Nigerian music icon Damini Ogulu, widely recognized as Burna Boy, has referred to his homeland as “collateral damage” in a frank assessment of its current situation. In a recent interview with Tidal, the Grammy-winning artist articulated how the nation’s rich cultural diversity has paradoxically hindered its progress.

He voiced his apprehensions regarding the socio-political issues plaguing Nigeria, stressing that both the country and its people frequently bear the brunt of ineffective governance and external pressures.

Burna Boy’s statements underscore his commitment to addressing the challenges facing Nigeria, as he called for increased accountability and improved leadership to ensure the nation is not regarded as disposable in both global and local contexts.

His remarks have ignited conversations on social media, with many resonating with his call for transformative change. During the Tidal interview, Burna Boy elaborated on the historical context of Nigeria's development.

He remarked that Nigeria, as a nation, was never intended to exist and is merely the outcome of a flawed business venture initiated by the British, representing nothing more than the unintended consequences of a failed commercial agreement.

He explained that the region now known as Nigeria was originally referred to as the Niger Area before it was acquired by the Royal Niger Company.

Following this acquisition, the Royal Niger Company chose to merge the northern and southern regions instead of managing them as distinct entities, marking the inception of Nigeria as a country.

The Afro-fusion artist emphasized that during the amalgamation process, neither the Niger Company nor the British stakeholders considered the local populations.

The individuals residing in the Niger Area were effectively treated as collateral damage in this transaction.