Favour Borokini

Entertainment Corner Favour Borokini Defining Masculinity in the light of Flavour’s Oyi Na To and Fela’s Na Poi Masculinity is defined – very unhelpfully – as the degree or property of being masculine. The word, masculine is an adjective which describes various desirable traits in men - desirable that is as defined by society - such as handsomeness, virility, physical strength, financial stability and many more. All these go to show that being a man as perceived by society isn’t merely a function of being male i.e. sex but goes further to describe several expectations and realities of individuals of the male gender. These roles traditionally include the ability to provide, to lead and to protect. An important aspect of masculinity is how it functions in relation with femininity or rather its subjugation of it. One reason which supports the latter is the belief that because man was created first by God he is superior to a woman. Another is the disparity between men and women in the area of physical strength as well as emotional strength. These reasons – excuses – and a lot of others have created certain stereotypes in the way masculinity and femininity are viewed and dictated by society. For instance, a man is a provider, leader and a protector so he shouldn’t be prone to emotional outbursts which are considered womanly. He also shouldn’t be too expressive and he mustn’t show vulnerability which is considered yet another womanly trait. The only emotion left to men therefore are the “manly” ones such as anger and lust. This is common around us. When a boy loses his parents or has something tragic happen to him, he is told to man up. “Na man you be”, he is told till he is unable to properly express himself. It is a fact that women have a higher emotional quotient (EQ) than men and this is probably because they’re encouraged and even expected to express themselves and in tears if need be. This in my opinion makes women highly skilled at manipulation and bargaining. Music has long been considered a vessel through which socio-cultural beliefs and mores are transmitted and shared. Music is an integral part of our culture. It is a complex blend of sounds used for communication. Various cultures utilise music for various ceremonies ranging from initiation rites, to marriage and even burials. We use music to communicate emotions and moods such as rage, happiness, satisfaction, sadness and perhaps most importantly love. The definition of masculinity can therefore be examined through its lens as illustrated by Fela’s Na Poi and Flavour’s Oyi Na To respectively. According to Fela in Na Poi, when a man sees a woman he likes and he takes her into his room and locks it with a padlock, “the ting wey dem dey for inside na poi”. He goes on to state that when a man sees a woman he considers desirable what he does is to take her in to “poi” her. While “poi-ing” is never defined in the song, there is a lot of innuendo which points to the very act of sex. The truth is that music just like literature is a mirror of the people. In our society, sex is viewed not as an act between two people but one that is done by one, the male to the other, and the female. This is the only explanation for such degrading words as “knack”, “akpako”, “smash”, “hit” and a plethora of others. Fela likens sex to the collision between a molue and a danfo which no one should get between. In fact, while a woman is looked down upon for having sex outside the confines of marriage, a man is praised for just the same reason. This shows a confused and confusing reasoning for why should a woman be degraded for an act that upgrades a man in the sight of society. It is puzzling. In contrast, Flavour’s Oyi Na to lacks the jagged, staccato beat of Fela’s Na Poi. It has a contemporary, soothing feel but don’t let that deceive you. There really isn’t much different. Flavour begins by calling his love, jollof rice and tomato Jos. Both phrases which could mean that his love is light-skinned but which both refer to food. It reminds me of the old-fashioned words used to woo women, “You’re the sugar in my tea. The only cockroach in my cupboard”. Well both the sugar and the cockroach are consumed and exterminated respectively. The song shows the therapeutic relief women bring to men. Flavour declares that he is cold and is seeking the warmth of his love. However despite its flaws, Oyi Na to shows a man who is vulnerable and who is not ashamed or too proud to admit he is in need. There is also no mention of sex at all which is a marked contrast to the Na Poi. The song simply shows in essence a strong desire for intimacy. Vulnerability is an emotion which is distilled out of men at a very young age. Many men are emotionally stunted and unable to communicate their needs in a non-aggressive manner. There is the feeling that it takes out of them in a way and so they prefer a woman who is able to anticipate their needs without been told. The truth is that culture evolves and in fact it has been said that the only thing that doesn’t change is change itself. In the light of socio-economic realities, Naija women are losing their inhibitions and breaking barriers. They are not meek neither are they subservient housewives anymore. They are outgoing and desirous of steering their destinies by their hands. This has definitely created friction between many Naija men and woman. But it doesn’t have to be so. We can create a new dynamic. Women and men can work perfectly in sync even as cultures and orientations change. But only if our views of what defines masculinity changes too.