I'm Nigerian. I'm African. I have a lot to say. Apart from what

The voice of the new Africa, Burna Boy, once declared with burning pride: “I’m Nigerian. I’m African. I have a lot to say. Apart from what I say, though, is the feeling. People can relate to that feeling. It’s a reciprocal relationship. They feed off me and I feed off them.” In these words, he reveals both identity and calling—the knowledge that his roots as a Nigerian and as an African give power to his voice, and that this power is not for himself alone, but for the communion between artist and people.

For words, though mighty, are not enough. Beyond the message lies the feeling—that invisible current that flows from the heart of the singer into the hearts of those who listen. It is not always reason that binds men, but emotion, rhythm, and the unspoken truths that resonate in the soul. This feeling is what Burna Boy carries, and it is what makes his music more than sound—it becomes a bridge across peoples, nations, and generations.

He calls this bond a reciprocal relationship, where the artist gives of himself, but also receives life from his audience. This is the eternal dance of creation: the people draw strength, joy, and identity from the music, while the artist is nourished by their energy, their recognition, and their shared spirit. Neither exists in isolation; both breathe through one another.

The ancients understood this, for the bard of old did not sing to himself but to the tribe. His words carried memory, courage, and warning. The people gave him their ears and their hearts, and in turn, he gave them their story. So too with Burna Boy—his voice rises from Nigeria, from Africa, yet it echoes across the world, because it speaks with authenticity born of both struggle and pride.

So let this wisdom endure: identity is power, feeling is language, and art is communion. To be a true artist is to enter into a covenant with the people—to give them truth, rhythm, and passion, and to receive from them the strength to continue. This is the eternal circle: they feed off me, and I feed off them—and in that exchange, both artist and people are made greater.