🎧 The CD Walkman: The Ultimate 90s Flex in Nigeria In the 1990s, if you owned a CD Walkman, you were a certified big boy or big girl. Long before iPods or Spotify, this sleek, portable device was the gold standard of personal music enjoyment — and in Nigeria, it was more than just a gadget; it was a status symbol. Imported mainly from the US or Europe, the Sony Discman and its lookalikes were treasured possessions. They weren’t cheap — owning one meant your parents had “connections abroad” or you were the type to say “My uncle just came back from London.” Carrying it around, especially with a pouch or belt clip, earned you instant street cred among your peers. The CD Walkman brought a new kind of listening experience. Unlike the cassette Walkman that required fast-forwarding and rewinding, CDs gave you instant track skipping, clearer sound, and the ability to show off your “cool” music collection. From 2Pac, Boyz II Men, and Mariah Carey, to local hits from Plantashun Boiz and Daddy Showkey, you were in control of the vibe wherever you went. But the flex wasn’t complete without a pack of AA batteries (which drained fast!), your favorite pirate-burnt mix CD, and that careful “don’t shake it too much” posture because early models skipped easily. Yet despite its quirks, the CD Walkman was every teenager’s dream and every cool adult’s gadget. In school buses, roadside hangouts, or during NEPA blackouts, if you whipped out a CD Walkman and slid on your foam-covered headphones, people noticed. You weren’t just listening to music — you were making a statement.