In the wake of the 66th Grammy Awards, Nigerian music sensations Davido and Ayra Starr have defied the call to boycott the prestigious ceremony and instead extended congratulations to South African artist Tyla, who emerged victorious in a contentious award category.

The move comes as a surprise, given the prevailing sentiment among some media personalities and social media users urging Nigerian artists to snub the Grammys due to perceived injustices against African talent.

Nigerian media personality Adesope Olajide, in a video that has since gone viral, expressed his discontent with the Grammy organizers, accusing them of undermining Davido and Burna Boy during the awards ceremony. Olajide claimed that the Grammys are more focused on exploiting African artists rather than promoting their elevation.

Expressing disappointment over Davido and Burna Boy’s failure to secure wins in their respective categories, Olajide was particularly dismayed that Fela Kuti’s iconic ‘Water No Get Enemy’ played when South African artist Tyla was called to the stage, instead of Tyla’s winning track, ‘Water.’

“I’ve always said that the Grammy Awards is not our thing. They don’t understand us. They don’t understand our culture, they don’t understand our music. They’re never gonna get it,” declared Olajide in the video.

However, Davido and Ayra Starr took a different stance, choosing to celebrate Tyla’s achievement. Davido, in an Instagram post, wrote, “Congratulations on your win @Tyllaaaaaaa! Big One for Africa! Keep soaring! 🔥⭐️” while Ayra Starr echoed the sentiment, stating, “Congratulations to my babessssss @Tyllaaaaaaa.”

Despite the warm congratulations from their Nigerian counterparts, it was a disappointing night for Nigeria at the Grammy Awards. Burna Boy, Davido, Asake, Olamide, and Ayra Starr, who collectively received ten nominations across various categories, all left the ceremony without securing any wins.

The differing reactions from the Nigerian music community highlight the ongoing debate surrounding the recognition and representation of African artists on the global stage, particularly within the context of the Grammy Awards.