BEHIND THE STITCH: ALANI
June 21, 2024
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As Nigeria celebrates its 64th Independence, it’s a fitting time to reflect on the nation’s remarkable achievements across various industries. One area that has witnessed significant growth and global recognition is the creative industries. From the vibrant fashion scene to the world of Nollywood, the sounds of Afrobeats, and the athletic prowess of Nigerian sport stars, the country has made a mark on the international stage.
In recent years, the Nigerian creative industry has experienced a meteoric rise. Fashion designers like Mai Atafo, Lisa Folawiyo, Deola Sagoe, and Veekee James, have gained international acclaim for their unique styles and innovative designs, showcasing the rich cultural heritage and contemporary trends of the nation. Nollywood, the vibrant Nigerian film industry, has produced numerous critically acclaimed films that have captivated audiences worldwide, contributing to the global understanding of Nigerian culture and storytelling.
The Nigerian music scene, particularly Afrobeats, has taken the world by storm. Artists like Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy, Rema, Tems, Asake, and Ayra Starr have achieved international success, blending traditional African rhythms with modern elements to create a sound that is both authentic and universally appealing. Their music has not only entertained millions but has also helped to promote Nigerian culture and tourism.
The world of sports has also seen significant contributions from Nigerian athletes. In football, the country has produced numerous talented players who have excelled at the highest level of the game, representing Nigeria on the global stage. In other sports like boxing, track and field, and basketball, Nigerian athletes have consistently achieved remarkable feats, bringing pride and honor to their nation.
There are a lot of milestones made by Nigerians that have helped to put Nigeria on the global map. As we celebrate Independence Day, we’d also celebrate these Nigerians for excellence and achieving remarkable feats in recent years.
In 2023, Slawn became the youngest and first Nigerian-born artist to design the iconic Brit Awards statuette and set. His innovative designs brought a fresh perspective to the prestigious to use itmusic awards ceremony. Continuing his streak of high-profile design projects, Slawn was commissioned to design the 2024 FA Cup Trophy. His unique vision breathed new life into the historic football competition’s coveted prize. He is the first and only Nigerian to design the trophy.
Wizkid achieved the remarkable feat of selling out the O2 Arena three times in a matter of minutes, showcasing his immense drawing power. The speed at which his tickets sell out is often record-breaking, demonstrating the high demand for his performances. In 2021, He became the first Nigerian to sell out the O2 arena in 12 minutes. Fans were unhappy, so he added a new date, and it sold out in 2 minutes, beating his record. He is also the first and only African to have a song no.1 on the Hot 100 Billboard charts although as a featured artist on the song “One Dance”. He is also credited as the first Nigerian artist to reach 1 billion streams on Spotify. He is also the most streamed African artist ever.
Burna Boy, a Nigerian singer and songwriter, made history in 2022 by becoming the first African artist to sell out Madison Square Garden (MSG), one of the most iconic venues in the world. In 2021, he also won the Grammys for the best world album. He won Best International Act at the 2021 BET Awards, becoming the first African artist to win the award three consecutive times. On 10 June 2023, Burna Boy became the first artist from Africa to perform at the UEFA Champions League Final Kick-Off Show by Pepsi. The singer took the stage at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey, in front of more than 71,412 supporters and an audience of over 700 million people. In July, he became the first African artist to headline and sell out a stadium show in the United States, headlining at Citi Field in New York. He is also the only African artist to sell out the London stadium twice.
Nigerian music sensation Rema has achieved a groundbreaking milestone by becoming the first African artist to surpass a billion streams in the United States with his hit song “Calm Down.” The remix version, featuring pop star Selena Gomez, has also made history as the first Afrobeats and African song to exceed a billion on-demand streams in the U.S. The track reached a peak position of No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, setting a new record for a contemporary African song and making it the highest-charting African track since Hugh Masekela’s 1968 hit “Grazing in the Grass”.
In the sports industry, there have been a lot of milestones reached and excellence from athletes, basketballers, and footballers.
Tobi Amusan put Nigeria’s athletics on the map after breaking the 100m world record time and winning Nigeria’s first gold at the world athletics championships in 2022.
D’Tigress, Nigeria’s female basketball team became the first African country to qualify for the Olympic quarter finals.
Osimhen also became the first Nigerian to rank in the top 10 (8) of the 2023 Ballon d’Or rankings, He was also named the African Footballer of the Year at the 2023 CAF Awards, the first Nigerian to receive this honor since Nwankwo Kanu in 1999. Oshoala won a record 6th African women’s player of the year and for the first time since 1999, both the male and female award for Africa’s best was won by Nigerians. Ademola Lookman also became the first player to score a Hat trick in a Europa League final leading Atalanta to secure the title.
A tribe called judah
In Nollywood, Funke Akindele’s tribe of Judah, a movie released in 2023, the film became the first Nollywood film to gross over ₦113 million in its opening weekend and became the first Nollywood movie to hit 1 billion naira at the box office.
These extremely talented individuals have put Nigeria on the map one way or the other, and it is only right these milestones are celebrated as Nigeria marks its 64th anniversary.
Happy Independence, Nigeria.
