Nigerian artists slammed for shunning local awards, submitting entries for foreign ones
Founder of The Headies Awards Criticizes Nigerian Artists for Favoring Foreign Awards
Ayo Animashaun, the founder of The Headies Awards, has expressed his dissatisfaction with Nigerian artists who prioritize submissions to international award bodies while neglecting local competitions.
Animashaun noted that many artists readily submit their work to foreign awards that do not recognize their contributions and take pride in announcing such submissions on social media. However, they often refrain from submitting entries to The Headies, and subsequently voice their disappointment over not receiving nominations.
In an Instagram story, Animashaun remarked, “Tom, Dick and Harry will submit entries to foreign award bodies that don’t even care about them and proudly post about it. But these same people won’t submit their entries to The Headies, yet they’ll complain about not being nominated. Funny.”
According to reports from Daily Post, several prominent Nigerian artists, including Davido, Ayra Starr, Tems, Asake, Burna Boy, and Rema, are finalizing their submissions for the upcoming 2027 Grammy Awards.
In related news, the organizers of The Headies Awards have announced that the ceremony’s 18th edition has been rescheduled to April 10 and 11, 2027, in Toronto, Canada. The event was originally slated for October 23, 2026.
The postponement will allow the event to expand its initiatives both in Nigeria and Canada, including workshops, seminars, industry engagements, and a global trade and investment summit.
