Nigerian television personality, Lerin Nicodemus, has ignited a fervent debate within the music industry by characterizing the Grammy-winning artist Damini “Burna Boy” Ogulu as “the least inspiring artist.” This contentious statement emerged in response to Burna Boy’s earlier comments regarding the perceived lack of “substance” in Afrobeats music.

The focal point of Nicodemus’ critique lies in Burna Boy’s perceived change in perspective towards Afrobeats. She contends that Burna Boy, who had harnessed international recognition and benefited from the global surge of Afrobeats’ popularity, unexpectedly turned critical of the genre’s supposed depth. Nicodemus claims that this apparent shift in Burna Boy’s attitude creates an air of hypocrisy, as he initially built his persona on the foundation of Pan-African activism that took inspiration from the iconic Fela Kuti.

Labeling Burna Boy as a “charlatan,” Nicodemus accuses him of failing to translate his frequent references to Pan-African principles into tangible actions. She asserts that despite projecting himself as an advocate for societal change, Burna Boy remained silent during times of socio-political turmoil in Nigeria and Africa, or worse, trivialized these issues.

However, Nicodemus didn’t limit her criticism to Burna Boy’s activism. She proceeded to draw a negative contrast between him and his counterparts, Wizkid and Davido. According to Nicodemus, Wizkid and Davido actively contribute to the advancement of Afrobeats and provide support to emerging artists. She asserts that Burna Boy, in stark contrast, tends to belittle others whenever the opportunity presents itself.