The Role of Music in Shaping The Youth

Over the centuries, it has been established that music have always play a major factor in helping to actually shape cultures, emotions and even our society in general and most especially in countries like Nigeria, music is the heartbeat of the Nigerian youth. There is nowhere in the country that you will not find music everywhere and it is not just the beat I am talking about here but generally, music has influences our fashion, our behaviours and generally how we actually relate to life.

If you actually want to fully understand the extent at which music has influence youths most especially in Nigeria, just take a look at the clothes the youth wear. From dressing alone, you can tell that the youth are catching vibes from different of their favourite music they listen to.

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There have been music trends in Nigeria all around our society ranging from Zanku, to Shaku shaku and many more on the streets. Music have also been a major factor in influencing even our dance moves and choice of fashion too. In fact, I have come to discover that an average Nigerian youth want to look like their famous musicians either in dressing, in the way they move and behave generally in the society. They call them their role models.

Nigeria youths have strong connection between Music and their ambition. In fact, we have passed the era whereby music is only seen to be for dancing or singing, nowadays, music is now becoming a template for many youth to even curve out their ambition. Look at the fans of Davido, Wizkid, Burna Boy that we have, they are not just music fans any longer but becoming even a movement. There are some songs that have been released by some famous musicians in Nigeria that have even become national anthem for the youths. Examples like "Marlins" by Naira Marley and even many more.

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For me, I will say one of the impact of music on the youth is also that it has helped to form their identities. What do I mean by that? Most of the time, I have noticed that If you want to know someone mood, just look at what or who they are listening to. If you listen to songs like Olamide or Naira Marley, most of the time I can tell that the person is in the street hustle and trying to make it in life. Music here is not just not music but a lifestyle. I have seen what music is capable of doing in the lives of the youth and I must say it must not be underrated at any cost.

Now before I round up, I will definitely like to talk about the negative side of music. In as much as music can influence you positively, it can or have even influenced the youth negatively also. Most especially the lyrics sometimes can passed a very strong message which might make youths to take negative steps at the end of the day. Yes I am so sure of that. In as much as there are music that can promote good lifestyles and encouragement, I believe there are also music that have influenced our youths negatively into doing terrible things in the society like drug abuse, crimes and generally violence. And I believe this is where the community and parents needs to come up. There needs to be balance that the message music is conveying to our youth is of positive Tone and not negative tone because we become who we listen to at the end of the day.

As I conclude, the big question about whether music is a good or bad influence on youth, well I will like to answer also that it is both. At the end of the day, it all point down to how the youth makes use of it. Music can bring people together and at the same time cause disunity. Nigerian youths have been blessed with the gift of music but I believe we need to find a balance to it also.