With Nigeria’s elections drawing closer, a new initiative has been started that harnesses the power of music to encourage those who believe in a better future for Nigeria and Africa.

The project, entitled Chime Asonye presents #Songs4Change, is a weekly dose of revolutionary music to inspire social progress in Nigeria, and Africa more broadly. The songs – a mixture of old and new – advocate for positive change, or awareness of important issues in our society such as malaria, epileptic power, domestic violence, and youth empowerment, amongst others.

The initiative will feature primarily African artists but will occasionally include songs from others who promote the theme of societal advancement and political consciousness. “I believe knowledge is created, not just by words on a page, but in fluid and dynamic ways,” said Asonye, a development practitioner and social commentator, when describing why he started #Songs4Change. “Ever since I was young I was shaped by the politics shared in creative spaces, which involved everything from spoken word to debate, dance to theater. Music was always a constant fixture in these spheres and could touch people uniquely.

Drawing on the power of music to create critical consciousness in the country I love, Nigeria, borrows from my personal experiences that often combined art and politics.”The goals for #Songs4Change include but are not limited to,

(1) increasing dialogue on important development concerns using the hash tag #Songs4Change,

(2) providing spiritual fuel to encourage activism towards Nigeria, and

(3) stimulating the creation of progressive music from entertainers and upcoming artist. As a generation passionate about the change we want to see, it isimperative that we begin to challenge the status quo and require more from our entertainers and ourselves.