“Stop Pulling Down Our Own,” Omokri Tells Nigerians Over Burna Boy Criticism
•By Admin
ABUJA – FORMER presidential aide and social commentator Reno Omokri has urged Nigerians to stop attacking Grammy-winning singer Damini Ogulu aka Burna Boy, online, stressing that the Afrobeats star deserves national support despite controversies surrounding his US tour.
Omokri made the appeal in a statement shared across his social media pages on Saturday, describing the rising backlash against Burna Boy as “saddening” and unhelpful to Nigeria’s image.
According to Omokri, Burna Boy had often acknowledged that Nigerians did not play a significant role in his early rise, but that should not become an excuse for citizens to pull him down when he faces challenges abroad.
“Burna Boy has repeatedly said Nigerians did not make him, and that he rose to the top because of foreigners. To a large extent, he is right. Now, since we did not push him up, the least we can do is not pull him down,” he wrote.
Omokri added that even though he is not a fan and does not listen to the singer’s music, Burna Boy still deserves national support.
“Seeing the anti-Burna trend among some Nigerians really saddens me. I am indifferent towards Burna Boy and cannot even name one of his songs. But he is a Nigerian, and he deserves my solidarity,” he said.
He urged Nigerians to adopt the same protective attitude that South Africans showed singer Tyla when she faced backlash abroad over her self-identification as “coloured.”
According to Omokri, Burna Boy’s mistakes, if any, should be addressed privately, not amplified publicly by Nigerians who join foreigners in criticizing him.
“Whatever Burna’s perceived failings, we can address them internally and secretly. But when we lead the anti-Burna Boy chorus, it makes us look like animals who devour their own young!” he said.
Omokri also referenced past incidents involving other artistes, including Rema and the late MohBad, saying Nigerians often go harder on their homegrown talents than foreign audiences do toward their own celebrities. He warned that such behaviour undermines Nigeria’s global image, especially as entertainers like Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Nollywood stars contribute to the country’s cultural reputation.
The “last , last, everybody go chop breakfast” crooner has been trending negatively after announcing the cancellation of two of his shows in the United States, leaving many of his fans, both abroad and in Nigeria, miffed and disappointed.
As Omokri concluded, “Since we did not make him, we cannot break him.” it’s left to be seen if Omokri’s intervention will halt the rain of harsh remarks.