Nigeria No More Jaga-Jaga --Eedris Abdulkarim

A top Nigerian crooner, Eedris Abdulkarim, was recently billed to
entertain guests at the gala dinner in Dubai, but for what he called
"technical problems", he could not. In an interview with Vanguard,
Eedris disclosed why he could not perform, saying, Nigeria "is no more
jaga-jaga!"
Excerpts:

Since your last album it seems you haven't been active. What's with you?

Basically because my kind of music talks about ills in the society,
and it needs research which takes time, to know what is going on,
evaluate the present government, then compare and contrast with the
past governments. I must tell you that for the first time I'm very
positive about this government. In three years, Dr Goodluck Ebele
Jonathan has been able to show Nigerians that there actually could be
development.

Refurbishing of airports

Our airports are being refurbished. See our road from Lagos to Ore
which has been there for fifteen years -- he has done it. Now it's
three hours from Lagos to Benin. Also the Lagos-Ibadan road has also
been there for years and Dr Jonathan is doing it.

I am positive about this government and it is my responsibility to use
music as a platform to promote what he has done. NITDA is implementing
the Transformation Agenda by adding values to the lives of our
children, making sure there are a resource centres everywhere in the
community and it is a beautiful thing. I'm really happy with the
experience.

So, Nigeria is no more "jaga-jaga?"

No, no no! Twelve years ago Nigeria was jaga-jaga, but now Nigeria is
no more jaga jaga, even though we know that the insecurity happening
in Nigeria is propaganda against government, but Dr. Jonathan is doing
his best and is trying.

Eedris, what is a musician doing at GITEX 2014?

You know, as a Nigerian and an individual, I like to expand my reach --
that is -- I like to learn because I believe everybody learns every
day. I am here in Dubai to perform during GITEX.

NITDA brought me here to perform; it was a beautiful experience, but
the performance didn't take place because of some technical problems
and I also used the opportunity to know the age which we are in
technology and I must say that technology has gone to digital science
and anybody who is not literate with computer is living in the past.

I am here to expand my experience and to learn also to entertain my people.

What hitches prevented you from holding the show?

I came in with a tourist's visa, and it was after this we then
understood that I needed a work visa to perform. The work visa took
two weeks to get, so I couldn't perform, as the event had held. But
definitely I would be performing in Nigeria on November 19th at the
next NITDA event, which is the e-Nigeria event in Abuja.