Entertainment
Burna Boy at BET Awards says, black lives will matter when Africa matter
Now is the time to return and go back to the royalty that we were, because in order for black lives to matter Africa must matter
…Wins Best International Act award
BY NICHOLAS ABE
African Giant, Nigeria’s Burna Boy put the country on the map at the BET Awards on Sunday, winning the Best International Act award.
The afro hip-hopper who was winning the awards for the second time beat six other nominees – Innoss’B (DRC), Sho Madjozi (South Africa), Dave (U.K.), Stormzy (U.K.), Ninho (France) and S.Pri Noir (France) – in the international category, presented by fashion super model, Naomi Campbell.
“Thank you very much BET, second time, I appreciate it,” an obviously excited Burna responded while receiving the award held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The artiste took advantage of the global platform presented by the ceremony to launch a lesson in history by introducing a fresh thought and dimension in the Black Lives Matter campaign, roaring across the globe.
He said: “I will like to use this opportunity to say that sometime around 1835, there was a mission to turn Africa, the nation of Africa, into a dominated nation. Now is the time to return and go back to the royalty that we were, because in order for black lives to matter Africa must matter.”
Another Nigerian act, Divine Ikubor, known professionally as Rema, nominated for Viewer’s Choice: Best New International Act, lost out to Zimbabwe’s Sha Sha.
READ: Burna Boy gets Grammy nomination for Best World Music
Legendary pop queen Beyonce joined the ranks of activists like Muhammad Ali and Harry Belafonte as she got honoured with the 2020 BET Humanitarian Award during its socially distanced broadcast.
“Thank you so much for this beautiful honor,” said Beyonce after a montage honoring her accomplishments. “I want to dedicate this award to all of my brothers and sisters out their inspiring me, marching out there and fighting for change. Your voices are being heard and you’re proving to our ancestors that their struggles were not in vain.
“We have one more thing we need to do to walk in our true power. And that is to vote,” Beyonce urged. “I’m encouraging you to continue to take action. Continue to change and dismantle a racist and unequal system,” she continued.
“There are people banking on us staying at home during local elections and primaries happening in states across the country…. We have to vote like our life depends on it. Because it does.”
The Grammy-winning singer’s BeyGood Foundation works toward a variety of causes, from awarding scholarships to providing free COVID-19 tests to getting clean water to the landlocked country of Burundi in Africa.
Previous honorees include Muhammad Ali, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Danny Glover, Denzel Washington and Pauletta Washington, Harry Belafonte, Don Cheadle, Quincy Jones, Alicia Keys and Wyclef Jean, John Legend, Steve Harvey, Rev. Al Sharpton, Dwayne Wade, Myrlie Evers-Williams, Tom Joyner, Jesse Williams, Chance the Rapper, Naomi Wadler, Mamoudou Gassama, Justin Blackman, Shaun King, Anthony Borges, James Shaw Jr. and Nipsey Hussle.