Elijah Adebero
Popular media personality, Reno Omokri, has, carpeted Nigerians who claimed that sensational artiste, Tems, is the first female Nigerian artiste to win a Grammy award.
Tems , who was nominated in the ‘Best Melodic Rap Performance’ and ‘Best Rap Song’, won the ‘Best Melodic Rap Performance’ category on Sunday night, at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.
Tems earned the award for her role in ‘Wait for U’, a 2022 hit song by Future featuring Drake.
Also Read: Grammys: FG salutes Tems
Since she won the award, many Nigerians have been describing her as the first female Nigerian artiste to win the award, with the argument that Sade Adu is not a Nigerian and as so can’t be classified to win the award as a Nigerian. Omokri, however, does not find this claim funny.
He noted that Sade should not be dishonoured while honouring Tems because the singer is the first female Nigerian singer to win the Gramms in 1986.
According to Reno, Sade has spent 40 years promoting Nigeria and it would be wrong to give her credit to Tems.
He argues:
“Sade Adu has always identified with Nigeria. When interviewed, she stressed her Nigerianness.
She did not funkify her name to make it sound European.
In interview after interview, she asserted the fact that she is a Nigerian born in Ibadan. So, let us appreciate her.
She is the first Nigerian female to win a Grammy in 1986.
In honouring another female who eminently deserves to be honoured, let us not dishonour Sade Adu.
By saying someone else is the first Nigerian female to win a Grammy, what we are telling Ms. Adu is that she is not a Nigerian.
I know many people will rush here to insult me. But before commenting, take a minute to put yourself in Sade Adu’s shoes.
You have spent 40 years promoting Nigeria. Insisting to the British media that you are Nigerian when they proudly claimed you for Britain.
Then today, you read that someone else is the first Nigerian female to win a Grammy.
How would you feel? If after you have put yourself in Sade Adu’s shoes you still feel the need to insult me, then please go ahead.”
