The Party Animals We Are

Nigerians love to party.Actually,most do. Give us a hot, infectious beat & our feet would do the rest. In a recent trip to SA, all I heard from people I met was how our people loved to rock. This was quite flattering coming from a society where clubbing is taken quite seriously as well. In Naija, a track could contain lyrics inciting terrorism but people won’t mind,as long as they could boogie down to the song’s catchy beats.
Back in my university days, weekend partying was something that came naturally for many students regardless of social affiliations. Whether one belonged to a club or cult (or just plain neutral like yours truly), people looked forward to the next rave or Bachelor’s Eve happening in town.
There was one such party in Apapa during the semester that many undergrads had flocked to, in presidential convoy-style. It was at a massive staff club that belonged to a major oil company. By 1 a.m, the groove was in full swing, largely aided by the steady flow of drinks that ensured everyone had involuntarily loosened up, as well as the slamming tracks being spun by the party's hired DJ.
One of the hottest songs at the time was Kirk Franklin’s 'Stomp', a catchy tune that happened to be the 1st gospel video ever played on popular music channel,MTV.Mr Franklin had, in various interviews, stated that he wanted 'Stomp' to be extremely funky so as to attract music-obsessed youths to the spiritual message within.
Now, the crowd at this hot Friday night bash had just gone wild over Biggie’s no.1 hit,’Mo Money,Mo Problems’ when the guy at the turntables decided to introduce ‘Stomp’.Expectedly,the rocking on the dance floor continued seamlessly.I,however, noticed a guy & girl rocking just beside me. As Kirk was belting out his passion-infused lyrics through the powerful speakers, this girl was gyrating around her partner. They started dancing erotically like salsa champions. For me, I got a little bit uncomfortable. I couldn’t ignore the fact that I had just seen them ‘sinfully’ wind to the ‘Jesus your love is so, is so amazing’ portion of the hit track.
I systematically shifted away from the 'immoral' duo (with my own dance partner in tow), for fear of being caught by the lightning that was likely to strike them from above, for their physically blasphemous conduct. The couple’s stomping seemed endless and more erotic with each passing second, not helped by the fact that the DJ was spinning the extended mix of the song that featured Salt of female rap group, Salt n Pepa. True,the track was clearly made to be moved to.However,i doubt it was intended to get 2 intoxicated individuals so close together that they could be mistaken for siamese twins.
Luckily, the 2(& every other culprit on the floor,i guess)were spared imminent fatality as Puff Daddy's ‘Can't Nobody Hold Me Down’ was next to follow.
In subsequent years,more catchy gospel-laced jams,such as Mary Mary’s ‘Shackles(Praise You)’ & Winans Phase 2’s 'Send Me’ have featured in many DJs’ party playlists.Simply because they were sweet, funky tracks that partygoers & clubbers were destined to physically get down to, regardless of the spiritual theme.
Now,i may be wrong but something tells me that wasn’t exactly what Kirk Frankin & co. had in mind.