Entertainment

Headies 2022: How US Event Frustrated Artistes, Others

Published

3 years ago

September 10, 2022

Mixed reactions have trailed the 2022 Headies Award ceremony held at the Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, Georgia, United States.

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 as compiled by DAILY POST:

@_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.

The source told DAILY POST that some artistes were unable to attend in person because of either visa issues or other engagements.

He stated that if the event was held in Nigeria, artistes committed to other things would normally squeeze their time to attend.

”Some will have other events the same day, and will attend both, but in the case of the US event, they were unable to do that. This frustrated the event,” he said.

He added that many artists found it difficult to attend the event because of logistics issues as it is not easy spending so much for a US trip amid aviation fuel price hike.

“You know that international travels are quite expensive now. Many who should ordinarily attend couldn’t make it.

“People make events. Award plaque doesn’t make events, even journalists who were to cover the event could not make it and that was not good for the publicity,” he added.

But popular entertainment analyst and publisher of Paparazzi, Moji Danisa in reaction to the outcry, told DAILY POST that: ”The Headies which was held in the USA is not a bad idea. Nigeria music is all over the world, there is hardly a nightclub where our music is not played.

”We have Nigerians in the diaspora who will also want to witness the headies, and also there are a lot of Nigerians in the US. Music sells and the world is looking for different beats and they have embraced Nigeria, look at Burnaboy, Davido, Wizkid, Kizz Daniel, they are all doing well. It is not out of place to take it out of Nigeria. It could be taken to Germany, Uk. It is exposing our stars and music and exporting our culture, traditions and dance. I think I will like to congratulate the organizers for that initiative.”

Also, Musician and a partner of Lakreem Entertainment Inc, also Eedris Abdulkareem’s associate, Myke Pam commended the organizers for the initiative.

According to him, the Nigerian music industry will benefit from the exposure and would have opportunities for collaborations and more business.

He told DAILY POST that, ”The Headies did something quite commendable. The indigenous music industry of Nigeria is taking away the airwaves all over the world. You can see that through the recognition, through the awards and massive impact our music is making in the world.

”It is a big markup for Headies to be held in the US. It is a global brand, Afro beats as a music genre is a global brand that should be consumed, appreciated and loved by all. The US still remains the best in entertainment and if you can have a successful event there and a well-rounded media coverage, that is a big deal. I must commend the Lagos government for helping to achieve that dream, it is the beginning of a bigger picture. It is just like the thumbnail of a bigger billboard. It is wonderful.

” I know a lot of people will benefit from such exposure and have opportunities for collaborations and more business opportunities. That is good for the Nigerian economy, since some things seem not to be working in the administration, if entertainment is going to be feeding us and giving us some hope for a brighter tomorrow, it is worth celebrating.”

DAILY POST

Entertainment

Amy Winehouse’s Father Fues Her Friends For Auctioning Late Star’s Clothes

Published

21 hours ago

December 9, 2025

Editor

The father of late British singer Amy Winehouse Tuesday defended his UK lawsuit against two of her friends after they sold some of her clothes at auction for around £730,000 ($970,000).

Mitch Winehouse told the High Court in London that Naomi Parry, the star’s former stylist, and her friend, Catriona Gourlay, did not have the right to sell dozens of items in auctions between November 2021 and May 2023.

Lawyer Henry Legge, acting for Winehouse, told the court on Monday, the first day of the trial, that the two women sold 150 objects which had belonged to Winehouse, including dresses which she wore on her last tour in June 2011.

The British singer-songwriter, who enjoyed meteoric global success, died a month later from alcohol poisoning, aged just 27.

Winehouse was a distinctive figure with her beehive hairdo, heavy black eye makeup, multiple tattoos and smoky voice.

She shot to international fame with her Grammy Award-winning 2006 album “Back to Black” which included the track “Rehab”, charting her battle with addiction.

According to court documents, Winehouse believed that any sums collected from the sales organised by Los Angeles-based Julien’s Auctions would be due to him.

The auctioneers had also been told that a third of the proceeds would be donated to the Amy Winehouse Foundation — a charity set up in the singer’s name working with young people to foster hope and self-reliance.

However, Winehouse’s team accused the women of failing to donate the share of proceeds to the foundation.

– ‘You’re wrong’ –

Ted Loveday, lawyer for Gourlay, said that most of the objects had been given or lent to the two women by the singer, even if there was no proof.

“If a 19-year-old gives a scarf or a pair of earrings to their friends, no one signs a contract,” he told the court on Monday, stressing the singer’s generosity.

Gourlay and Parry met Amy Winehouse in the early 2000s, before she shot to fame. Parry went on to create some of the singer’s most iconic looks — including the green bamboo dress worn on the June 2011 tour which sold at auction for $243, 200.

Beth Grossman, the lawyer for Parry, said the two “women are not thieves and they are not dishonest”.

She accused Winehouse of bringing the lawsuit against the women out of “petty jealousy”, which he strongly denied on Tuesday, saying “you’re wrong”.

Grossman also highlighted the financial differences between the multi-millionaire Mitch Winehouse and the two women who are “living pretty much hand to mouth”.

The hearing is set to last until Friday, with a judgement due at a later date.
(AFP)

Entertainment

FULL LIST: Shallipopi, Belove Olocha, Malumfoodie Win Big At TikTok Awards 2025

Published

2 days ago

December 8, 2025

Editor

TikTok has announced the full list of winners for the 2025 TikTok Awards Sub-Saharan Africa, with Nigerian stars Shallipopi, Belove Olocha and South Africa’s Malumfoodie taking home some of the biggest honours of the night.

The ceremony held on December 6 in Johannesburg and attracted top creators, performers and industry figures from across the continent. The theme for this year’s event was New Era, New Icons.

The show featured performances from Ciza, Lord Kez, Thuli P, DJ Fif Laa and Thabsie. South African entertainer Bontle Modiselle Moloi hosted the event while Keegan Gordon and Zayaan Noorani handled the red carpet. Influencer Mihlali Ndamase made a surprise appearance to present the Video of the Year award. Olympian Akani Simbine also presented the Sport Creator of the Year category.

Brands including NIVEA, inDrive, Coca-Cola, PEP and Dis-Chem supported the awards.

TikTok’s Head of Content Operations for Sub-Saharan Africa, Boniswa Sidwaba, said the platform is recognising creators who are shaping global conversations.

She said, “Tonight’s ceremony was a gathering of the trailblazers who have redefined what it means to be a creator in Africa. From Sokoto to Nairobi, and Accra to Pretoria, we honoured the creators who turned 60-second clips into cultural movements. We are honoured to celebrate them as they amplify their voices and take their stories from Africa to the world.”

The ceremony will be rebroadcast on December 11 at 20:00 SAST on TikTok LIVE through the @tiktok.africa account.

FULL LIST OF WINNERS

Creator of the Year
Raja’atu Muhammed Ibrahim @diaryofanortherncook (Nigeria)

Storyteller of the Year
Brian Nwana @briannwana (Nigeria)
He said, “Every single creator is a storyteller. We all tell stories that help drive the local communities, our cities, and our countries, and when we do that we change the perception that the world has about us”.

Video of the Year
Fanuel John Masamaki @zerobrainer0 (Tanzania)
He said, “I am truly grateful to my fans and the love I have received from Tanzanians. Thank you so much . This win was for all of us.”

Rising Star of the Year
@tunero_animations (Kenya)
Runner up: Esther Francis @estherfrancisbackup (Nigeria)

Social Impact Creator of the Year
Dejoke Ogunbiyi @noositiwantiwa_ (Nigeria)
Runner up: Sinethemba Masinga @ufarm_julia (South Africa)

Food Creator of the Year
@malumfoodie (South Africa)
He said, “From my humble beginnings of Haamanskraal, to Soshanguve and to all of South Africa, now we are in Africa!”

Runner up: Abena Amoakoaa Sintim Aboagye @chefabbys (Ghana)

Sports Creator of the Year
John Maingi Mbugua @zozasportscast (Kenya)
He said, “Winning isn’t the finish line, it’s fuel for the next chapter. Every piece of content, every discussion, every moment captured was driven by passion, and receiving this recognition means that passion is resonating far beyond my expectations.”

Runner up: Victor Ademola @ademolavictortv (Nigeria)

Entertainment Creator of the Year
Belove Olocha @beloveolocha (Nigeria)
Runner up: Jabulani Macdonald @jabu_macdonald (South Africa)

Education Creator of the Year
Izzi Boye @izziboye (Nigeria)
Runner up: @michelle_expert (South Africa)

Artiste of the Year
Crown Uzama @theycallmeshallipopipp (Nigeria)
He said, “Thank you, TikTok, for supporting all upcoming artists and giving them a spotlight to shine.”

Entertainment

TikTok Temporarily Restricts Late Night Live Feature In Nigeria

Published

2 days ago

December 8, 2025

Editor

TikTok has restricted late-night LIVE access for Nigerian users, as the platform now blocks the feature during peak night hours.

The restriction started on Sunday at midnight when the app quietly shut down all LIVE activities across Nigeria, leaving accounts unable to host or even watch late night streams.

According to an in-app message sent to creators, TikTok wrote, “We’re temporarily limiting LIVE late at night in Nigeria as part of our investigation to ensure our platform remains safe and our community stays protected.”

Many affected users shared that their screens showed a “No Access” label between 11pm and 5am, confirming that the shutdown was nationwide and not a technical glitch.

Reports showed that only creators with at least 1,000 followers received the notice, since they are the only ones allowed to host LIVE sessions on the platform.

Several of them confirmed that all LIVE activities stopped throughout the night, and no one could even view broadcasts from other countries during the restriction.

TikTok users who earn money through LIVE gifting said their balances were not touched, easing fears of sudden financial loss.

By Monday morning, LIVE access returned, but the whole situation triggered long conversations on social media as Nigerians questioned why the company picked late night hours, which usually record the highest traffic for match streams, entertainment shows and interactive trends.

TikTok’s latest move came a few weeks after the platform released fresh safety figures for West Africa at its Safety Summit in Dakar, Senegal.

The company revealed that in the second quarter of 2025, it took action against 2,321,813 LIVE sessions and 1,040,356 creators worldwide for breaking LIVE monetisation rules.

It also disclosed that Nigeria alone recorded 49,512 banned LIVE sessions within the same period.

TikTok added that it removed 3,780,426 Nigerian videos between April and June 2025 for violating Community Guidelines, noting that 98.7 percent were deleted before anyone viewed them, while 91.9 percent were taken down within 24 hours.

TikTok LIVE remains a popular feature among young users because it allows real time broadcasting, comments and gifting, unlike pre-recorded videos.

To go LIVE, a creator generally needs at least 1,000 followers, must be above 16 years to stream and above 18 years to earn money.