollett (Jamal).He put his chords to awesome use and made me want to fall in love right away.Lol.Great stuff.My best slow song for this year.
Slay's DISHANKU feat Pepenazi rocked hard.Pepenazi dropped one of the tightest verses I heard in '16..'I come up wit an attitude like We We the boys dem,if they try to piss me off then We We the boys then....U and ur crew smoke kiss,e no mean say u go blow(look)'..Pepe sneh was on some carpenter shee... nailed the hook and the bridge as well...'I don't give a...'.He dropped HIGH GO just a few days ago and I've had it on repeat ever since.Pepenazi sings just as well as he raps...'Some say na high grade,sugbon no do LaLa for highway...'
This year has to be the best so far in the life of Desiigner.PANDA set the world on fire and the follow up hit was so tight, it rocked better than PANDA for me (most people find it hard to believe).He  called it TIMMY TURNER.It was the Desiigner english at its hardest but thank God for Google,Lyrics are easy to come by these days.Kanye West dropped a verse on the remix and thankfully, it fell on his 'on' day.Really nice verse.

Joe Budden made what in my opinion is the best diss track since Nas' ETHER.He called it WAKE and went for Drake's jugular in typical beast style...'Am callin Stunna,all Summer 16 ain't heard a hot 16 bout all Summer'.Epic Shii.No one expected Drake to reply in similar fashion coz Joe outweighs him lyrically.In other words,he ain't Meek.Lool.Like he said 'killing Dreezy is expected of him and he doesn't weigh it an achievement'.Definitely one for the archives.
A rejuvenated Pryse dropped 2 really good songs after leaving Choc city.QUEEN KONG with Eva was insane and I still can't get enough of that Eva verse. U NAME IT Feat Koker and Big H is archive material. That feeling when she goes 'Beans,Greens,potatoes, tomatoes, lamb,rams,chickens,turkey' is PRYSEless. Whats more?.Chic says shiz good in the kitchen, the boardroom and the other room.Lol
Still on Pet beasts,Mzz Kiss made a remix to Ycee's JAGABAN alongside Tipsy and it was so tight it made me want to propose to her...'You know Warih do'.Lool.
Lil Durk had two dope songs out I really loved. FOR FREE was one of my best turn up songs of 2016 and then RIDER CHICK with his boo(ex?),Dej loaf who is rumoured to be a dyke or bisexual at best.RIDER CHICK sounded like a gangsta version of Jay and Beyonce's BONNIE & CLYDE.It made me wonder why no rapper has made a Cookie Lyon song till date as she is without a doubt the best boss chic TV has seen in recent times; a G-Boo extraordinaire.I had never heard of Dizzy Wright before the 702 album and I was blown after just a coupla listens.Had not only a sick delivery but the lyrics to wow you as well.Kinda reminds how present day hip hop seems to have transcended dope punchlines, word plays and metaphors.Intrigue packed lines on a good beat and a great mode of expression will suffice.
Guy is one of those artistes you keep wishing would get the respek they deserve in record time.DOIN SOMETHING was my pick of an awesome work of art.
I loved Cynthia Morgan's OLOWO a whole bunch.Tjan's ADUKE was my best Nigerian slow song of the year.I easily forget my age is in the suit and tie numbers when I listen to Yung6ix on D'Tunes THAT THING.Its a banger!!..'She dey look fine boy,I dey look bad thing!!!!'.Lool.
And talking about bangers, the loudest I heard was SKIIBII's SKIIBII.It kicks in the adrenaline better than a Messi would.Made me wanna throw a one man house party a coupla times.
First time I heard Money Man was when he released OUT THE MUD feat Young Thug and not until I listened to Akon & Crew's KONVICT KARTEL album did I know he was signed to Akon's Konvict records.He made one of the best songs on that album in BOSS UP.And talking about that album, OG Boo Dirty's LIL BISH was crack.Great song.
DJ Drama dropped QSM2 (Quality Street Music 2) and it had some really tight songs on it.BODY FOR MY ZIPCODE was fabulous. It had Young Life, Freddie Gibbs and Dave East dropping lava on wax.Had to be one of the best features this year where all guests delivered on the same level-1 huned.
And talking about Dave East, I have always thought him to be the best hope of resurrection for the 'Hip Hop is dead' theorists.He is as real as it gets and probably the most likely to appeal to the purists than any other new school cat.Blends don't come any more perfect, the New York in East flosses like a true baller.To put it succinctly, there is nothing like East out there.He dropped 3 of the best songs I heard all year.He did an East mix to Corry Finesse's buzzing hit-VAGABOND and it was Vintage East..Trap baller.Then there was STOVE TOP off Def Jam's DIRECT DEPOSIT Vol.1...'Caught a cramp on my wrist from all the whipping'.Dope stuff..literally you could say. Lool.
DEPOSITS was ill.It was a real rapper staying unapologetically true to the game and literally shutting up anyone saying 'Hip Hop is dead'.Well,maybe it was but Dave East resurrected it...'You be hanging with scholars,I'm with jack boys and 'em gualas,pullin up in impalas.Diss me i ain't responding.N@#$ living on Instagram can't pay rent with 'em comments, i'm midtown with some lawyers trying to add a coupl more commas'.I toasted to Hip Hop when I first heard this,I ain't pouring nothing no where coz its still here.Dave East...Respek to a real one.
Cassidy's TAKE YOU DOWN feat Jeremiah was a really nice song and it reminded me of GET NO BETTER off his SPLIT PERSONALITY album which is one of my fav love joints of all time.
CDQ dropped the album-QUALITY and it had some great stuff on it.Woss is streets in streets out and everyone expected a strictly street content.SALARO,FERRARI and GBEMISAYA feat Skales were my best songs.
Glad to see Ace hood ditch the singing on STARVATION 5.Hoped he would after last year's mixtape and album.It was that appealing mean delivery all through.BEAST OF THE SOUTH was 'that black boy from the south' in full throttle. Beastly shii.
YFN Lucci had a remix to KEYS TO THE STREET feat 2chainz,Lil Wayne and Quavo...The 2chainz flow was on steroids and the tunechi verse was my favourite this year.Tune released a joint album with 2chainz called COLLEGROVE and whether or not it was going to be dope,I just knew there was that one song I was going to love senseless and it turned out to be SECTION.2chainz blew me to bits with that verse..one of my best this year.Tune wasn't at his best but 2chainz more than made up for that.
He was on Timbaland's album as well with THIS ME,F IT!!.The swag is branded,only 2chainz can do 2chainz.Beliiy Dat.
Phyno dropped THE PLAYMAKER album and it more than lived up to expectations.ABULO is the best naija trap joint ever made and OBIAGU was a really nice warrior song.NNO MA and YES I PRAY were really great songs and then you had the hits we had already known-FADA FADA, one of the best songs made this year, E SURE FOR ME  and PINO PINO.
Sojay's CHINENYE was a great song, had me feeling thankful all through.Na God.Ice Prince dropped JOS2THEWORLD and it didn't quite live up to expectations.He understood he needed to rap more and when he did,it just wasn't Ice Prince. Someone actually did start a BringBackIceprince movement months before the album dropped. WANT IT ALL  was a really good song and I would attribute that more to Krept and Konan (whom he featured) than anything else.BOSS feat Tekno I had already heard as a single and its really tight.It was Pop Prince popping shii up.Still think this song deserved to be way bigger than it is.
Reminisce dropped the latest installment to his cypher sessions-FEEGO feat Seriki,Ola Dips & Ice Prince. Ice did look like he was getting back to his rapping best here and it gave me a hard-on for his album.FEEGO was dope...cartel dope.
KOKER's KO LE WERK drove me nuts.It became obvious Davido pulled a coup by signing Dremo when he dropped OJERE.Has a very distinctive style that reminds you of 2chainz-dope witty lines.Cracked up bad when I heard him say even the ones wey dey cover book for class don dey famz now,Ojere!!.
Cynthia Morgan's OLOWO is one that will not be forgotten in a hurry and Tekno's PANA is up there with the very best made this year.
Young Thug had a very busy year spawning records and features at an alarming rate.BREAD WINNER was the 1st  Thugga song on my playlist and then F CANCER (Shoutout to Boosieeee!!.Lol) all on the same mixtape.Asides the title,one other thing about the NO,MY NAME IS JEFFREY mixtape was that he made songs named after stars he loved.There was RIHANNA,there was SWIZZ BEATZ and others.POP MAN feat Wyclef Jean isn't just my personal favourite,it was one of the very best I heard and up there with the most creative as well...'Wamp Wamp,Wet Wet!!!'.Lool.
Vybz Cartel's COULDN'T was top notch and Maino's HEARD YOU was ill...'F my old B like am new N'.Lool.He was made Brooklyn Ambassador of rap coupla weeks ago and it was giving honour to whom its due.
Its a miracle how E-40 does what he does.For a man in his 50s,the Legend sure doesn't show any signs of slowing down.He featured AD on ONE and it was great.
Travis Scott had everyone buzzing this year and his biggest hit was PICK UP THE PHONE feat Young Thug and Quavo.Tight stuff.Wale switched up a bit on his version of PULL UP HOP OUT and it was seamless.'i can go anywhere and i can go with 10 hoes & 'em 10 hoes could be cousins'.One of the craziest lines I heard all year.Lool.Early in the year,he made BRYCE HARPER (MVP) and it was Wale at his best.Guy is a beast..'Don't pitch no birds but off them words out that 3rd,am Escobar'.He showed you what a good delivery could do to a song on the remix to Lil Kesh's CAUSE TROUBLE.Adapted pretty nice.He killed the verse on Reminisce's ASSALAMA ALLIEKUM remix as well.
Cobhams is starting to produce some really funny tracks and I think THE OTHER ROOM feat Ugovinna is the funniest yet.It came after the President said his wife belonged in 'the other room'.The song had the potential to be funnier than it was if Ugovinna had worked a lil extra hard on the lyrics.But it was really great.
Pusha T made one helluva copacetic song in CIRCLES feat Ty Dolla $ and Desiigner.Sometimes its really not just about getting the hottest artistes on a track,its about making their talents all come together to create the best possible sound.King Push did just that on CIRCLES. Ty with his unique voice and Desiigner speaking Desiigner. Lool.
B.O.B made the best socially conscious song I heard since his MISSING and it was called VULTURES. It was 'Bobby Ray' spitting just what he felt about the system and being one who has seen the ills of hypocritical leadership up close by virtue of being African,i could very much relate to it.Its my joint best rap song along with Meek's PRAY FOR 'EM.He also made the craziest Christmas carol I ever heard alongside No Genre and Jaque Beatz-a gun-weilding Santa copping bricks and making that MF snow.
G-Eazy's VENGEANCE ON MY MIND was a really inspirational one.I loved it a whole lot.Meek Mill dropped ALL I WANNA DO feat Chris Brown and Breezy was at his hook-killing best.That Breezy I love so much.
Word is Omeeka have split for real this time and that Nicki is currently involved with Fetty Wap.Well I guess time will confirm or disprove that like it did after rumours of her dating Meek surfaced.Fetty and Nicki made what might just turn out to be the last bonafide hit of 2016 in LIKE A STAR.Fabulous piece of work.Nicki did justice to her verse and Fetty was awesome with the sing along hook.Fetty Wap was featured by Block Boys on ALERT and rapping 'Zoovier' helped made better and already dope track.
Eric Manny's Runtown dropped a classic love song called MAD OVER YOU and it was a sweet victory for all those fans that saw something in him they had never seen in anyone from the very beginning.Song is tearing up charts everywhere as at the time of writing this.Eric Manny,owned by the billionaire mogul,Dili also signed Emeka this year and his IN MY ZONE is one of the best rap songs I heard all year.Watch out for Emeka,dude's got insane talent.Airtight song.
Well just about everyone loved The Chainsmokers' CLOSER. Words can't possibly express how I feel about this song.Classic is my best attempt.
COMING HOME by Trey Songz was an ecstatic lover heading home for Xmas and I loved it to bits.
Johnny Drille's Headies-nominated WAIT FOR ME was one of the best songs made out of this country in the last decade or more.It was released in 2015 but I only got to hear it this year and I have being fiending since.2T Boys' CUSTOMER DADA NI was Headies-nominated as well and it dazzled me beyond words..Great concept.
Wiz Khalifa was one of the artistes that made my year tick.He kept it slow and soft on NO FIGHTING and I was mesmerized to no end.He was on Snoop's KUSH UPS and he made a really great hook...'Roll a whole book up..I'm in the crib doing Kush ups!!'.He kept up the A-game shii on Currensy's SPEED BOAT.Dope stuff.

Currensy made magic on TOLD ME THAT feat Starlito as well.Hard for a year to roll by without getting at least a Kid Ink song to drive me nuts and this year it was LAMBORGHINI DREAMING feat Verse Simmonds.

There you have it,my best songs for the year 2016.A really long walk I must say but thanks for sticking by.

LETTER TO FEMI ADESINA: THE PRESIDENT OWES US A DUTY TO SPEAK

I'm sorry Mr Adesina but the President needs to speak on the Southern Kaduna killings. He needs to pacify and reassure the oppressed people of that region of the government's commitment to putting a halt to the dastardly activities of the Fulani herdsmen.He needs to intimate them on the urgent steps being taken towards apprehending the culprits and lastly,he needs to sympathize with them.You left out that part. Even if Gov. El-Rufai is 'on everything else' (to borrow your words), he can't be on that.The need to show compassion at a most dire time hovers over your Principal more as a matter of duty than anything else.

Presidents of more Federal nations even in those where the states have their own police forces to protect the people, have gone out of their way to not only commiserate with the families and victims of a tragedy but to also visit them.Did the President not know we were a Federal state when he symphatized with the victims of the Kano and Kebbi market fires?.Those were incidents where no souls were lost and yet he keeps mute when hundreds of innocent people including women and babies are being slaughtered.

The President chose to have 6 media aides at a time when the nation is facing its worst recession ever and it saddens to see you and your colleagues neglect to play your roles as you should.If you were doing your job well,you would enlighten the President on the sensitivity of this matter and the tendency of appearing sectarian.

He has already being accused of being impartial with his appointments and many still say if his fellow muslims weren't being killed by boko haram as well,they doubt if there would be this much commitment towards shutting down the insurgency.The herdsmen have so far not  being attacking Muslims.

If you meant the President well,you wouldn't hurt his image with those comments but would let him know how the poor handling of the herdsmen crisis allowed it escalate and as such,he owes it to the victims and the country at large to show compassion. 

The Enugu massacre of over 500 people by Fulani herdsmen looks to have being incited by the unprofessional disclosure by the DSS that 5 bodies found buried at the Abia forest were those of fulanis.

Even a lay man like myself,knows that in the secret police terrain, some information are best kept secret in the best interests of the nation. Buhari it was who recalled the present DSS boss from retirement.

The President's belated reaction to the killing of over 500 people and razing of about 10 villages in Agatu,Benue state came a week later,depicting him as a highly inconsiderate leader and neither the panel he set up to investigate the crisis nor its findings were made public.

I hope at this point,you can understand just how ridiculous I found your attempt at rationalizing the President's silence.

A seasoned media man like you expectedly understands he has just helped the general public form an irredeemably conclusive opinion on the President vis-à-vis the killings of the herdsmen.The President for some reason, is lukewarm towards the horrendous activities of the Fulani herdsmen.

I really fear for my nation with people like you around the President and I sincerely hope we would still have a nation by 2019.It was sad to watch you tell innocent nigerians complaining over poor power supply to go and fight the militants in a previous interview on Channels Tv.You did not bother to take into consideration the fact that your principal's promise of treating those who voted en masse for him ahead of those who didn't could very well be deemed an inciting factor in the Niger-Delta militancy.Such comments regrettably justify the fights for 'freedom' and no one who is true to himself would say those words were uttered in the best interest of Nigeria.

I still tell people that in better places, the process of ridding us of him would be kick started from that moment as he had publicly violated the sacred right to freedom of association of some of his countrymen as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Nigerians expect their President to respond promptly when they are attacked by allaying their fears and sympathizing with them.This they expect at all times.

Positions like yours are quite sensitive as you have the power to mitigate or worsen any damage occasioned by the acts of your principal whom I must say is a PR time bomb and so far, all you seem to be doing is widening the scope of that bomb.Please have the interests of Nigeria and its people at heart in the discharge of your duties.

2016 HEADIES: THE Ouuhs,Aaahs and Naaahs

Someone captured the 2016 Headies in these few words:"This may very well be the funeral".When Wizkid strolled in and attempted to hug Eva's fiancé before hugging her instead and leaving the poor dude hanging, you couldn't help helping the organizers bemoan the abject lack of A-list calibre guests.There couldn't be a better illustration than Eva on the front row .The many empty seats were an eyesore and echoes in the hall got startling at times.But for what its worth,the organizers can console themselves with the fact that there just has to be a record of some sorts for the number of absent winners this edition spawned.Definitely haven't seen this many in my over 30 living years.
Those watching Ayo's Headies at home on Ayo's HipTv have him to thank for making them understand their DSTV remotes better.It felt like a sound engineering course sometimes as audio and picture quality was so poor,you spent half the time adjusting and re-adjusting.That being said, lets skip to the awards itself.

BEST RECORDING OF THE YEAR

EMERGENCY-D'banj

LOVE DON'T CARE-Simi

PRAY FOR ME-Darey feat Soweto Choir Group

ORENTE-Adekunle Gold

SOMETHING GOOD IS HAPPENING-Brymo

Dbanj's EMERGENCY had no business being on this list and when I first saw it,I thought he was going to clinch it because the arrangement that got him there might include him winning it.But it turns out that wasn't the case.
There are a thousand other songs that deserved to be here in its place and if the Headies felt it ought to show him some love then it should have just handed him the Special Recognition award.I consider Darey's PRAY FOR ME a really great song but I think either of Adekunle Gold's ORENTE or Simi's LOVE DON'T CARE should have gotten this.Adekunle was able to put together sheer magic over talking drums and guitar strings.Ironically,the song was produced by the same guy who produced the winning song-Oscar and mixed by Simi.Oscar deserves a best producer nomination for this song and he might just have won that category if he had this to complement Darey's PRAY FOR ME which he was nominated for.
Simi is a breath of fresh air and she is in tune with the basics; having a peculiar quality in a saturated industry won't really count much unless it is being put to effective use. She did just that on LOVE DON'T CARE.The story telling in that voice was awesome.

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

DJ COUBLON-GOOD TIME AND RABA RABA BY KISS DANIEL AND DJ SHABSY

PHEELS-PICK UP AND LAGOS BOYS BY OLAMIDE

OSCAR HERMAN ACKAH-PRAY FOR ME BY DAREY FEAT THE SOWETO CHOIR GROUP

MASTERKRAFT-FADA FADA AND CONNECT BY PHYNO

YOUNG JOHN-MAMA BY KISS DANIEL

LEGENGURY BEATS-BABA NLA (FINAL) BY WIZKID

I still don't understand why Masterkraft didn't win this.His songs with Phyno are the hugest of the pack and its hard to believe the voting public picked MAMA ahead of them.Category specification says individual responsible for producing the most acclaimed song or album in the year under review. MAMA can't come no where near CONNECT and FADA FADA.

BEST R&B/POP ALBUM

NEW ERA-KISS DANIEL

WANTED-WANDE COAL

SHEYI OR SHAY-SHEYI SHAY

NAK3D-DAREY

KLITORIS-BRYMO

The popular opinion is that Ayo and his goons set out to compensate KISS DANIEL for last year's snub.But there is a price to pay for doing that-quality is compromised.Wande Coal made an album full of good songs with no outstanding one to stand out from the bunch while Brymo seemed to have shed some of his invincibility on KLITORIS.Darey didn't quite meet up to his standards but Sheyi Shay made a quite amazing album.She had you in heart all through; whatever she tried,she wanted it to sound good to you.SHEYI OR SHAY was light years ahead of others in quality.

BEST MUSIC VIDEO

MARY (SHEYI SHAY)-MEJI ALABI

EMERGENCY (D'BANJ)-UNLIMITED LA

SOLDIER-(FALZ THA BAD GUY)-CLARENCE PETERS

BAD-(TIWA SAVAGE FEAT WIZKID)-SESAN

MADE FOR YOU-(BANKY W)-BANKY W

Quite frankly, I don't think these were the best videos out in the year under review.These same guys (with maybe the exception of Banky W) made videos much better than the ones they were nominated for.Unlimited LA seemed to want to eat his cake and have it on Dbanj's EMERGENCY.-'throwing back' to the Fela era and still wanting to stay in present day.
Banky's MADE FOR YOU was a love story that had been told countless times with practically nothing to set it apart from the others.No extraordinary scenes or costumes,it was just plain and lacking a creative edge.He showed promise though and I sincerely hope he excels in video making.
SOLDIER certainly wasn't Clarence Peters's best work neither was it the best on the list.But it won.
I think Falz plans his videos and all he has to do is get a director to shoot them.SOLDIER was no different from JAMB QUESTION which was nominated last year but only that the latter was directed by Mex.The story was unreal and there was nothing to commend the video for other than the quality of the song.
Meji Alabi did a good job on Sheyi Shay's MARY though he could have done better.It was a dark video that tended to get too dark at times especially the scene where she was in a mask.The white fur coat was a really great touch and I wish I could say same for the black top she used.It erased the 'bossette' feel and if you walked in and saw her wearing that over a bowler hat in the last scene,she would pass for a mere 'waka pass'.
When you make choices, its harder to defend videos than songs.Songs leave you many 'outs'.You could cite sales or radio play in place of quality but not with videos because everyone sees whats on display.
Its really sad that Sesan had to watch a plaque he deserved, go for a second consecutive year and last year's was even closer than this.Thats what hurts the most.
He made one of the best Nigerian videos I have seen in recent times in Tiwa Savage's BAD feat Wizkid. It was just flawless.BAD was probably the only video worth being here and ordinarily, it would stroll hands in pocket all the way to this Headie.To be modest, Ayo and his crew need to start counting the votes well.

BEST RAP SINGLE

EYAN MAYWEATHER-OLAMIDE

ASALAMALEKUM-REMINISCE

JAGABAN-YCEE

CHUKWU AGOZI GOGI-ILLBLISS

AGU JI NDI MEN-AQ

SHOW YOU SOMETHING-BOOGEY

The Headies can safely fall back on the 'voting clause' as far as this category is concerned.Baddo is the most loved rapper in Nigeria and a lot of people would vote him even if no song was attached to his name.But I laugh in spanish if they expect us to believe our votes have been winning awards.
EYAN MAYWEATHER will rank last if these songs were to be judged on merit.JAGABAN deserved this Headie more than any of the songs.It swept across the nation in some style and birthed the start of an elaborate ascent to the zenith of naija rap.

BEST POP SINGLE

MAMA-KISS DANIEL

FINAL(BABA NLA)-WIZKID

PICK UP-ADEKUNLE GOLD

OSINACHI-HUMBLESMITH FEAT DAVIDO

REGGAE BLUES-HARRYSONG FEAT OREZI,IYANYA,OLAMIDE & KCEE

EMERGENCY-D'BANJ

FADA FADA-PHYNO

MONEY-TIMAYA FEAT FLAVOUR

This had to be the tightest category of the night.REGGAE BLUES was a worthy winner but I'm sure no one would have bated an eyelid if it went to FADA FADA or OSINACHI.

BEST REGGAE/DANCEHALL SONG

NO KISSING-PATORANKING FEAT SARKODIE

BODY HOT-PRAIZ FEAT JESSE JAGZ AND STONEBWOY

JAGA LOVE-JESSE JAGZ

OLOWO-CYNTHIA MORGAN

PAM PAM-KETCH UP

I LIKE THE WAY-TIMAYA

Patoranking's NO KISSING was a really good song.Just that it isn't as good as Cynthia Morgan's OLOWO.Song is fire!!!.It infects you when it comes on and makes you want to dance in any hall.."Ask about me for igboro"!!.
Whether or not Praiz's BODY HOT is reggae/dancehall is debatable but what is not in doubt is the fact that it was a really good song.One I would rather hand the Headie to.

BEST R&B SINGLE

LOVE DON'T CARE-SIMI

MADE FOR YOU-BANKY W

SMILE-SHAYDEE

SUPER WOMAN-WANDE COAL

PRAY FOR ME-DAREY FEAT THE SOWETO CHOIR GROUP

ADUKE-TJAN

Darey's PRAY For Me is a great piece of work,but sometimes I just can't help thinking its getting more props than it deserves.This is a voting category and I sincerely doubt if Darey's song was huge enough to be voted over these songs and even if anyone leans on the fact that a lot of people only listened to some of the songs when the nomination list was released, I don't think anyone who did that would vote it ahead of Tjan's ADUKE.It was a fabulous song that had all the essential ingredients of R & B in it.After all the lectures on what or not songs of a particular genre should sound like, it all boils down to one thing-whether or not it sounds good to its listeners. ADUKE is a classic.

BEST COLLABO

REGGAE BLUES-HARRYSONG FEAT IYANYA, OREZI,OLAMIDE,KCEE

OSINACHI-HUMBLESMITH FEAT DAVIDO

WAIT-SOLIDSTAR FEAT TIWA SAVAGE

NO KISSING-PATORANKING FEAT SARKODIE

MONEY-TIMAYA FEAT FLAVOUR

SOLDIER-FALZ FEAT SIMI

I really think REGGAE BLUES deserved to get its second plaque of the night in this category. One thing this song alongside Humblesmith's OSINACHI had going for them was the fact that they were nationwide hits. They were more popular than SOLDIER which was more or less, a 'Lagos' hit.Either one of these two should have gotten the Headie ahead of Falz's SOLDIER.

NEXT RATED

*TEKNO

YCEE

MR EAZI

HUMBLESMITH

ARAMIDE

Tekno criticized his choice as a nominee and that necessitated a public clarification by the organizers. In response to the statement that he was a vet, the Headies told us it didn't matter how long you had been in the game as long as you hadn't released an album yet.He boycotted all pre-award activities required of nominees and it earned him a ban just days to the event.
Tekno was the clear favourite and his omission threw it open .This category had been the most controversial over the years and this edition wasn't bereft of it.
Mr Eazi is a great artiste with a unique sound but i'm baffled to no end as to how he beat Ycee.Its simply impossible to justify that.
Ycee made a monster hit in JAGABAN and followed it up with OMO ALHAJI which was stellar stuff as well.He made more hits, had more collabos and notched up endorsements (doubt if Eazi even has one).He was the favourite rapper's favourite rapper to use that all too familiar cliché when Baddo named him his number one rapper.
A lot of people rate Humblesmith higher than they do Mr Eazi and you wouldn't blame them for that.Mr Eazi is a breath of fresh no doubt-distinctive style that blew everyone but more than a year in (at least officially), BANKULIZE still remains the closest thing he has to a hit. Humblesmith's original and remix versions of OSINACHI were all hits.That is just by the way anyways.
Mr Eazi over Ycee?. Naaah.

BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (MALE)

SOMETHING GOOD IS HAPPENING-BRYMO

SMILE-SHAYDEE

PRAY FOR ME-DAREY FEAT SOWETO CHOIR GROUP

GENTLEMAN-RIC HASSANI

SUPER WOMAN-WANDE COAL

Shaydee was the best choice.He put those chords to phenomenal use on SMILE and I'm really glad he won.I really feel sorry for Wande Coal though,he did put in some great work on SUPER WOMAN.

BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (FEMALE)

LOVE DON'T CARE-SIMI

PLAY NA PLAY-OMAWUNMI FEAT ANGELIQUE KIDJO

RIGHT NOW-SHEYI SHAY

LOVE ME-ARAMIDE FEAT ADEKUNLE GOLD

The organizers got it right in this category as well (vocal performance is non-voting).In as much as I think Sheyi Shay's RIGHT NOW is the best song listed, i most certainly agree that SIMI displayed the best vocal prowess on her LOVE DON'T CARE.

BEST STREET HOP ARTISTE

WHO U EPP-OLAMIDE

BAD GANG-AJEBUTTER FEAT FALZ

JAGABAN-YCEE

GBERA-SMALL DOCTOR

KO LE WERK-KOKER

CUSTOMER DADA NI-2T BOYS FEAT SERIKI AND SMALL DOCTOR

This was always going to go one way-Baddo's.He blew up the slang and had everyone using it after he dropped the song.If we had a Nigerian dictionary, I'm sure WHO U EPP would have been the last word added to it and maybe the first to be added in the last 10 years.
But on the real,I don't think the quality of the song measures up to that of KO LE WERK or CUSTOMER DADA NI in the street hop context. Great slangs but they were also great songs.The fact that every rapper wanted to jump on WHO U EPP after Baddo's crew and close associates did, helped blow a decent  effort out of proportion.
Olamide was never one to worry about strategy,it was just music and more music all year long.The one time he got strategic, it paid off handsomely.After his gang did their versions, everyone hopped on it.WHO U EPP was the most remixed song of the year no doubt.
If it were up to me,I would hand this award to 2T Boys.CUSTOMER DADA NI had the craziest concept I heard in a really long while and Its the most creative song on the list.Koker did his thing in grand style on KO LE WERK and I feel as sorry for Ycee as I did for Kiss Daniel last year.Hard to think JAGABAN didn't get at least a plaque for all its quality.

BEST ALTERNATIVE SONG

GENTLEMAN-RIC HASSANI

SOMETHING GOOD IS HAPPENING-BRYMO

WAIT FOR ME-JOHNNY DRILLE

PICK UP-ADEKUNLE GOLD

YOU SUPPOSE KNOW-BEZ

A lot of observers and critics usually get lost in their own little world before every award show.Everyone shuts out how much buzz the songs generated, the calibre of artistes that made them and just focuses on how good the songs truly are.In my own little world, it was a walk over for Johnny Drille's WAIT FOR ME.Song is just so out of here...sumn like an Audemar telling Mars time.He should be bronzed for it.WAIT FOR ME in a few words is-International quality.
I would place Adekunle Gold's PICK UP second and though the instrumental to Brymo's SOMETHING GOOD IS HAPPENING was top notch, he opens by telling you "everyone is hustling and trying to be boss but if you listen hard you will hear the sounds of victory". Highly contradictory. You hear those sounds when you are boss or at least aren't 'trying' to become one.After all said and done,I don't think Bez deserved it.

BEST RAP ALBUM

EYAN MAYWEATHER-OLAMIDE

POWERFUL-ILLBLISS

STORIES THAT TOUCH-FALZ

YAGI-LIL KESH

One of the non-voting categories where the organizers shocked you again by getting it right.Though it was obvious Illbliss made the best rap album of the pack, there was no ruling out a gift to Falz who was co-host and current rave.Illygaty tha Oga Boss aka Abrahamovich put together a splendid album in POWERFUL and I'm really glad he is getting the respect he deserves.Illbliss is quite frankly one of the very few cats the rap game owes some dues.

LYRICIST ON THE ROLL

CHUKWU AGOZI GOGI-ILLBLISS

ASALAMALEKUM-REMINISCE

JAGABAN-YCEE

SHOW YOU SOMETHING-BOOGEY

AGU JI NDI MEN-AQ

NO MATTER WHAT-MODENINE

Here, we allowed the Headies choose and they failed us.The only good thing about Lyricist on the roll in 2016 was that Mode9 didn't win it like a lot of us expected and since some other yardstick besides friendship was used (presumably quality) then its worth a good look.Illbliss's CHUKWU AGOZI GOGI lyrically had nothing on all the other songs on the list.Pound for Pound,it was the whipping boy.AQ's delivery isn't always top notch but AGU JI NDI MEN was one of those times he got it right.His usually tight lyrics were framed perfectly.Reminisce is second only to my winner-Boogey's SHOW YOU SOMETHING.Boogey flew us first class back to the '90s with not a single element missing.He held you spell-bound and pulled you into the story he was telling.Real timeless stuff.
To Mode9 and all the other purists out there-Hip Hop ain't dead...*scratches*, this is how it should be done!!.

HIP HOP WORLD REVELATION

GHETTO UNIVERSITY-RUNTOWN

YAGI-LIL KESH

SHEYI OR SHAY-SHEYI SHAY

NEW ERA-KISS DANIEL

There is no way in the world NEW ERA is a better album than SHEYI OR SHAY and if anyone tells me people voted it, I will instantly demand proof because Lil Kesh is the most loved and popular of the nominees.He would clinch it on that basis while those who listened to all the albums would pick Miss Shay.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

STORIES THAT TOUCH-FALZ

NEW ERA-KISS DANIEL

WANTED-WANDE COAL

SHEYI OR SHAY-SHEYI SHAY

There are all good albums and somewhere deep within me,I think Falz would have gotten this if votes truly counted for the simple reason that he is the current industry darling.No one who has listened to all these albums would give this to Kiss.
NEW ERA had a wider gulf between the good songs and the not-too-good-ones and whats more?.We already heard its 2 best songs about a year before it was released.

ARTISTE OF THE YEAR

OLAMIDE

YEMI ALADE

FALZ

WIZKID

TIWA SAVAGE

It was 60-40 Falz even with Wiz's SHABBA featuring Chris Brown,Trey Songz and French Montana in the equation till you remember Wiz was on Drake's ONE DANCE and then a blow-past.Falz on Wiz's rearview. Congrats Starboy,our most viable music export.

SONG OF THE YEAR

FINAL(BABA NLA)-WIZKID

PICK UP-ADEKUNLE GOLD

OSINACHI-HUMBLESMITH

REGGAE BLUES-HARRYSONG FEAT OREZI, IYANYA, OLAMIDE & KCEE

FADA FADA-PHYNO

Any one of OSINACHI, FADA FADA, or REGGAE BLUES deserved to walk away with this and in the end Phyno's FADA FADA was the lucky recipient.FADA FADA cemented Phyno's status as unarguably the most versatile Nigerian artiste of all time.He became pop and hiphop royalty at the same time.

SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD

FLAVOUR

No disrespect to Flavour but I think he has a few more notches to clear.There are more deserving recipients than I can count-OJB Jezreel (post-humously),Dbanj,Clarence Peters,P-Square to mention a few.
They really need to put their house in order.

This Year's Headies has had a lot of fans wondering if it is the beginning of the end.Its been sad to watch its credibility wane over the years and though no 'official' gossip has been leaked as to why it was boycotted by almost all the stars,it may just be because they are as aggrieved as the fans.Perhaps they came together and decided to stay away.Its just too much to be a coincidence.
The biggest music industry in Africa deserves a much better spectacle to call its biggest award show.

ON THE PROPRIETY OF THE AGF PROBING MAGU AND LAWAL

If the President sincerely thinks he is doing the right thing by asking the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami SAN to probe allegations of corruption by 2 government officials, then we are in more trouble than we thought.The only plausible explanation to it if that is not the case,is that he is carving out an escape route for 'his people'.There is just no up side to this arrangement.The AGF cannot be expected to rely solely on evidence presented by the Senate because of the circumstances surrounding its somewhat frosty relationship with the Presidency and as such, he would have to go the extra mile to ascertain some of the allegations against the acting EFCC boss,Ibrahim Magu and the Secretary of the government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal.If not for anything but for the fact that if any more compelling evidence surfaces,it will hurt the President a great deal.

The acting EFCC boss, Ibrahim Magu is said to have accepted bribes severally even before he was elevated to his present status and that he is currently domiciled at a N20M per annum residence paid for for 2 years by a beneficiary of his dubious practices. For the AGF to do a good job,he might be required to not only study files,bank statements and phone records over a period of time but also to interview/interrogate a lot of people-from Magu's colleagues down to the subjects of previous investigations he handled.The AGF and those in his office are not equipped to perform these tasks for the simple reason that they weren't trained to do so.They are lawyers.

There is a need to be thorough, like I earlier stated, because of the implications that would accompany the emergence of more damaging evidence. The President has already been criticized for his nonchalance to allegations there had been sharp practices on the part of the SGF,Babachir Lawal when they first sprang up and many still feel he would sweep the matter under the rug at the slightest opportunity he gets.

Both sets of allegations are so sensitive, they touch on the integrity of President Buhari's administration. If the President can refuse to comply with numerous court orders granting the former NSA,Sambo Dasuki, bail for the sole reason that it is unfair for him to seek medical care abroad,while millions have been left orphaned and homeless by the abominable acts of he and his cohorts,then he should know that it is also not within the moral ambit for his SGF to steal from those people.It would be catastrophic for the AGF to come up short.

The case against Lawal is a very strong one.Asides,the contract sum being inflated (N270M to clear invasive weeds),the company was reportedly incorporated in 1990 to offer ICT services and the lawmakers claim as at the time,the contract was awarded in March 2016,he was still part of the company which is a clear contravention of the Code of Conduct for public officials as enshrined in the constitution. As at the time the committee submitted its report,he was still the sole signatory to the company's bank accounts.

If Lawal is let off the hook, this government would be no different from the last one that shielded its aviation minister, Stella Oduah and helped the then Petroleum Minister, Deziani Maduekwe escape from a National Assembly probe into how she was flying private with taxpayers money.

As things stand,Buhari's 'Zero tolerance for corruption' reputation is hanging by a thread.The former first lady has not been prosecuted or as much as questioned by the EFCC despite having her properties seized.Many still feel the seizure was a face-saving measure necessitated by her public attempt to bail out her cronies by laying claim to the monies found in their accounts. Her husband,the ex-President has not been questioned despite being linked to Dasukigate by at least 2 persons.That thread will give way if Magu and Lawal aren't dealt with accordingly.

The best interests of Nigeria would have been better served if the President had constituted a committee.Preferably one comprising of former and present servicemen along with the attorney-general.Former servicemen to ensure neutrality, present ones to accord the government investigative apparatus where required and the AGF to provide legal advice.The AGF would ordinarily be the most dispensable member of an ideal probe committee.

His primary duty as the nation's chief law officer is the prosecution or otherwise of criminal cases as is provided in Section 174 of the 1999 constitution (as amended) and while some may say nothing precludes him from handling a probe when asked to,the need for a bodacious inquiry into a matter he is ill-equipped to handle outweighs any other consideration.