There’s something deeply authentic about how Oiza x Meyi capture Lagos in their latest single “Ekò.” Rather than fall into the trap of glossy city pop, they’ve crafted a raw, honest portrait of Nigeria’s bustling megalopolis that feels like a conversation with an old friend.
The track opens with a deceptively simple line: “On this day, if I go Ekò Ile where my dreams come true.” But what follows is a masterfully woven narrative that anyone who’s spent five minutes in Lagos will recognize – the dizzying mix of opportunity and hustle, dreams and disappointments.
Let’s talk about that production. The duo pairs traditional Afrobeat percussion with contemporary elements that somehow manage to sound both fresh and familiar. When they drop Yoruba phrases like “Eko o ni baje, Lagos e no go spoil,” it doesn’t feel forced – it’s organic, like overhearing snippets of conversation at a busy bus stop.
What really hits home is their unflinching honesty about city life. One minute they’re painting pictures of “flashing lights” and the “pretty mainland bridge,” the next they’re telling stories about getting pushed off a molue and having their phone snatched. It’s this balance that makes “Ekò” feel real – they’re not selling a fantasy version of Lagos, they’re celebrating it in all its complicated glory.
The chorus “Come to Eko, feeling in the soil / People strive and toil” might be simple, but it captures something essential about Lagos – that mix of invitation and warning that anyone who’s lived there knows all too well.
In an era where many artists try to sanitize their cities for global consumption, Oiza x Meyi have done something braver – they’ve shown Lagos as it is, scars and all, and somehow made it sound beautiful anyway.
Rating: 8.5/10
Standout elements: Authentic storytelling, balanced production, cultural authenticity
Listen if you like: Authentic city narratives, modern Afrobeat, storytelling through music
