Mixed reactions have trailed the 2022 Headies Award ceremony held at the Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, Charmingpro reports
Unlike previous years, the organizer of the 15th edition held the show outside Nigeria. The event was hosted by American entertainer, Anthony Andersen, alongside Nigerian actress, Osas Ighodaro.
This year’s edition, titled: ‘Join the Movement’, celebrated outstanding achievements in the Nigerian music industry, but there was a general outcry regarding the hosting in the United States.
Grammy award-winning singer, Burnaboy, Wizkid and Tems were the top winners at the Headies, while BNXN FKA Buju won the Next Rated category, taking home a Bentley.
However, some Nigerians, who frowned at the decision to host the award in the US, said they could not relate with the American host, Anthony Andersen.
Others, who thought Andersen was a wrong choice, queried why other Nigerian hosts like Bovi or Basket mouth were not given the opportunity to host the prestigious award.
Here are some of the reactions:
@_AsiwajuLerry on Twitter said, ”We have an outstanding and funny host like Bovi and you’re letting this dry brother host with Osas?? God will judge you Headies.”
@itzbasito, “Walahi, Bovi or Basketmouth would have done a better job than this guy. Not that he’s not good but he’s finding it hard to connect with the audience.”
@ilevs, ”It is just like saying Bovi is cracking Naija jokes to US citizens,they might not laugh because they don’t understand the type of our jokes, not that he is not funny. Every comedian knows what can make their citizens to laugh, that’s just the situation Anthony is in now.”
@DanielRegh, ”Headies’ nominees shouldn’t attend the event, anyone who’s smart will turn down the award even if they win cos attending or accepting the award is disgraceful. Imagine hosting one of Africa’s biggest Music awards in another continent. This is why foreigners keep underrating us.
@abelpter, ”Anthony Anderson and Osas Ighodaro would be hosting the 2022 Headies awards. I honestly still don’t understand why the Headies award is being hosted in the US. That’s something no other African country would do. The Nigerian Obsession with Foreign/ American validation is insane.”
@Felix_Onyemaech, ”Headies took Nigeria’s biggest music award show to Yankee. One of the most unintelligent decisions I’ve seen. This is why Burna boy say they don’t rate us.”
On why the award was taken to the US, Headies founder, Ayo Animashaun told Billboard that ”Over the years, the Afrobeats artists have grown, they’ve evolved. They’re no longer local champions. They sell out concert venues around the world, from Madison Square Garden to [Atlanta’s] State Farm Arena. Afrobeats is not just about our own music anymore.
”We need to take center stage, where there’s so many artists doing Afrobeats that nobody’s gonna see if you do not create opportunities like this. There’s so many now that a lot of people don’t know yet, and they are so talented.”
However, one of the organizers who pleaded anonymity lamented that most people who were to attend the show were frustrated.
Recall that Wizkid failed to show up at the event, alongside Burna Boy and several others
