Davido giving a speech at the BET awards after receiving his award for Best International Act
Nigerian musician Davido has made a passionate appeal to Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards audience, including some of the world’s biggest stars to visit Africa.
He made the request when he went on BET Awards stage to pick an award for Best International Act category on Sunday.
“I want to talk about Africa…my continent has been so blessed to influence so many cultures… I am telling you guys to come to Africa, eat the food, wear the clothes…,” he said.
“Let’s collaborate,” he also urged US artistes to work with African artistes.
Davido has become the first international act nominee to receive his award live on stage during the main BET Awards.
The BET Awards rules previously did not allow Best International Act nominees to receive their awards before the ceremony’ s main audience. Such winners had always picked their awards backstage, a practice which has previously been heavily criticised by a lot of African fans.
It appears organisers have found reason to revise the rule and Davido happens to be the first African to enjoy that privilege.
He beat Booba (France), Cassper Nyovest (South Africa), Dadju (France), Distruction, Boyz (South Africa), Fally Ipupa (Congo), J Hus (U.K), Niska (France), Tiwa Savage (Nigeria), Stefflon Don (U.K) and Stormzy (U.K) to win the award which was held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles Sunday night.
In his acceptance speech, he sent his condolences to Dbanj, who lost his one-year-old son on Sunday, before he made the appeal about visiting Africa.