Ajogu Zekeri’s nine‑track album “The Therapeutic Tape” continues to draw attention months after its release, bolstered by the REVIVE Concert series that bring the project’s central message to live audiences across Nigeria.
The REVIVE Concerts are presented by the artist as more than a promotional tour; they form part of a broader “revival” mission that seeks to link music with personal and cultural renewal.
The album’s closing track, “The Story of Process,” serves as its lead single and uses the transformation of ẹ̀wà (beans) into ọlẹlẹ, popularly known as moin‑moin, to illustrate themes of patience and purposeful change. By turning a familiar Nigerian delicacy into an allegory, Ajogu frames everyday experience as a vehicle for hope.
“Thirsty,” the second single delivered in Igbo, repeatedly invokes the phrase “nye m mmiri” (give me water). Historically tied to the desperation of the Nigerian Civil War and later to everyday conversation, the expression is reclaimed by Ajogu to convey personal struggle and a spiritual yearning for “Living Water,” bridging historical memory with contemporary feeling.
In “Fela, Are You Proud of Me?” the rapper imagines a dialogue with Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo‑Kuti, reflecting on his place in Nigeria’s evolving music scene, where rap often receives less attention than other genres. The sixth track, “Emotional,” poses a provocative question: “If the world will not remain in place, why does culture think she can’t be replaced?” This lyric challenges the notion that cultural practices must remain static, suggesting that tradition can evolve alongside changing realities.
According to the album’s official synopsis, “The Therapeutic Tape” emerged from Ajogu’s personal healing journey, leading to discovery rather than a predetermined destination. Across its nine tracks, the project weaves Nigerian food, language, history and musical influences into contemporary sounds, reinterpreting cultural elements and proposing that traditions can be both preserved and transformed for new generations.
<small>Source: The Sun Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
