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Founder of The Headies, Ayo Animashaun, has criticised Nigerian musicians who, according to him, prioritise international award schemes while overlooking Nigeria’s premier music awards.
Animashaun’s comments came after several Nigerian artistes, including Davido, Asake and Adekunle Gold, submitted their works for consideration ahead of the upcoming Grammy Awards.
The Headies founder expressed his displeasure in a post shared on Instagram, questioning why artistes would actively seek recognition from international award bodies while failing to submit their works for consideration at The Headies.
He also pointed out what he described as a contradiction among some artistes who allegedly do not participate in the Nigerian awards but later complain when they are not nominated.
Animashaun wrote, “Tom, Dick and Harry will submit entries to foreign award bodies that don’t even care about them and proudly post about it. But these same people won’t submit their entries to the Headies, yet they’ll complain about not being nominated. Funny.”
His statement appeared to challenge the attitude of artistes towards local recognition and the Nigerian music industry’s own award platform.
Animashaun Defends The Headies
Beyond questioning the submission habits of some musicians, Animashaun also defended the decisions made by The Headies organisers over the years.
He suggested that some of the choices made by the organisers might not immediately be understood or appreciated by everyone but insisted that the awards body remained committed to its long-term plans.
His comments appeared to reference the international expansion of The Headies, particularly the decision to take the ceremony outside Nigeria.
The 18th edition of the awards was initially scheduled to take place in Toronto, Canada, as part of the organisers’ plans to expand the reach of the ceremony.
Animashaun maintained that the organisers were prepared to stand by their decisions as long as artistes and other stakeholders who benefit from the awards understood the reasoning behind their actions.
He also highlighted the importance of sponsors supporting the vision of the awards.
“As long as those who benefit from what we do understand and appreciate it, the artistes understand why taking The Headies to the moon sometimes is the right move, and our sponsors see the vision, we can stand firmly by our decisions,” he added.
The statement reflected his confidence in the direction of the awards and its plans to broaden its international presence.
‘Not Every Opinion Carries Equal Weight’
Animashaun acknowledged that The Headies would continue to attract opinions and criticism over some of its decisions.
However, he argued that public criticism did not necessarily mean that the organisers were making the wrong choices.
“Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but not every opinion carries equal weight. Posterity will be kind to those who see possibilities before they become obvious,” he said.
His comments suggested that some of the initiatives currently being questioned could receive greater appreciation in the future.
The Headies founder appeared particularly focused on the need for stakeholders to understand the broader vision behind the awards rather than judging every decision based solely on its immediate impact.
The Headies Reschedules 18th Edition
The 18th edition of The Headies was initially scheduled to hold in Toronto on October 23, 2026.
However, the organisers recently announced that the ceremony had been postponed and will now take place on April 10 and 11, 2027.
The postponement comes as the awards continue with plans to stage the ceremony internationally and strengthen its presence beyond Nigeria.
The Headies remains focused on recognising outstanding achievements within the Nigerian music industry, with awards covering different genres and areas of music production and performance.
The ceremony has traditionally provided a platform for celebrating artistes, producers and other contributors to Nigeria’s music scene.
Animashaun’s latest comments have therefore placed renewed attention on the relationship between Nigerian artistes and local award platforms, particularly at a time when Nigerian music continues to gain recognition globally.
His criticism centred on what he sees as an imbalance between the eagerness of some artistes to submit their works for international recognition and their alleged reluctance to participate in local award schemes.
While musicians remain free to seek recognition from any award body, Animashaun’s remarks underline his belief that Nigerian artistes should also support institutions created to celebrate achievements within their own industry.
With the rescheduled 18th edition approaching in 2027, attention will remain on how artistes and other industry stakeholders engage with The Headies and its evolving international ambitions.
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