BET 2020 awards
Grammy-nominated singer, Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu also known as Burna Boy has been awarded the Best International Act at the BET 2020 awards ceremony.
The ceremony which was held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic, saw British supermodel, Naomi Campbell present the award to him. Burna Boy was nominated alongside with other international stars such as Innoss’B from DRC, South African singer Sho Madjozi, U.K. acts Dave & Stormzy, and France’s Ninho & S.Pri Noir.
The Nigerian singer won the Best International act category at the 2019 edition of BET Awards. His mother, Bose Ogulu accepted the award on behalf of her son.
We are still mesmerized at her acceptance speech on behalf of her son to every African in diaspora. Where she said,
“Remember you were first an African before any other thing”.
Bose Ogulu
This year, the BET award winner’s acceptance speech was centred around Africa’s history and the recent race war in the United States.
“I’ll like to use this opportunity to say that sometime around 1835, there was a mission to turn Africa into a dominated nation. Now is the time to overturn that and go back to the royalty that we were, because, in order for black lives to matter, Africa must matter,” he said.
Burna Boy
A major highlight in the virtual event was International R & B singer, Beyoncé who was given an humanitarian award at the BET awards. She used the opportunity in her speech to rally viewers to vote “like our life depends on it” in the upcoming US election, and calling on them to “dismantle a racist and unequal system” in the country.
Michelle Obama highlighted Beyoncé’s commitment to the black community before presenting her with the award, saying:
“You can see it in everything she does, from her music that gives voice to black joy and black pain, to her activism that demands justice for black lives.”
Michelle Obama
Beyoncé dedicated the award to protesters around the country.
Sunday’s show celebrated BET’s 20th awards show and BET’s 40th year as a network. The three-hour virtual event was hosted by comedian, actor and TV personality Amanda Seales.