Burna Boy and the Case of ‘Convenient Activism’

Iyke Bede

Since the news of the shooting at Cubana Club in Lagos which allegedly found police escorts attached to the Afro-fusion artist Burna Boy complicit, the essence of his social activism has been subjected to scrutiny.

These reservations are voiced mainly on social media platforms such as Twitter where fans and critics freely drown each other with their opinions. 

With empowering songs like ‘Monsters’ — released as the second single off his highly successful ‘Twice As Tall’ — that speaks to colonial oppression, as well as his specially penned track that addresses the Lekki tollgate incident consequent from the #EndSARS protest, it’s quite easy to conclude that the impassioned singer prioritises the message of social justice, a cause that the new crop of artists in Nigeria tried to associate itself, given the popularity of the Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti who to date is not only revered for advocating for social justice and equality through his songs but led the way in the fight for the emancipation of the citizenry.  

Although controversy trails Burna Boy’s career, somehow it has inscribed the bad boy persona on his character, a seemingly lovable trait by today’s standards of the entertainment industry. Yet he manages to reaffirm his stance on social activism through his music until the latest shooting.

Historically, members of law enforcement agencies have served in the capacity of playing personal security to those who can afford them, this deviates from the practice of hiring trained security personnel. In this case, the policemen assigned to Burna Boy were not an anomaly. Accused of encouraging their behaviour, his critics quickly pointed out that his action was in poor judgment considering his stance on police brutality and social injustice. 

What happened at the Cubana Club on June 8, 2022, was a case of the microcosm, where people in powerful positions leveraged their influence to trample on the rights of thousands of youth during the #EndSARS protest. One cannot be an ally and a foe at the same time because it is convenient. 

Police brutality isn’t restricted to the event of #EndSARS. It also speaks to the abuse of power by the privileged who feel the law does not apply to them because of their position.  Advocacy for social justice transcends fancy words marinated in catchy beats. It’s a lifestyle. One they are not ready to sacrifice anything for.