Music Expression and Pecuniary Emulation in the Nigerian Oil Boom Era, 1970–80

Contemporary musical icons and performers were major players during the oil boom era and have unveiled societal ills through their music. Music plays a unique role and contains copious information considering the lyrical expression of the songs if critically examined and analysed. Songs reflected the entire events of the period and have been chosen in this paper as data with other primary historical data sources like interviews, newspapers, etc., and secondary sources such as books and journal articles. Music files have preserved the music of the past for the contemporary generation and displayed critical social interactions within the societal milieu. The oil boom era was arguably the most eventful period in Nigerian history sequel to the economic burst. The people experienced the financial surge differently. Wealthy Nigerians displayed affluence while some sections could not afford three-square meals. The struggles and desperacy to move from the level of pecuniary emulation to conspicuous consumption led to vices and atrocities within society. This reflected in a variety of ways people were duped, such as 'Chief Executive Officer (CEO) without an office address' and robbery at a high rate. Pecuniary emulation is a struggle to attain economic status in the rank of conspicuous wealth, competing for higher socio-economic status. Music has been used to underscore the adverse effects of these vices. This paper posits that the untold societal ills and decadence associated with the oil boom period had far more severe consequences than the surface-level analyses have indicated. Contrary to the prevailing generalized view that all citizens benefited evenly from the oil revenue, this study contends that many did not, as the oil boom engendered both positive and negative impacts on the populace.