Ibrahim Olawale, also known as Brymo, a Nigerian artist, has spoken out after losing the All-Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA.
Some social media users petitioned the award organizers to remove Brymo from their list of nominees after he waged a war against the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, saying that an Igbo presidency would be a “pipe dream” because of the drive for Biafra.
As long as prominent Igbo people talk about Biafra, an Igbo presidency will be a pipe dream, he tweeted.
After approximately 47,000 people signed a petition to have Brymo removed from the award list, the company issued an apology to the public but ultimately lost the awards to Mali-based Iba One.
Brymo stated in an interview with Cable that he wanted to win the award before the petition went viral. He went on to say that his loss was not due to the Southeast uproar, but rather to a combination of factors.
He also announced his retirement from the music space making him unqualified for the award
In his words;
“I think, months before, I’d announced that I was no longer a musician and that I was instead a sonic artist. It meant I was no longer eligible for awards that musicians get.
“However, AFRIMA nominated my work ‘Esan’, so I forgot all that and looked forward to the event. But in truth, I’m no longer a singer so I didn’t want it.
“There’s a songwriting category but they shouldn’t nominate sonic artists. I was looking forward to it anyway, and then something happened. I got into trouble talking about Biafra leaving and staying.
“So, I stayed out of AFRIMA and didn’t attack the award afterward. Not winning had nothing to do with southeast fracas. Everything only just came together.”