We are supposed to rise by lifting others and buy Nigerian-made products to grow the Naira. Even MTN is asking us to See Naija. Yet, Davido, one of the biggest stars of Nigeria and Africa is planning to celebrate his birthday with a concert in the USA.
It has become obvious that Afrobeats superstars have found an insatiable thirst for the validation of the West. This has seen us take our music, art, videos, production, events, and now even birthday parties to other countries to celebrate.
First and foremost Davido is his own man and he has the right to celebrate his birthday wherever he wants. Also, he has pledged to donate 300 million Naira to charities combating drug abuse and addiction. However, the Davido and Friends concert feels like a missed opportunity for the growth of Nigerian music.
First, it sounds like the Ken and Friends Pop-up concert organized by Kendrick Lamar earlier this year, this does not even scream originality. Also, I cannot see a particularly unselfish reason why it should be held in Atlanta instead of Nigeria.
Is it because the event is supposed to be live-streamed? This isn’t an excuse as we’ve had several events executed on a large scale, a good example being Rema’s homecoming concert.
Also, it’s supposed to be a star-studded birthday, so one would expect the presence of some of the most popular names in the music space. Well, it does not seem like Davido will be inviting “Nigeria’s biggest stars” because it would be more cost-effective to hold the event in the country where they reside or spend most of their time. Considering the on-and-off feud with Wizkid and Burna Boy, it is not surprising to think they would not be invited.
One would argue that Davido is an American citizen so he also has a right to celebrate his birthday over there. He’s also a Nigerian superstar, so shouldn’t he be concerned about helping the industry build and grow?
The fans at home will now have to pay 16 dollars to stream the concert. While it is fair to say that nobody should tell a grown man where to celebrate his birthday, it’s also fair to demand consistency in claims like “we rise by lifting others” and “Afrobeats to the world”, especially if you’re using the public to build a brand around giving back and helping society.
Note: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or position of NetNG or its editorial team.
