Grammys is now more popular in Nigerian than the Headies – Ayo Animashaun

The Executive Producer of the Headies Awards Mr. Ayo Animashaun has decried the Grammy’s popularity in Nigeria.

In an interview with Channels Television, He said, the Amercian-based award show is now more popular and celebrated among the average Nigerian music fan than the local Headies Awards that for two decades have awarded excellence in Nigerian music.

“Grammys is more popular in the streets of Lagos and in Nigeria than it is in America,” the media entrepreneur and executive said on the celebration of the Grammys of Nigerian awards.

He further stated that Nigerians support American awards while neglecting the local awards when the foreign music industry won’t do the same.

In the interview, he shared that the motivation to create the Hip Hop World Magazine was to promote and support Nigerian entertainment.

The CEO of HIP TV further stated that the Nigerian creative industry needs governmental support and patronage to reach its full potential.

Since its inception in 2006, The Headies Awards which initially started as the Hip Hop World Award has celebrated Nigerian music with an annual ceremony.

Speaking on the struggles the award has faced in recent times, Animshaun said that it doesn’t make economic sense for the award to be held annually.

This accounts for the recent gap year where the award wasn’t held in 2024 and the decision to hold the 2022 and 2023 editions in the United States.

The nominations list for the 17th Headies edition was recently announced ahead of the April 5 ceremony that will see the award return to Nigeria after two editions in Atlanta USA.