Dancehall artist Stonebwoy ignited a firestorm of criticism from Nigerians in May 2020 after suggesting that Nigerian artistes often need to “pass through Ghana” to achieve international success.
The controversial statement was made during an Instagram Live session with Nigerian media personality Tunde Balogun (also cited as Do2dtun in some reports). Stonebwoy argued that Ghana possesses a unique “blessing” that Nigerian artists tap into for their breakthrough:
“Nigerians have to always pass through Ghana, why? There’s a blessing here that you guys tap from and run with. No Ghanaian artiste who is big in Ghana had ever had to go to pass through Nigerian to qualify to blow in the country.”
He cited the career trajectory of Nigerian star Mr Eazi (who rose to prominence in Ghana) as an example to support his claim.
Nigerian Reactions and Criticisms
Stonebwoy’s comments were widely circulated on Nigerian blogs and social media, attracting a swift and largely negative response:
- Questioning the “Blessing”: Many users questioned why, if this “blessing” existed, Ghanaian artists had not fully capitalized on it themselves to achieve the same global success as Nigerians. One user wrote: “Why have they not tapped into that blessing themselves.”
- Disproving with Examples: Nigerians cited major global stars like Wizkid, Davido, and P-Square as examples of successful Nigerian artistes who did not need to pass through Ghana to become global stars.
- Dismissing Ghanaian Industry Size: Some argued that success in Ghana is easier to achieve due to the smaller population and less competitive industry compared to Nigeria.
- Direct Insults: The comments section was flooded with aggressive language, with users using harsh words to describe Stonebwoy and his statement.
Following the massive backlash, Stonebwoy issued a statement clarifying his intent. He told JoyNews that his comments were “never negative” or “insulting.” He explained he was attempting to describe the deep cultural exchange and shared impact between the two nations’ music industries, and felt he was misunderstood.
