CHAPTER 51 : A CHRONOLOGY OF FRAUD-GLORIFYING POP SONGS IN NIGERIA: A SURVEY OF SONGS FROM 2007-2020

Abstract

From the early 2000s till now, songs glorifying internet fraud have enjoyed a significant amount of airplay and wide reception amongst Nigerians. Internet fraud involves using computers and the Internet by individuals to commit financial crimes. Though the crime is not perpetuated by males alone these individuals are popularly known as "Yahoo boys". This glorification of the social vice (internet fraud) in a society that is known to have strong moral values raises the question of what pop musicians stand to gain by glorifying internet fraud (through songs) and identifying with internet fraudsters. This paper also examined factors that have been used as justification for the perpetuation of internet fraud (also known as Yahoo-yahoo). This paper seeks to make a chronological order of songs that glorify internet fraud. This is important because the order in which these songs are released will help to understand the reason for such songs and thereby allow us to step back and view the "big picture" of history and find a lasting solution to the menace.

Keywords: Internet fraud, Yahoo boys, contemporary pop music.