Gad ‘The Screamer’ Odogwu- Pushing African Culture One Tune At A Time
My work at the Ministry of Culture And Tourism, Abeokuta – arguably one of Nigeria and Africa’a culturally richest museums – has exposed me to a lot about African art, from the mundane, the bizarre, to the beautiful , the eclectic and the audacious.
As we have seen in recent times too, our multi-layered African culture has travelled farther and been given favourable PR boosts by our afrobeats artistes yet, while many choose to often highlight the contributions of African music and arts giants such as Burna Boy, Davido and their peers, it is often easy to forget the not-so-tall artistes whose gigantic strides and efforts equally give them rights to be called culture ambassadors; that is why this piece is being written.
Today, I choose to ignore the popular giants and talk about someone less known whose approach to championing our African culture through music and events is nothing short of amphibious. Born Gad Odogwu to parents from the Igbo speaking part of Delta State, Nigeria, I had the privilege of meeting the ever-smiling young man whose stage name is Gad The Screamer at Abeokuta just weeks ago.
He had come “to explore what secrets the museum holds that could be tapped into as a way to improve on African events in the UK as well as afrobeats”. We got into a really long and deep conversation about our culture and how we communicate it currently compared to the older generations of African and Nigeria artistes, and the songwriter who is also a healthcare assistant, an author, poet and events planner as well as the senior creative officer at Kumplicit Media Limited, United Kingdom convinced me to listen to his entire music catalogue when I could, especially his latest release. He seemed to have a point to prove, and rightly so.
I delved into Gad (The Screamer) Odogwu’s EP “That Girl From Birmingham”, which was the latest body of work I could find on his Spotify profile at the time of writing this piece. The EP offers a compelling narrative that intertwines themes of love, authenticity, societal critique, and empowerment, all set to a backdrop of dynamic afrobeats rhythms and infectious melodies.
Upon listening to the tracks, and nearly all of his one hundred plus songs that I could find, one thing was evident: Gad has a deliberately relatable yet complex and intelligent pen game, even enough to compete with more known culture custodians and music industry big wigs.
Gad The Screamer’s “That Girl from Birmingham” EP kicks off with an upbeat and catchy track that captures the essence of admiration for a captivating woman from Birmingham. The lyrics, “silence is golden, talking is silver, but my action is a rifle cuz it speaks and you’ll quiver” leaves one awed at how a simple concept is expressed in so complex yet very relatable language.
It did not seem as if the song was just the artiste’s attempt to encapsulate a desire to change his location and spend more time in Birmingham, lured by the charisma and allure of the titular girl. Rather, where the beat left you dancing , the wordplay got you thinking, and that is not the norm for what most of the rest of the world have come to know as afrobeats. The playful and vibrant instrumentals complement the lyrics, creating an atmosphere of infatuation and longing, yet reflective revelling.
Gad takes a critical stance in “Fake Actors,” shedding light on the prevalence of pretense and false personas in society. Lyrics like, “Some of them are fake actors, speak phony with their H-Factor,” and “original battery, fully charged and steady gassed” serve as a poignant observation of individuals projecting a facade of knowledge, success and wealth relative to those who keep it real. The energetic beats and engaging flow amplify the message, urging listeners to maintain authenticity and integrity in a world filled with superficiality.
Transitioning into a more intimate and emotive track, Gad The Screamer delves into themes of love and vulnerability in “Do Me for Mouth.” The lyrics, “You know what they say, no smoke without fire/I said I want you because you won my heart” express a sense of bizarre but explicable longing, emotional connection and admiration. The soulful melodies and heartfelt vocals resonate with sincerity, encapsulating the artist’s genuine expression of affection and longing through his now established unique pen-game.
In “King Jong Un,” Gad blends cultural references and assertive lyrics to convey a message of strength and resilience. He alludes to people who discourage hard work by comparing them to gorillas who call the monkey ugly so as to look good, then asserts: “I work hard, I work hard, I turn up for sundown,” underscoring themes of perseverance and self-assurance in the face of challenges. The sweet cacophony of traditional beats and contemporary sounds enhances the track’s impact, solidifying the artist’s commanding presence and artistic vision.
“Still Call You” offers a melodic and heartfelt exploration of admiration once again, and devotion, as seen in lyrics like, “these days I’m a minion, a yes-man to your style cuz you’re beautiful”. Sonically beaming sentiments of appreciation and affection, Gad The Screamer’s authentic storytelling and expressive vocals resonate with listeners on a personal level. The sincerity and emotional depth in the “Still Call You’ create a captivating listening experience.
Closing the EP with a bold statement of confidence and empowerment, Gad The Screamer’s “Alamesiegha” exudes strength and conviction through powerful lyrics and commanding instrumentals. By asserting, “I no fear no man, I play fair and I koba no one,” Gad goes on to declare his relief that oxygen is not for sale, or evil people would not let others breathe, showing how much the artiste embodies a sense of resilience and tenacity while poetry to good use in songwriting. The track’s anthemic quality and assertive presence leave a lasting impression, further magnifying Gad The Screamer’s unwavering stance on the need for superb penmanship on the afrobeats landscape.
At the time of writing this piece, it is likely that Gad may have completed the UK tour for Mavin artiste Johnny Drille which Gad shared that the UK-based Kumplicit Media Limited where he is a senior creative officer and prompter at, was co-hosting with Fins Entertainment; he may have performed his coming song “In Love With Music” on the same stage as Johnny Drille and hopefully impressed the audience with his equally great rap skills as one of our staff described that he is known to have done on stage in the past, especially at the University of Ibadan where my old school classmates, now lecturers, tell me he was quite the unique student and had even won a Junior Chamber International award for outstanding entertainment in 2015. Whatever has happened, one can only wish him the best in his creative journey and effort to export African music and culture in it’s most refined form using his unique blend of passion, authenticity, relatable storytelling, eloquent, sharp criticism and emotional resonance.
Shotuyo Adebowale Shamsudeen is the Chief Executive Officer (Culture) at the Department of Planning, Research and Statistics, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria.
