By Benjamin Njoku

US-based Nigerian singer  Emma Ike Agu, popularly known as Allah-Bama, who was in the country two months ago for his  ‘Wajo dance project’ has described his ‘experience back home ‘as ‘an enlightening one’, bemoaning the plight of Nigerian artists.

Sharing his sad experience, while  in a WhatsApp chat with our reporter, Aguike, who’s fondly called Allah-Bama, decried  the worsening  condition of Nigerian artists, stressing that “the ones who lay the golden eggs are also left to suffer.”

He said that despite the international acclaim and awards earned by Nigerian musicians, it’s appalling to see the country’s entertainers wallowing in abject poverty.

 Aguike said “From the songwriters who craft hits for our mainstream and international stars to the backup singers, session musicians, and dancers, a staggering 97% of Nigerian entertainers are struggling to make a living.

“The situation is so dire that many of the sessions I worked with while abroad couldn’t afford the transportation fare to see me.

“Studio owners are losing their businesses and are forced to operate from their homes with sub-par acoustics and soundproofing. Studio operators have lost a vast majority of their clients. Hikes in fuel price and lack of steady power supply are grinding the industry to a halt. The fate of the Nigerian recording industry in the next four years, if things do not improve, can be anybody’s guess.”

Continuing, he added, “ I came back home to shoot and release my new album, but I had to cut short my trip and travel back to New York because my dancers were going through hell. The weather was scorching, and the heatwave, to say the least, made me sick for days. I watched most of my dancers suffering in the sun. I had to shut down production and send them home. “

Aguike was in the country to put finishing touches to  his dance project called ‘Wajo’ which happens to be his latest music offering.

The singer gained prominence in the country’s music scene in the early 90s, before relocating to the United States  following the frustration and conspiracy that later became the order of the day in the music industry.

He’s due to fly into the country again to wrap up his Wajo dance project which is currently danced by youths across the globe.