In 2019, so many Nigerians seemed to up their game, gaining global recognition and enjoying career-defining moments and accomplishments in different sectors.
While there are numerous Nigerians who defined the year and made it a truly remarkable one, we’ve chosen five Nigerians who killed it in their respective fields this year.
Check them out:
Burna Boy
Source: The Atlantic
2019 will go down as a memorable year for Burna Boy. He performed at Coachella, released his career-defining album ‘African Giant’, performed on international shows such as The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, The Jimmy Kimmel Show and The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. To top up an already fantastic year, he got a nomination at the Grammy Awards in the ‘Best World Music Album’ category.
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Genevieve Nnaji
Source: Essence
Nollywood darling, Genevieve Nnaji hit a career-high and made an indelible mark in 2019 when she released her acclaimed directorial debut- ‘Lionheart’ to favourable reviews. The film, which showcases Nigerian culture and tells an incredible story of resilience and family, was acquired for worldwide distribution by Netflix, making it the streaming network’s first Nigerian original film. It also made history as Nigeria’s first film submission at the Oscars. Unfortunately, it got disqualified due to eligibility rules, but the support Genevieve received after its disqualification (even from international platforms) was proof of the film’s impact.
Divine Oduduru
Source: Pulse Nigeria
Divine Oduduru became an internet sensation some years ago with his viral ‘I never esperred it’ meme. Years after, he’s risen to become a significant athlete making Nigeria proud on a global level. In April, he ran the 2019 World Fastest Time In 100 And 200 Metres, becoming the fastest man in the world this year. He also broke the record at the Big 12 Outdoor Championships to qualify for the 2020 Olympics and is currently Africa’s second-fastest athlete ever.
Rema
Source: The Fader
Rema has become one of Nigeria’s most prominent breakout artists, churning out chart-topping bangers like ‘Dumebi’, ‘Bad Commando’ and ‘Lady’, amongst others. The 19- year old has proven to be a hitmaker and has already amassed a large number of fans and followers of all ages, including former President of the United States; Barack Obama, who listed his song ‘Iron Man’ in his 2019 summer playlist. How cool is that?
Naira Marley
Source: Native
Amidst scandals and controversies, Naira Marley has risen to become one of Nigeria’s most vibrant and defining pop stars. In 2019, he became a pop culture phenomenon, releasing club bangers such as ‘Opotoyi’, ‘Mafo’ and ‘Tesumole’, laced with razor-sharp lyrics, slangs and catchphrases that have made their way to social media and the parlance of millions of Nigerians; many of whom proudly refer to themselves as ‘Marlians’. It will be quite interesting to see what Naira Marley does next this year.
What individuals truly defined 2019 to you? Tell us in the comments section.
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