Many notable entertainers have set the pace and paved the way for others in the industry by virtue of accomplishing certain feats first. OGHENOVO EGODO-MICHAEL takes a look at some of them
Kaffy
Popular dancer, Kafayat Shafau, aka Kaffy, became a sensation in 2006 when her dance group, Imagneto, set a Guinness World Records for the ‘longest dance party’ in the Nokia Silverbird Danceathon. They set the record after dancing for 55 hours and 40 minutes. Since then, she has been a respected dancer in the entertainment industry. In an earlier interview with Sunday PUNCH, Kaffy revealed that achieving such a feat came with its own struggles. She said, “I almost died. It was not funny, and it took me a long time to recover.”
Today, Kaffy is regarded as a role model by many dancers in Nigeria and beyond.
Wizkid
In June 2023, Ayodeji Balogun aka Wizkid, became the first African artiste to win the Brit Billion Award. The Brit Billion Award is a special award given by the British Phonographic Industry to artistes who have achieved over one billion digital streams in the United Kingdom. In 2018, he also became the first African artiste to sell out the massive 02 Arena in the UK, which seats about 20,000 people.
This and others are some of the singer’s achievements that set the pace for younger artistes to stay inspired and aim for international recognition.
Burna Boy
Damini Ogulu, aka Burna Boy, has undoubtedly inspired many other artistes. No doubt, he has taken afrobeats to new heights with great exposure and awards. The ‘Last Last’ singer made history in 2023 as the first afrobeats artiste to perform at the Grammy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, United States of America. He was also the first Nigerian artiste to be featured on the cover of the Grammy Awards official playlist. That same year, he became the first African artiste to hit one billion streams on popular streaming app, Audiomack.
A congratulatory post on Audiomack’s X page read, “Afrobeats musician, Damini Ogulu, professionally known as Burna Boy, has hit one billion streams on Audiomack, becoming the first African to do so”.
In 2022, the singer set a record as the first African artiste to sell out the 21,000-capacity Arena in Atlanta, USA.
The ‘City Boy’ crooner has often said that he was inspired by the legendary musician, Fela Kuti
Davido
Afrobeats star, David Adeleke, aka Davido, is loved by many for his personality. That aside, the artiste has also had some achievements that helped in solidifying Nigeria’s place in global music.
In 2022, he became the first Nigerian artiste to feature on an official FIFA World Cup final soundtrack. He was also one of the first Nigerian artistes to perform at the World Cup ceremony, when he took the stage at the 2022 edition of the popular competition held in Qatar.
In 2018, the video for his song, ‘Fall’, became the first to have over 100 million streams on YouTube. He has also been the most followed Nigerian celebrity on social media for a long time. A 2023 survey by entertainment statistics platform, Top Charts Africa, stated that he was the most followed Nigerian across major social media platforms with a combined total of over 50 million followers.
2Baba
It is not surprising that a popular singer, Innocent Idibia, aka 2Baba (formerly 2face) is an inspiration to many young artistes. He became the first winner of the MTV Europe Best African Act Award in 2005. The music video for his song, ‘African Queen’ was also the first ever video to be played on MTV Base Africa. In 2007, Idibia became the first Nigerian to win a MOBO award. He was also the first Nigerian to win the prestigious BET Awards in 2011.
Folashade Adu
Folashade Adu has made her mark in history with many record-breaking songs and albums to her name. In 1986, she became the first entertainer of Nigerian origin to win a Grammy Award, when she bagged the ‘Best New Artiste’ category. In 2023, she was inducted into the Grammys’ Songwriters Hall of Fame. Though born in Ibadan, Oyo State, on January 16, 1959, Adu left for England when she was four years old, and grew up there. Her outstanding achievements in the music industry were honoured with the Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2002, and she was elevated to Commander with another honour in 2017.
Agbani Darego
Ibiagbanidokibubo Darego, simply known as Agbani Darego, is one woman that stands out in her craft. Darego set a world record in 2021 when she became the first indigenous African to win the Miss World beauty pageant. Since then, she has been a role model to many young girls. As part of the honours for achieving such a feat, Darego was celebrated with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic.
Fela Kuti
Fela Kuti earned a spot in history as one of the most fearless Nigerian musicians in history. He used his voice through his rich lyrics to checkmate government’s activities, tackle political corruption, social injustices, and human rights abuses, making him a voice for the voiceless and a beacon of hope for the oppressed.
With his band, Africa ‘70, Fela introduced the world to afrobeat– a fusion of traditional African rhythms and high-energy performances that captivated audiences far and wide. His fearless spirit and uncompromising artistry inspired a generation of musicians and artists to use their platforms for change and self-expression.
Funke Akindele
A popular actress and politician, Funke Akindele, has set the standards high in Nollywood with her record-breaking movies. In 2021, her movie, ‘Omo Ghetto: The Saga’ set a record as the highest-grossing Nollywood movie after it maintained the number one spot for six weeks in a row.
In 2023, she broke the record again when her movie, ‘Battle on Buka Street’, became the highest-grossing movie in Nigeria, after generating over N640m.
Recently, in 2024, she broke the record again when her movie, ‘A Tribe Called Judah’ broke the previous record within 21 days of its release. It became the first Nollywood film to gross N1bn. Congratulating her on her achievements, President Bola Tinubu hailed the actress for her contribution to the industry through a statement signed by his Special Adviser, Ajuri Ngelale. It read in part, “President Bola Tinubu celebrates the ingenuity, creativity, and immense artistic talents of Nigeria’s thriving entertainment industry.”