New Generation Vice in Southeast Nigeria: A Thematic Analysis of Ndi Oke ite Akalia

Abstract

The quest for quick wealth by the younger generation in the South East is becoming worrisome as youths engage in vices like “Oke ite” rituals and sacrifices to get quick wealth without hard work. Some societal vices are exposed and brought to the fore through mediums like songs. This study aims to examine how the craze for quick wealth is encoded in the lyrics of the song titled “Ndi Oke ite Akalia” by Prince Chijioke Mbanefo from South east Nigeria. The song digs into the diabolical actions of internet fraudsters, stimulating reflection on the effects in the digital age. The song which served as data for this study was downloaded from the internet and transcribed, only the words of the song were transcribed. The thematic analysis focuses on patterns through which themes were derived, and how frequently the themes occurred in the song to foreground their importance. The research questions which this research provides answers to are: what are the themes in the song that show Oke ite as anti-human capital development, and in what ways are the potential usefulness of youths in Igbo land encoded in the lyrics of the song? And, how did the artiste chastise the different classes of people mentioned in the song that are involved in Oke ite practice? The findings of the study show that the alien culture of engaging in Oke ite practice imbibed by Igbo youths as revealed by the lyrics of the song are seriously against human capital development; as the involvement in Oke ite distracts one from harnessing one’s hidden inner potentials which Igbos youths had been known for. The study recommends that societal vices should not be swept under the carpet; they should be criticized in mediums like songs in order to deter youths from engaging in them. The study concludes that music is a potent tool through which societal vices can be corrected; Igbo youths should not be swayed into getting rich quick through diabolical means.