Rema’s Calm Down cannot stop making music history - the latest accolade for the hit by the 24-year-old Nigerian star is that it now the most-streamed Afrobeats song in the US.
It has become “the first Afrobeats song in history to earn over one billion on-demand streams in the US”, the music monitoring platform Chart Data has said on X.
Last year, Chart Data had already described the track as the “most successful African song of all time”.
Billboard magazine music analysts put its success down to its “melancholy slow jam with a subtle hypnotic draw”.
“[It’s] the kind that gets stuck deep in the back of a listener’s mind, prompting them to return again and again.”
The song was released in February 2022 as a single off Rave and Roses, Rema’s debut album. Rema, whose real name is Divine Ikubor, partnered with the US singer Selena Gomez a few months later for a remix of the song, which hit the billion-plays mark on the streaming app Spotify.
It became the first African song to spend a year on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number three, making it the highest-charting song which an Afrobeats musician was the lead artist.
The remix, which has nearly 894 million views on YouTube, is currently the most watched music video by a Nigerian artist.
It has thrust Rema into the ranks of prominent Nigerian Afrobeats artists such as Burna Boy, Wizkid and Davido.
Rema says he has his own style of Afrobeats, which he has dubbed "Afrorave".
They actually named the media outlets in the Twitter spaces, but I can't remember their names.
A media house, owned by a veteran sports journalist, reported that Finidi said that he can't beg Osimhen and that he said it at the meeting. A few other newspapers copied the same story.
Journalists Osasu Obayiuwana and Colin Udoh held a Twitter spaces on Saturday evening and this is a summary of what was said.
naptu2: It was about the situation in the Super Eagles. This is a summary.
1) Colin Udoh said that it was clear before the end of the Nations Cup that Paseiro was not staying. He said that the amount of money Paseiro was demanding for a new contract was crazy and that nobody would pay that amount, so it was clear that Paseiro had made up his mind to leave. He said that the NFF should have started searching for a successor right from that time.
2) He said that it was clear that the only friendly window that we had in the FIFA calendar was in March, so if we wanted a new coach we should have gotten one before the friendlies. Once Finidi took charge of the friendlies, it became clear that he was our only choice, because it makes no sense to appoint a new coach and his first match would be a world cup qualifier (without enough time to practice with the boys).
3) He said that President Tinubu has put a lot of pressure on the football authorities because he made it very clear that he wasn't happy with the results of the qualifiers. That's what led to the meeting between the sports minister, the NFF and Finidi.
4) He said that what Finidi actually said at the meeting was that he can't beg any player to play for the Super Eagles. Colin spoke to Finidi and to other people that were at the meeting. That's what Finidi actually said (he didn't single out any player), but some media outlets reported that Finidi said that he can't beg Osimhen to play for the Eagles. That's what led to Osimhen's outburst because he felt that his commitment was being questioned. Colin tried to call Osimhen, but he wasn't picking his calls, he sent him messages, but he hadn't replied by the time they did the spaces.
5) He said that Finidi did not resign because a technical adviser is going to be appointed (afterall he had previously worked under a technical adviser [Paseiro), rather he resigned because of the way that the matter was handled.
The NFF held a meeting in which they resolved to hire a technical adviser. That meeting was held before the meeting between the NFF, the sports minister and Finidi, yet the NFF did not tell Finidi that they wanted to hire a technical adviser. Finidi flew home after the meeting and there was still no word from the NFF. It was when he got home that China Acheru called him and asked for his comments on the decision to appoint a technical adviser. Finidi said that it was fake news, but China sent him the NFF communique as evidence.
Finidi waited for a few days, but there was still no word from the NFF, so he tendered his resignation.
6) One of the reasons that the NFF appointed Finidi as coach is because they don't have the money to appoint a foreign coach. However, with the pressure from President Tinubu, they are going to find the money one way or another. Some people are talking about a presidential task force to help the NFF raise money and ensure that the Eagles qualify for the World Cup.
NFF Meeting Sources Said Finidi Never Said What Football Star Osimhen Insulted Him For–Sports Presenter
June 16, 2024
Osimhen in the live Instagram video on Saturday opened up on the circumstances that led to his withdrawal from matches.
A popular journalist and sports presenter, Colin Udoh, has said that he has authoritatively confirmed that the immediate former coach of Nigeria's football team, Super Eagles, Finidi George, did not say what he was accused of saying against Nigeria and Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen.
SaharaReporters on Saturday reported that Osimhen berated Finidi for allegedly accusing him of lacking commitment, deliberately refusing to play in World Cup Qualifier matches and being above discipline.
Finidi had allegedly said that it was impossible to sanction some players who belonged to some "big men."
Reports said he allegedly these when he along with chieftains of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) met with the sports minister, John Enoh, in Abuja to review the Super Eagles’ tottering 2026 World Cup campaign after they were held to a 1-1 draw by South Africa in Uyo before being beaten 2-1 by Benin Republic.
Osimhen was not available for the two World Cup qualifiers with an official explanation that he was injured and sidelined for four weeks.
But Finidi was alleged to have said that Osimhen could still have managed to play the matches.
Finidi, who has now resigned as the head coach of the Super Eagles, also reportedly said that he could not beg Osimhen to play for the national team after the player withdrew from their last two 2026 World Cup qualifiers due to injury.
Reacting to the reports, Osimhen, who appeared to be visibly infuriated in an Instagram live video, lambasted Finidi, saying he had lost respect for the former Enyimba coach.
Osimhen in the live Instagram video on Saturday opened up on the circumstances that led to his withdrawal from matches.
He said that Finidi was adequately briefed by him and his doctor.
However, Udoh in a video posted on his Instagram page said he confirmed from Finidi and a couple of senior personalities who were at the meeting between Finidi, the NFF and the minister, that Finidi did not say any of the things he was accused of saying.
Udoh said, “I called a couple of people who were at the meeting between the NFF, Finidi and the minister to confirm whether what is alleged to have been said was actually said.
“These people are really very-very senior and reliable people, and I was told categorically that Finidi did not say the things he is alleged to have said.
“He did not say he was not going to beg Osimhen, he did not say that Osimhen was not committed.
“In fact, he did confirm when he was asked about Osimhen's absence, that Osimhen called him from Germany and that is why he was excused.
“It was when the issue of players' commitment was raised that he said he was not going to beg anybody to play for Super Eagles, but he did not mention any player by name specifically.
“I also called Finidi himself to ask if that was the case and he also confirmed to me that he never said any of those things and that he would have no reason to call out any player, whether in public or in private, and that he would address issues with the players himself if there were any issues.
“That as soon as the video was brought to his attention, he reached out to Osimhen to let him know that he never said those things, and that even if he had, Osimhen should have reached out to him first to find out if he said what he was alleged to have said rather than going to the public with such disrespect.”
On Finidi's resignation, Udo said Finidi told him his reason for resigning was that they held a meeting with the NFF on Thursday and talked about the things to do going forward and they told him they were going to back him.
However, Finidi said at no point during the meeting did anyone tell him they were going to appoint a Technical Adviser.
The NFF board had met on Wednesday where they decided to get a Technical Adviser but they did not mention that at Thursday’s meeting.
Finidi said it was when he got to Port Harcourt, Rivers State after the meeting with the NFF that someone called him and told him what was going on. He stopped and read the memo and saw it was true.
He said he waited for two days to know if anybody would contact him to inform about what was happening but no one contacted him.
Based on that, he felt if that was the case, they did not want him anymore and that was why he decided to resign.
IN SALLAH MESSAGE, EX-PRESIDENT BUHARI MAKES CASE FOR INCREASED FOOD PRODUCTION, AWARENESS ON POPULATION EXPLOSION
Former President Muhammadu Buhari says he is pleased that more Nigerians have taken to the farm to grow more food so as to bring prices down and feed the nation, warning however that uncontrolled population growth was a matter for concern.
Speaking to journalists shortly after joining Emir of Daura, Dr Faruk Umar Faruk, to observe the Eid prayer at the township Eid ground on Sunday, the former president said “I am wishing everyone a Happy Sallah. May this special festival bring joy, prosperity and wonderful health to everyone.
“I use this occasion to make an appeal to all citizens to make Nigeria self-reliant. Let us grow our own food. We have shown that we can do it. This is not the time to relent when we see prices going up.
“Let us buy what is produced in the country.
“The foundation of a prosperous and stable country has been laid by successive governments, and I encourage our youth, in particular, to continue to play an active role in various nation-building efforts.
“I urge the youth of the country to seek to know about the founding fathers of the nation, the important personalities of their regions, and derive inspiration from them.”
Reflecting on the massive crowds at the Eid in Daura, the former President expressed concern at unchecked population expansion, saying that it will bring a lot of problems to future generations.
“There is a need for greater discussion and awareness about this problem, as well as a need to invest more in education and health.”
In conclusion, he said, “Considering the situation in the country, and in the spirit of the Sallah, let us help one another and be our bothers’s keepers. I wish everyone a happy Sallah.”
Speaking to members of the National Youth Service, NYSC who have maintained a tradition of paying homage to him every Sallah, the former president said “the scheme continues to be a strong fabric holding the country together”, and urged successive administrations “to continue to strengthen it.”
He described the NYSC as one of the greatest achievements of General Yakubu Gowon as Head of state.
As he has every year, the former president gave a cow, 10 bags of rice, and some cash to the NYSC members to celebrate the occasion.
Today, I attended a special gathering to commemorate Eid al-Adha at HE President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's residence in Lagos.
Also present was Deputy Governor @drobafemihamzat, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Dr. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, Lagos State Head of Service, Mr. Bode Agoro and Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the President of Dangote Group.
Lagos State Deputy Governor, today while observing the Eid Prayer to commemorate this year’s Eid-el-Kabir celebration held at the Dodan Barracks Praying Ground, Obalende, Lagos.
EID-EL-KABIR: PRESIDENT TINUBU OBSERVES PRAYERS, CALLS FOR LOVE AND CHARITY TO THE VULNERABLE
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on Nigerians to show more care for their neighbours and extend charity to all in the spirit of Eid-el-Kabir.
Speaking with journalists after Eid-el-Kabir prayers in Lagos on Sunday, the President said some level of sacrifice will be required to move the nation forward.
"We have been told by the Chief Imam how we can follow the path of sacrifice. The sacrifice required of a good citizen. Citizenship comes with responsibilities. As citizens, what do we need to do to be committed members of our society? Yes, that is sacrifice; loving your country. Loving your neighbours. Sharing what you have with each other. And to always be thankful to Almighty God," the President said.
In his sermon, the Chief Imam of Lagos State, Sheikh Suleiman Oluwatoyin Abou-Nolla, who led the prayers, reiterated the need for more love, sacrifice and care for the poor and the vulnerable.
"Our leaders like the late Sir Ahmadu Bello, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, Funmilayo Ransome Kuti, to mention a few, sacrificed their knowledge, wealth, sweat, and even life, to the growth and development of the country we call ours today. All their activities and actions were geared towards nation-building.
"We must therefore ensure that their sacrifices are not in vain. It is incumbent on us to follow their footsteps to ensure that this nation, Nigeria, continues to grow in leaps and bounds," he said.
The Chief Imam of Lagos urged citizens to pray that God Almighty grants the President the strength and wisdom to deliver on his vision for a better and prosperous nation.
Music/Radio › Rema's Calm Down Makes Afrobeats History In The US by naptu2(op): 11:58am On Jun 18, 2024*. Modified: 12:14pm On Jun 18, 2024
