I would call myself fortunate for being around when Zule Zoo, a Nigerian music duo, started to blow up in the Nigeria. Zule Zoo was formed by Michael Aboh and Al-Hassan Ibrahim, childhood friends, who bonded over their love of music and performance. Their name means ‘Forgotten Warriors Never Die’. Zule Zoo made their mark in Nigerian music history with their innovative sound (especially the use of African percussions) and their unique lyrical composition.
Their most popular hit ‘Kerewa’ was released in 2005 but, was subsequently banned by the Nigerian government due to lyrics which seemed to be about adultery. This was a misunderstanding and the song was later unbanned. The music video of the song features the pair dancing energetically and performing the signature Kerewa dance. As a child, I was banned from performing this due to the vulgar association of the dance. Seeing the duo interact with one another is a joy as, their brotherly love and connection is so genuine. One thing I love about their music videos / performances is their use of native clothing and dancing, it was unique to the more US/Urban influenced videos in the mid 2000s. Both are from the Tiv tribe and make that clear in the black and white traditional clothing, like in their song ‘Necessary’.
One of my favourite songs by the duo is ‘Chin kpan’. Though an upbeat song, what stands out to me is the melody playing the piano throughout the song. One half of the duo passed away last year but, their music lives on. Listen to Kerewa and Chin kpan below:
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