The Drums Roll Out in Dakar for AFRIMA

• Petition to Nullify AFRIMA Brymo’s Nomination Exceeds 35,000 Signatures 

Tonight, music stars from the continent will be in Dakar, Senegal for the eighth edition of the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA). Tagged the Teranga edition, AFRIMA will be rewarding creative talents in the music field in both the continental and regional awards.

Burna Boy, Kizz Daniel, Tiwa Savage, and Fireboy DML are the top Nigerian music acts with the most nominations.

Burna Boy, Kizz Daniel and Fireboy DML are in the race for the Best Male Artiste in West Africa, Song of the Year and Artiste of the Year. Tiwa Savage is also contesting in the Artiste of the Year while Burna Boy is nominated in the Album of the Year category.

South Africa leads the nominees’ list for the 8th AFRIMA with six nominations for Costa Titch who fetched nods for his  2021 smash hit, Big Flexa, in Song of the Year, Breakout Artiste of the Year, Best African Collaboration, Best Artiste, Duo or Group in African Electro, and Best Artiste, Duo or Group in Use of African Dance/Choreography.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s music act Brymo who is also a nominee is facing a nullification threat following his anti-Igbo remarks. A petition was raised last week to nullify the artiste’s nomination as a lesson for belittling an Igbo Presidency, particularly his shots at the Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi.

One Charles Ogundele started the petition tagged ‘Stop Brymo from winning the All Africa Music Award for Songwriter of the Year’. He accused the singer of tweeting hateful messages toward the Igbo tribe to the extent of retweeting a tweet that said that all Igbos are senseless.

“His actions spark disunity and hatred in attention there. Preventing him from winning the All Africa Music Award would send a strong message to him, and people like him, that he can’t get away with such blatant ethnic bigotry,” the petition reads.

The goal is to have 50,000 signatures. As of the time of filing this report, over 36,500 had signed the petition.

However, similar petitions to support the artiste have begun. An example is the Support BRYMO to win the All Africa Music Award for Songwriter of the Year which has been signed by over 300 people.

Tonight’s award will determine if Brymo will be a victim of cancel culture.