Finally, the much talked about Kora Awards was held last week and our own P Square, went home with the star prize, a whopping one million dollars, for winning in the Best African Act category.

P Square, who have not attended any award in recent times, were in Burkina Faso earlier in the week, where the ceremony took place.

It would be recalled that stakeholders in the music industry in a statement made available to Life and Beat, had called for a mass boycott of the 2010 event by all artistes – nominated or not; managers, label executives, jurors, presenters, media reps, reporters and government officials.

The Kora Office Nigeria, in association with relevant organisations like NARI, PMAN, AM.B-Pro, MORAN , etc (under the aegis of the Nigerian Music Industry Coalition), in the statement, threatened to ensure that Nigerian stake-holders who refuse to heed the call by legitimizing the Ouagadougou event with their presence were excluded from any project executed by these organizations and the governments of Lagos and Cross River states.

Ever since the twin brothers picked the awards against the resolution of the stakeholders, tongues have been wagging.

A source in the Kora Office, Nigeria, said that, no matter the artiste that attended the event their resolution still stands. He said,“I don’t know if P Square attended the event or whether they knew about the boycott. But that is inconsequential. Ignorance is not an excuse. Boycott means that you should not be a part of the event and if you are not a part of it, you should not accept the award no matter what. It will be a slap on our face if we don’t do something about it.”

In his own reaction, Efe said he was not aware if P Square knew about what the stakeholders resolved.

“Jude was not at the event and I am not sure he was communicated to. If they knew about it, it would be a different thing altogether. It is not in my capacity to say what should be done to them. Everybody sat down when the resolutions were made and I think everybody should also sit down before any action is take on this matter,”he said.

But whether there was a resolution to boycott the event or not, P square said they knew nothing about it.

Speaking on behalf of the artistes, their manager and brother, Jude Okoye, who also was named Best Video Director for ‘Do Me’ (Jude’s plaque comes with $20,000 [N3million] cash), in the award, said they didn’t know anything about the boycott.

“We have been out of the country. Nobody told us anything about the boycott. We didn’t hear about it,” he said in a telephone chat with Life and Beat.

But Jude confessed that it probably wouldn’t have made any difference if they had heard about the boycott saying, “The award is a personal thing. Why would anybody or group of individuals wake up one morning and start dictating other peoples lives? I don’t think anybody has the right to do that.”

Jude said they never even knew about the award because they were not even in town: “We were on tour in Europe and I saw some strange numbers on my phone. I called the number and I was told that we won the Kora top prize. My sister, if somebody called you and told you that you have won one million dollars, wont you quickly rush to collect the money? Haba!”

He said they had to arrange and travel to Burkina Faso to pick up their awards and the prizes attached to them,

“We were not even at the main award. We only went to Burkina Faso after we learnt we won the awards. We went their, picked up the awards, the prizes attached to them and we brought the glory back to Nigeria. I don’t think we have committed any crime by doing that,”he said

But seriously, the Nigerian Entertainment industry is a joke.  Only in Naija will you see such dictatorship. These artistes don't owe anybody nothing. Apart from bringing entertainment to the Africa, singing is a PERSONAL money making business venture for the artistes. It's just like any other business we do. No one can tell you how to run it.  Like Jude said, awards are personal. It's NOT a "Nigerian Entertainment Industry" award. It's an award for the artiste ONLY!  The worst they can do is "boycott" P-Square from playing in their shows in Lagos and Cross River abi, which frankly, they have a right to do since they are the ones organizing them. Doesn't mean they can't play  in shows organized by other groups in the state, and it doesn't mean they can't play in other states and other countries in the world. Anyway, I'm not worried about P-Square because at the level they are, that boycott is beans. The newer artistes are the ones who'll be a bit scared cos they don't want to incure the "wrath" of the Nigerian Music Industry Coalition. They need all the shows they can get, especially in Lagos, as they still need to promote themselves.

On a lighter note, Jude said "My sister, if somebody called you and told you that you have won one million dollars, wont you quickly rush to collect the money? Haba" Well, Jude, my broda. I will quickly rush and collect the money plus jara sef. Make una no mind dem oo. Don't let anyone put sand in your garri.
As long as the boycott is not as a result of any crime against humanity, you did nothing wrong. It's recognition for your hard work so take it.

One million buckaroos?? O.M.G!!! Boycott ko, girlbed ni!! Even the president of the silly Nigerian Music Industry Coalition whachamacallit would have denied his own brethren if he was told he'd won an award worth $1 DOLLARS. These twins are blessed and I'm happy for them. Are they coal miners in one workers' union that some people will be telling them what and who to boycott!? Funny country.