THE treatment of African artistes at the recently held Black Entertainment Television (BET) awards in Los Angeles in United States of America left a lot to be desired.
Organisers of the BET awards clearly showed that it is only on paper and not in reality that Africans are wanted at BET.
At this year’s edition of the BET awards, Africans were presented ‘their’ awards at 10 am before the main show that was scheduled for 8 pm.
They received the awards in an ‘empty’ auditorium.
For ‘consolation’, the African ‘award ceremony’ was filmed with the promise of being played during the main awards ceremony.
However, the video was never shown.
What was the message or rather the meaning of this award ‘ceremony’ for Africans?
Did Africans feel honoured receiving awards in front of empty seats?
Were the organisers, BET, ashamed of the Africans from the motherland to the level that they could not host them with the rest of artistes?
The move, separate awards presentation, is a reflection of how the West still views Africa.
The unfair treatment shows the hypocrisy and double standards of the West.
Clearly, all men are not equal as the West expounds, they do not practise what they preach.
What is BET and who are its owners?
BET was founded by Afro-American Robert Johnson, in 2001.
It is a television network that seeks to ‘celebrate African-Americans and other minorities in music, acting, sports and other fields of entertainment.
However, it is now a division of Viacom.
Technically this means that BET is now ‘owned’ by whites who now dictate to their African-American employees how the television must be run.
It is worthwhile to note that BET should have remembered that the Africans they invited to their awards come from the land where they, African-Americans, were captured and sold into slavery.
The difference which exists between African-America and Africans is only in location.
Others still have the privilege to live in their original home, Africa, while others are still fighting for their rights in America.
The unfair treatment shown to Africans at recent BET awards must be a lesson to the African continent.
It is time for Africans to create their own platforms where they celebrate the best the continent has to offer in music, film and other arts.
It is well that Yemi Alade, the Nigerian sensation snubbed the BET awards in spite of being on the list of nominees for Best International Act – Africa.
She called for the cancellation, deletion and omission of the category, if the winners would not get a chance to receive their honours at the main event.
She took to the social media to complain against the organisation of the awards.
“Africa is not a country!” she fumed.
“It is wrong to nominate huge African stars and publicly try to humiliate Africa.
“Why on earth is African category of the awards held hours before the ‘main event?
“If African artistes are not worthy in your sight please by all means cancel, delete, omit the best International Act (Africa) category out of this glorified award.
“This is wrong! Wrong!”
The award was won by Stonebwoy, a Ghanaian Afro-pop, dancehall and reggae artiste.
For Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun better known as ‘Wizkid’, he turned to his twitter account to blast the BET awards.
“I love you all for what you do for black entertainment worldwide,” said Wizkid.
“I respect the fact that you guys do this every year, but I won’t be attending your pre-shows and nominee parties if getting the award at 10am before the main show.”
This humiliation must be a wake-up call for Africans.
Not everything American is grand and the continent must just have its awards.
Africans must not wait for foreign recognition which comes laden with sickening innuendo.
Our artistes are as good as any, if not better.