In a world where the sun rises on a new consciousness, it feels like Africa is finally waking up. Much like the gradual brightening from dawn to noon, our awareness as Africans is beginning to sharpen. Yet, despite this awakening, we often find ourselves running towards validation from the West—especially in the entertainment world. One glaring example is the excitement surrounding Burna Boy, one of Africa’s top Afrobeats stars, and his nomination for the BET Awards.
While it’s commendable to be recognized globally, why does this Western recognition hold so much weight? After all, Africa’s population dwarfs that of the United States by over a billion people. Despite this, many of us still celebrate as if we’ve been validated only when we receive a BET nomination or a nod from MTV. The deeper issue here is not what the West perpetuates, but what we allow and internalize.
The Power of Afrobeats and Africa’s Cultural Dominance
Afrobeats is a force to be reckoned with, born out of Africa’s rich and diverse musical traditions. We are the creators, the pioneers, and the innovators when it comes to music. Our rhythms, beats, and soulful expressions dominate the global stage, just as we excel in sports, dance, and entertainment. Yet, when our artists get acknowledged by Western institutions like the BET Awards, we act like it’s the pinnacle of their careers.
This notion of validation from the West is troubling. BET, an American award show, is certainly not the highest standard for excellence. To compare, it’s like trading organic, homegrown food for McDonald’s—fast, cheap, and mass-produced. Why should the highlight of any African artist’s career be recognition from institutions that, frankly, don’t even measure up to the excellence that African art represents?
African Excellence Doesn’t Need Western Validation
One has to ask, why is America the standard? Why is being acknowledged by the BET Awards, MTV, or other Western platforms seen as the peak of success for African artists? If the roles were reversed, would Americans rush to celebrate being honored by a Nigerian film foundation or an African music award? Most likely, the answer is no. Yet, we still celebrate being invited to the Western stage, while they rarely return the favor.
This isn’t a result of Western supremacy alone—it’s us playing into the narrative. We are big-time Afrobeats stars, self-sustaining kings and queens, yet we yearn for Western acknowledgment. We allow ourselves to be honored by institutions that don’t even have the decency to truly value our contributions. It’s akin to Italians judging our Nigerian FuFu dishes—nice, but largely irrelevant to the true measure of our cultural wealth.
The Hypocrisy of Seeking Western Validation
The paradox lies in our duality. We complain about the colonization of our minds and resources, and yet we voluntarily seek validation from the same systems we critique. As Africans, we have so much power in our cultural output—yet, we continue to seek approval from platforms that exploit our resources, talents, and even our identity.
One Frenchman has taken over “Multiple Choice,” African Netflix for the entire continent, and we allow it to happen. Africa, with its vast creative talent, lets itself be co-opted by foreign interests, all the while longing for an award from a platform like BET. Where is the honor in that? We diminish our own power when we seek out these superficial accolades.
It’s Time to Stand Tall in Our Own Strength
We need to value ourselves first. If we truly begin to honor our own contributions—our music, art, and culture—then others will naturally follow. The legendary Miles Monroe once said that once you become comfortable with yourself, others will be drawn to you. This sentiment applies to Africa as a whole. If we stop chasing Western validation and begin to stand proudly in our own creative power, we will attract admiration and respect—not because we seek it, but because it is a natural consequence of being too strong to be exploited.
We are the perpetuators of our own victimhood when we run towards the systems that exploit us. As Dr. Umar Johnson teaches us, we must break this cycle of dependence. It’s time to build our own platforms, celebrate our own excellence, and stop giving away our value for scraps of recognition from the West. Africa, stand tall—you are enough.
