Last Last - by Samuel Ibok

This would be a long read. Guess what? I spent my new year with Africa's giant, Oluwa Burna Boy. We chilled at Wonderland Lagos for his show. Lol. By the end of the show, it became clear that Lagos loves Damini, irrespective of the craze he has! I still don't get why artists keep coming to their shows late, but experiencing it firsthand was a premium annoyance. Some people had been standing since 6 p.m., only for Burna to get on stage by 3 am. In other words, "he nearly served us breakfast." As pained as we all were, we somehow kept believing that he would turn up. Some people left out of annoyance, which is justified, but they still came back when Odogwu came on stage. Now, I can boldly say with my full chest that 80% of the people that came there, including my humble self, were there to hear him sing "Last Last." The crazy thing is that when he got on stage, he didn't clearly apologize to the fans, but we were still vibing to his jams. Now, here's a twist to the story y'all may not have seen on Twitter: some angry fans were still throwing objects at him while performing. The part that got me confused was when those in the regular and VIP sections started throwing bottles into the table segment (VVVVVIP). Now that's the playoff of the "class war." It got me thinking about how different people's perceptions of each other are. The truth is that a few people were injured during that brief period of insanity. I know this because I was in the table section. Before you call me Odogwu, just know I was there on official duties. There was almost a stampede as people tried to dodge the objects. It's appalling how angry people would take advantage of the very thing that should unite us. That's basically how the frustration-aggression theory works. The same thing happens in society when the lower class perceives the higher class as the principal cause of their plight. Back to Damini. I wondered why he didn't come on stage earlier to apologize and probably vibe with his fans. Then it hit me that it was all part of his public image. We know Burna to be a beast, a bit wreckless (na small thing remain it would have been all over), fearless, and unapologetic. Maybe it was a "PR stunt." Perhaps our perception of him as a beast would have changed if he had apologized to the crowd. It kind of reminds me of how Wizkid stays calm irrespective of whatever shade is thrown at him. The most you'd see is a "lol" tweet. Ehhhh, Machala sha. Burna equally mentioned some of the issues he was criticized for last year and how it hurt him, but he still appreciates and loves the fans. Now this may not sound strange, but none of Davido's songs were played in the period before Damini came on stage. Relax, I'm not trying to stir controversy, but it is what it is. I waited to hear even one song, but it never came. Think about it. One thing that was very clear from Burna's show was that people respect the value he has created for Nigeria and the African continent. I remember him whining the crowd about his track on the new Black Panther. In his words, shae una hear your boy! I guess it's the value he creates that made us stay. He f'd up, but who never f' up hands in the air-no hands! I wish I could let you guys in on how much he was paid, but that's confidential! Finally, something spiritual happened when Burna sang "Last Last." I felt healed! We all vibed to the song in unison, and people started leaving. It was his last song for the show. Just so you know, the sound at the show was part of the reason he didn't perform early. Artists are people; don't forget that. Love, Samuel!

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