Naijafavourite
Nigerian musician Burna Boy has made history by becoming the first African artist to headline a sold-out stadium event in both the US and the UK. His latest album, I Told Them…, also achieved top ten rankings on global charts. Despite this success, Burna Boy’s mother, Bose Ogulu, believes he has yet to reach his full potential. Ogulu, who manages her son’s career, draws inspiration from her father, who was a manager for Nigerian icon Fela Kuti. Alongside her work in music, she is a successful businesswoman and linguist, emphasising the importance of languages and culture.
The Nigerian megastar made history as the first African musician to headline a sold-out stadium event in both the United States and the United Kingdom. Additionally, his latest album, I Told Them…, debuted in the top ten on global charts.
Burna Boy’s mother, Bose Ogulu, believes that he has yet to reach his full potential.
“I admire his diligence and hard work, but he is still a work in progress,” said Bose Ogulu, who also manages the Afrobeats singer, in an interview with BBC’s Nyasha Michelle.
“There are still many more goals to achieve. We must not only reflect on what we have accomplished, but also continue to strive for more.”
Ogulu, affectionately known as Mama Burna, competes with Kris Jenner, the matriarch of the Kardashian family, for the title of ultimate “momager.”
Mama Burna learned the art of management from her father, who worked as a manager for the late Nigerian icon, Fela Kuti. In addition to her involvement in music, she is a successful businesswoman and linguist.
“For 18 years, I ran a language school. I quickly recognized the power of languages and culture,” said Ogulu, who was honored with a Best of Africa award alongside Stormzy, Mohamed Salah, and Mo Farah.
Ogulu had to leave the language school to manage Burna, a decision she was confident in making.
“I knew he was going to be great at something since he was probably 13 or 14 years old. I had already seen him in the studio and seen him form a high school band,” she explained.
“When he was in JSS3 (Year 9), we started trading studio time for grades. I would say, ‘If you get a B or an A in this, I’ll pay for studio time during your midterm.'”
