Nigerian artists Reekando Banks and Fireboy DML recently joined forces on a brand new remix of “Ozumba Mbadiwe.” Banks’ song, which mixes afropop and amapiano into a joyful sound that translates globally, is given a boost from Fireboy DML whose 2020 album Apollo remains a masterclass in effortless vibes.
The video to the remix, premiering below, catches the two artists in the middle of an ambush when armed undercover agents infiltrate their home. The song is named after the expressway that leads to the Lekki Toll gate in Lagos, Nigeria where peaceful protesters were massacred during protests against police brutality in October 2020 and the video feeds into a sense of authorities taking liberties with the public’s safety. Speaking to The FADER, Banks explained a little more about the original and the new remix.
“It is a song that captures multiple subject matters, but the most important is me paying homage to the victims of the #EndSars protest massacre,” he says. “I was one of the protesters at Lekki Toll Gate during the #EndSars protests. I was actually present at the protest ground for 2 days in a row, but I left because I had to travel. So the massacre at the Toll Gate by the Nigeria army was very personal for me, because it happened less than 48 hours after I left and I couldn’t shake off the feeling. The song also addresses fans who have been asking about my time away from music. My response to that question through this song is that I’ve been busy like the Ozumba Mbadiwe expressway. About the remix, I wanted someone that could add a different perspective to the record. Fireboy has been one of my favourite artists for a while now and he has made his love for this record public so I thought he’ll be a good fit for a remix. He smoked it.”
