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OPINION

By Robert Kigongo

Today we celebrate the Africa Day, much has African Union theme 2024 is ‘Education an African Fit for the 21^st Century’.

We must be cognizant of the fact that Music is education in the African fit playing a key role in catalysing African Renaissance as the world is restructuring its order into a New World Order of all ages.

Africa Musician from Nigeria Damini Ebunolulwa Ogulucommonly known as Burna Boy 2023 to 2024 tours in Europe at Mercedes Benz Arena in Berlin and LANXESS arena in Germany registered exceedingly overwhelming numbers of music revellers in attendances from Germany and across Europe.

Burna Boy joins Benin born rapper Divine Ikubormusically known as Rema who has recently thrilled 02 Arena in London to full capacity with his near-ubiquitous song “Calm Down” for a stunning performance in United Kingdom.

Burna Boy and REMA are not the only African Musicians dominating Global Bill boards and international news but rather joining Temilade openiyi aka TEMs,David Adeleke aka DAVIDO, Diamond Platinum of Tanzania, Angelique Kidjo of Benin, South Africa’s Tyla laura, Black Sharif and  Amaarae from Ghana respectively shaping the African narrative at the Global level.

Africa continues to be a Music power house with genres ranging from Afro beat, raggae, poetic, &B, Soukous, jazz, juju, Mbalax, Zilin, Gnawa, Mbaqanga, Rababah Benga,Palm wine the list is endless.

On this Africa Day, allow me to be your Captain as we navigate the waters at how Music is catalysing African Renaissance beyond just entertainment.

Music effect can significantly be a corner stone positioning Africa’s renaissance in the age of globalisation with an objective to bolster its visibility, economic strengthen, recognition, progress and contributions.

Unfortunately, since the turn of millennium, African music has been extremely active in producing African futures but surprisingly African Music and its contributions have been anachronistically isolated from renaissance studies, Africa in all forums, conferences and Agenda 2063.

Africa Renaissance is a philosophical and political movement geared towards ending Africa’s challenges in a global context.

Progressively, Africa has progressively worked on Political stability, Security, foreign investments, economic, regional integration signing international treaties, establishing multilateral relations now that it’s a member of G7.

Unfortunately, Africa has not paid attention Music’s contribution in its social and economic growth and its potential to be a cornerstone and a major concept in African renaissance in the age Globalisation.

Music industry can directly attract global leaders and multimillionaire dollar companies elsewhere in Europe, United Kingdom Asia and America to prioritise Africa and forge dialogues and new perspectives that will increase foreign investments, visibility, recognition and economic growth in a global context.

In my humble opinion ‘Music’s contribution added to the debates and recent concepts in African renaissance’

Music’s maternities of revolution, reform and restitution can be special purpose vehicle to Africa’s renaissance to end violence, elitism, corruption, illiteracy and poverty that are believed to plague the African Continent and replace them with a more just and equitable order.

Music is expected to generate 500 Million United States Dollars by 2025 is clear signal to the continent’s future.

Music sector significantly contributes $2b in revenue per year to Nigeria is Africa’s largest economy and ranked 39^th in the World in terms of nominal.

Most notably, Music has crossed pollinated the African cultures and value-sets and boosted tourism;

For example, Angelique Kidjo from Benin performed at 2020 Olympics in Tokyo Japan before millions of people dressed in African Cultural wears, in the same year Benin generated 202.60 Million US Dollars in the tourism sector alone;

Directly, boosting Benin's economy with 1.2 percent of its gross domestic product and approximately 12 percent of all international tourism receipts in West Africa.

African economies leverage on tourism revenues to create Jobs, building infrastructures like roads, schools, markets.

Musician Tiwa Savage performed at the coronation concert of King Charles III at Windsor Castle;

Subsequently, David Adeleke musically known as Davido performed at closing ceremony of the FIFA World Cup 2022 finals in Qatar the biggest sports event in the world.

Retrospectively, the Davido and Tiwa Savage changed perspectives about the black in the amidst glaring racism thus minimising racism tendencies and changes African narrative.

Hence calling for equality and equity in the world, but most importantly show casing Africa as a continent with so much talent, potential and Venture opportunities in a global contest.

Musicians are vibrant, young, innovative, enterprising and digitising, they can help translate their comparative advantages and help to Africa translate into economic growth by leveraging their combination of economic, investing, and technology expertise into a solid Africa based team that will consequently attain a unique deal flow and we build the Africa we want.

Conclusively, Africa leaders should pay extra attention to music as a concept beyond entertainment.

Wherefore my point in case Music is corner stone to scaling up African renaissance in the new World Order.   Happy Africa to all African Pan Africanist.

The writer is a sustainable development analyst