Let me tell you a story and hopefully, it could inspire a young Nigerian who is passionate about doing something for Nigeria. It is the story of this throwback photo of me, @wizkidayo and @youngskales sitting on the rooftop balcony of a house in Ilupeju, Lagos. Thread:

This same period, ten years ago, within a period of one week, nineteen multi-talented young Nigerians converged on a music studio in Ilupeju, Lagos to record  #IGoVote an initiative of  #Cool2Vote - a campaign I co-founded with @MrBanksOmishore and @Prof_Fiammari in 2010.

#Cool2Vote was designed to inspire Nigerians, especially the youths to register to vote and vote for their preferred candidates on election day - using pop culture ideas from music to concerts and celebrity endorsements.

Armed with the raw passion we had for country and the goodwill that  #Cool2Vote enjoyed, we were able to do so much – a collaboration that featured @wizkidayo, @youngskales, @Soundsultan, @Iyanya, @generalpype, @OfficialWaje, @timidakolo and 11 others in one song - PRO BONO!

The song, #IGoVote was released online on 22nd July, 2010. Listen:

Later I wilk share a link to the full track. And in case you were wondering whose voice is on the intro, that’s me 

But we didn’t stop with  #IGoVote. A few weeks later, we organized a concert - #RockDaVote Mega Jam which was held at the University of Ibadan.

Many described it as the biggest concert ever held on the university campus. The line up was so heavy that all the artists could not perform that night.

We had  @BankyW, @wizkidayo, @youngskales, @Soundsultan, Rooftop MCs, @NaetoC, @iam_YQ, @OfficialWaje, Sauce Kid and many more...

Over 20 artistes joined us on the campaign and inside two buses, we journeyed from Lagos to Ibadan for  #RockDaVote Mega Jam. It was a night to remember. Most of these artistes were on top of their game at this time. Again, none of them asked us for a dime!

But back to  #IGoVote. Why didn’t we shoot a video for a big music collaboration like this? There’s always the Nigerian factor. We tried to get some funding and wrote to @inecnigeria with no luck. Then people got tired and we moved on. We had tried our best...

It is important to mention, however, that the much we were able to do was because the artists were ready to go all out for the campaign without asking for anything in return, except their hotel accommodation. And even that became a challenge for us the organizers.

I recall the morning after #RockDaVote Mega Jam, when we couldn’t complete payment of the artists’ hotel bills, it became quite a scene. Some of the artists began to “para” but @BankyW and a few others helped calm the situation.

As for all the technical and sound equipment that we used that night, we have @obiasika to thank. He helped mobilise all of that. All it took was a BBM conversation about the idea and then boom – ‘Uncle Obi’ as we called him, was sold to the idea!

When some people ask today: “what have you done for Nigeria?”, I say; well some of us may not have designed the national flag but we have made modest contributions from time to time even till this present day.

These experiences also helped to shape my understanding of the Nigerian music industry and the challenges artists and record labels face.

I think many of our artists don’t get enough credit for what they have to go through to keep their careers alive, especially in a place like Nigeria where you have a culture that forgets the labour of yesterday very quickly based on who or what is in vogue today.

I decided to share this story today because I believe there is a young Nigerian reading this thread who has something to contribute to the greatness of Nigeria – and that despite the challenges we encountered, you can do much better by learning from our struggles of yesterday.

END.