Comedian and media personality Oga Obinna has weighed in on Tom Daktari’s recent criticism of artistes promoting their tribute songs to Raila Odinga on YouTube, defending the practice as both normal and necessary in today’s digital era.
In a video posted on Instagram on Saturday, October 18, 2025, Obinna said he had watched Tom Daktari’s comments and felt the need to clarify the purpose of tribute songs. He explained that tributes are meant to honour the deceased while giving the living a way to reflect on their legacy.
“A tribute is an act or expression of gratitude or respect. A tribute song is a musical expression meant to celebrate someone who has passed on,” he said. “It’s not for the dead it’s for the living, to remind them of the person’s impact and legacy.”
Obinna noted that once a person dies, they cannot consume the tribute; instead, it’s the living who engage with such works. He argued that sharing these songs on platforms like YouTube allows people to experience and connect with the message, which is the entire point of creating them.
“When an artiste says ‘Go watch it on YouTube,’ it’s not self-promotion it’s giving people access,” he said. “Even if they didn’t say it, the intention is the same. Some artistes are just better at marketing.”
His response came after Tom Daktari released a video on Friday, October 17, criticising musicians who appeared to use Raila’s passing as a marketing opportunity. Tom argued that while mourning was still ongoing, pushing for YouTube views undermined the solemn nature of the moment.
“If you’ve made a tribute, just release it; people will find it,” Tom said. “It’s not the time to ask for views or promote numbers.”
Obinna, however, maintained that tributes serve both artistic and emotional purposes and that encouraging people to listen is part of keeping the memory of the departed alive.
