Tempers Flare As Sowore, Burna Boy Face Off Over Independence Day Protest

Award winning Nigeria musician and Afro hip-hop sensation, Burna Boy and publisher of Sahara reporter cum activist, Omoyele Sowore were on Tuesday embroiled in a hot exchange over a planned independence protest.

Sowore is widely believed to be a firebrand activist and maverick who seeks to disrupt the status quo and end the hold of the political establishment on Nigerians by constantly calling out public office holders and also staging protest over the socio-economic and political situation of the country.

Burna boy, on the other hand, is a famous artiste who, like Sowore, has used his music to address sociopolitical and economic issues, poor governance and structural imbalance. He’s from time to time chastised the citizenry for their indifferent and fearful disposition to the worsening situation of the country.

As part of the effort to address the myriad of issues bedevilling the nation, top of which is the economic downturn, Sowore alongside his group, RevolutionNow, organises a peaceful protest, which is scheduled for October 1, Nigeria’s independence day.

Trouble began when Sowore taunted Burna boy, saying he had read praises of him by both local and international media outfit, and that some even compared him to Fela Anikulapo Kuti, but he had not seen him do anything to advance the cause of social and political justice which Fela was renowned for.

Fela was a daredevil and nonconformist Nigerian artiste who struck fear into heart of military regimes in the 70s and 80s with his music.

Burna boy promptly replied Sowore dig at him, in a now deleted tweet on his official twitter page, he said those Fela fought for were the ones who antagonised and made life hell for him.

Leave me out of your scheme

In a follow up tweet, Burna  warned Sowore to leave him out of his “scheme” as he’s not a politician like him, adding that he had on numerous occasions said he was not Fela.

Responding to Burna boy claims, Sowore explained that their was no schemes whatsoever, noting that the call was to have Burna boy exemplify the Fela character and his inclination for social and political justice which Burna boy has professed in his songs many times.