Jidenna has responded to criticism regarding his
commentary on the experiences in Nigeria.

During a VladTV interview that was published July 9,
the “ Classic Man ” star spoke about returning to the
African nation to bury his dad.

“When I actually buried my father, I had to bring a lot
of AK-47s,” he said. “I had to employ military
commandos…Just to bury my father.”

He also discussed his skin color in the interview.
“When you’re light-skinned, you’re a heavier target for
being kidnapped,” he explained. “You’re seen as more
valuable. You’re seen as you’re white.”


The Backlash

Those comments caused backlash.
People on Twitter, for instance, voiced their
disappointment with Jidenna’s comments.

It's people like jidenna promoting
stereotypes about Nigeria all over the
stupid media and it's sad because he's
Nigerian #disgraceful
— Fatima popoola (@campalagirls) July
11, 2015

@Jidenna was asked simple question
bout stereotypes…catyln Jenner n all ..u
Brought in how u imported weapons?how
does dat make sense pls?
— Marc Achu (@macstunner) July 11,
2015

Damn stupid idiot get some brains
@Jidenna nobody in Nigeria will kidnap
you, you're too broke Nigeria doesn't
want you so don't claim us
— King Nyphen Freshh ♛
(@NyphenSanders) July 12, 2015


The Response

So, on Wednesday, Jidenna addressed the matter on
his website. In the statement, which can be read in its
entirety below, the singer opened up about being
kidnapped and shot as a child. He also discussed the
positive experiences he’s had with Nigeria and
explained his perspective more fully.

To all my Nigerian brothers and sisters…
I am, always have been, and always will
be proud of my Nigerian heritage. I
understand the pain and anger caused
by some of the comments I made in a
recent interview, and I wanted to
address you directly. Contrary to popular
belief, this interview was not the first in
which I mentioned Nigeria. In fact, I’m
frequently bragging about how Nigerians
attend the world’s most prestigious
institutions, and how we are known to
produce world class doctors,
entrepreneurs, innovators, lawyers,
engineers, professors, athletes and
artists. Unfortunately, people tend to
leave these moments out, and, in this
case, highlight stereotypes. I would
never do or say anything to intentionally
disgrace the legacy of my father nor my
fatherland. But to not relay my own
story, both the good times and the bad,
would be a disservice.

My name is Jidenna, which means “to
hold or embrace the father” in Igbo. It
was my father who gave me this name
and who taught me countless parables,
proverbs, and principles that made me
the man I am today. These same
principles helped me to write the record
“Classic Man.” When I brought home a
98 percent on a test, my father would
say, “ah ah, where are the other two
points? Go and get them, then bring
them back.” My father and Nigerian
culture has always stood for excellence.
While the majority of my childhood
memories are beautiful, I also have
experienced the challenges that Nigeria
has faced since Independence.

When I was 5 years old, my family was
robbed at gunpoint, my mother was
beaten, family members were kidnapped,
and I was shot in my foot. As is the case
with all kidnapping, targeting those who
are perceived to be wealthy is the
objective. In this instance, my father was
the target because of his prominence in
the community. This was a traumatic
experience for my family that would
shape our entire lives and our
experiences in both Nigeria and America.
As a little boy, I swore that I would never
let that happen to my family again. As
my father often said, “Once you’re bitten
by a snake, you‘ll be ready to shoot a
lizard!” At the time of my father’s burial
5 years ago, my family in the village was
concerned about increased targeting for
kidnapping since the rate of abductions
had increased dramatically in the area
we are from. We were traveling from
America, which along with our biracial
appearance, had the potential to attract
attention and pose a threat to our
security. In light of what happened in the
past and the tense climate at the time,
my family took precautions to ensure our
safety. This was not an uncommon
protocol at the time. I recognize
incidents such as these are not unique
to Nigeria or the African continent, and
there have been significant
improvements in the region since this
period.

In the recent interview to which I’ve
been referring, I shared my family’s
experience traveling from the States
back home for the burial. In this
interview, I used the term “light-
skinned.” When using this term, I was
actually referring to my immediate
family’s mixed or biracial appearance.
See, no matter what language I use to
describe my heritage, I’m certain that
someone will feel some kind of way.

This is a larger discussion not meant for
this statement, but certainly derives from
our colonial past and postcolonial
present, and in the States, from the days
of slavery to the present times. My
comments about skin tone were related
to the notion of perceived wealth and
value, not my personal beliefs. My point
was never to imply that biracial or “light-
skinned” people are the only ones or the
most targeted group of people
kidnapped, or that I myself was wealthy
at the time. Rather than focus on my
perceived value, let us continue to focus
on the value of Nigeria.

There is no question that Africa is
playing a pivotal role in the future of our
planet and that Nigeria, with it’s booming
economy and burgeoning middle class, is
a driving force. I will continue to play my
role in the Renaissance taking place in
Nigeria and Africa at large. We may not
agree on everything, but know my heart
is your heart, and my experience is part
of our collective experience.




http://www.mtv.com/news/2217354/jidenna-nigeria-kidnapping/

.

ok.
itz alright bwoy...


we forgive you

Na wa ooo.

Okay, pele ndo sorry.