4 issues Falz addressed in ‘Child of the World’

About two months ago Falz the bahd guy shut down the internet with his This is Nigeria video, an adaptation of Childish Gambino’s ‘This is America’. The video got a lot of criticism and some praise.

He shows that he is still on the socially conscious track as he recently released a video to the track ‘child of the world’ off his third album titled 27.

Falz seems to be the only socially conscious artiste in Nigeria at the moment. Many of his colleagues mention politicians in their tracks only to hail them, never to criticize. But that is not why we are here.

Here are 4 societal issues Falz addresses in his video:

1. Abuse and rape:

Many young women face abuse from their own family members. Contrary to what you might think, a rapist is not always a nameless, faceless monster who lies in wait for you in the dark or who breaks into your house in the middle of the night.

Many other times, the rapist is a neighbor, friend, teacher, religious leader or even family. In ‘Child of the world’, the victim is raped by her uncle Peter.

In a country where rape culture is a huge problem, it is significant that the video ends with text saying rape is never the victim’s fault. It also provides contact details for rape support agencies.

He encourages victims to ‘Speak Up’, as well as society too. We are urged to all take a stand against rape and abuse.

The DSVRT has commended him for speaking up about rape and raising awareness about violence against women.

We would like to use this medium to appreciate Falz for spreading the word on Sexual Abuse in the recently released video for his song, Child of the World.

Together we will tackle this menace. Thank you for pointing Survivors in the direction of Help and Justice @falzthebahdguy pic.twitter.com/eP2LUgcW1u

— DSVA Lagos (@Lagosdsva) July 21, 2018

2. Depression and suicide:

Thankfully, more and more people have become aware of mental illnesses and how they may be related to suicide. The video addresses how suicide is not the only way out and how you can find support, knowing that you are not alone.

The numbers of suicide helplines are provided at the end of the video.

3. Poverty and exploitation:

Poverty is a major problem in Nigeria and that isn’t even news. According to World Poverty, over 44 percent of Nigerians live in poverty and the number increases by as many as six people per hour. All the while, our leaders are busy stuffing their pocket.

You can do everything right but poverty will stand in your way. This is a situation many Nigerian youth can identify with today.

Go to school, finish with good grades but you may not find a job, or you find a job that overworks you and underpays you.

The victim depicted in the video was a first-class graduate but she still had to take an internship with her uncle for ‘small change’.

4. HIV is not a death sentence:

While the disease is incurable, it is not the end of the world. People living with HIV can still live full lives if they manage it well and use their medication regularly. There are support groups and care centers for people living with HIV.

It is not a death sentence and it doesn’t automatically terminate your life. We might have a long way to go in de-stigmatizing the disease and raising awareness like this is the first step.