American Rapper Nicki Minaj has blasted Grammy organizers, claiming they have taken away award due her and given it a white man.

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According to her, she had 7 songs charting on billboards simultaneously yet she was not nominated

She continued that, her award has been given to a White Man called Bon Iver

She also continued that Grammy organizers contacted her to promote Grammy but later asked her to drop from the competition after is has done everything they asked her to do

Read also ”Grammys Didn’t Give Me My Best New Artist Award But Gave It To A White Man”-Nicki Minaj

In a tweet she stated

Never forget the Grammys didn’t give me my best new artist award when I had 7 songs simultaneously charting on billboard & bigger first week than any female rapper in the last decade- went on to inspire a generation. They gave it to the white man Bon Iver.

This made a man identified as @Andy to debunk her claims as he claimed the white man Bon Iver is a great artist with great body of works and talent unlike her

By Ademola Adebisi

The just concluded American presidential election has, apart from testing America’s claim to tutorship and guardianship of democratic ideals, resonated in every corner of the globe, as its Democratic and Republican leading and keen contestants, drew sympathizers also across the world. If football clubs in the European leagues have crazy fans across the globe, the Democratic and Republican parties in America drew no less fanatical following throughout the world. This could not but be the trend, granted the fact that, the U.S. is a miniature world, as probably almost a fraction of the citizens of every country on the surface of the earth, have foothold on the soil of God’s own country, pursuing prosperity, good life and liberty, thus inevitably glued every part of the world to its affairs including the analysis of its politics and policies.

Although ideologically, the difference between the Democratic and Republican parties can be described as one between six and half a dozen, however, the Democratic Party is seen as pro- poor and the middle class, while the Republican Party is seen as pro-rich. In like manner on the fronts of international relations and foreign policy, while the Democratic Party is perceived as progressive and pro-developing countries, the Republican Party is often seen as hawkish and less benign towards the developing countries. It is within this prism, with all its limitations, that some Nigerians, playing the oracle but without being scientific (though it is also the aim of the scientific approach to be able to predict the future with precision), have argued that, with the victory of Biden, Nigeria should certainly receive a better deal from the US. This expectation is heightened by the fact that, Nigeria has in recent times, suffered some raw deals under Trump presidency which most Nigerians believe or assume would not have probably happened, under a Democratic Party -led administration. The visa restriction imposed on Nigeria is one; the Trump’s efforts to frustrate the re-election of Akinwumi Adesina as the president of the African Development Bank is second; and his hanging veto on the choice of Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala  as the Director-General of the World Trade Organization is the third. It is against this line of thought that, they are playing futurologists by asserting that, Biden’s deals with Nigerian should be more benign than Trump’s.

This oracular or prophetic insight may not necessarily hold for a number of reasons which are rooted in the historicity of American foreign policy objectives, foreign policy pronouncements, and its externally directed actions and even its inactions. In the first instance, let it be said that, any day any time, and under any political party, American foreign policy will always be driven by its national interests. The bipartisan American national interests have been woven to include: “to prevent, deter and reduce the threat of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons attacks on the U.S. or its military forces abroad; ensure U.S allies survival and their active cooperation with the United States in shaping an international system in which we can thrive; prevent the emergence of hostile major powers or failed states on U.S. borders; ensure the viability and stability of major global systems (trade, financial markets, supplies of energy, and the environment); and establish productive relations, consistent with American national interests, with nations that could become strategic adversaries, China and Russia.” The above is the fulcrum on which American foreign policy is run irrespective of party affiliation. They were bequeathed to Trump and Trump barring any joker on Biden’s victory, will bequeath them to Biden. Although these objectives are fluid to some extent, and the personality traits of whoever is the president will influence their interpretations, however in the final analysis, what is often obvious in every US foreign policy pronouncement, action and inaction is that, America always comes first. This is why Trump’s often parroted foreign policy slogan, ” America first”, seems to me, a mere re-echo of what has been the driving force of American foreign policy over the years and ever before Trump presidency. In other words, America’s interests over the years have never come second either under the Democratic Party or Republican Party. The point should be emphasised that, in the conduct of foreign policy, what futurologists called “hereditary mechanism” cannot be discounted. According to Stenelo, “hereditary mechanism” as a factor…fulfils two functions…it influences the probability that a certain political event will be transferred from one decision-making generation to another, and, on the other hand, contributes to the recipient’s maintaining its political heritage”. This being the case, there is then, the possibility that, Biden’s victory will not automatically translate to the vacation of the visa restriction slammed on a category of Nigerians by Trump if Nigeria still fails to meet the requirements stipulated by the American government. As Stenelo has emphasised again, “a foreign policy heritage is normally in itself a potentially stabilising factor”. Thus, while it is in our interest that, Okonjo-Iweala becomes the D-G of the WTO, if by the time Biden settles down, and he too perceives that, America’s interest can be jeopardised with her on the seat, he too might toe Trump’s path or if he allows Okonjo-Iweala to clinch the seat, the organization may be rendered ineffectual. Let it be also stressed that, Democratic victory as history has revealed, will not translate to America’s granting of undeserved concessions to Nigeria, and neither will the Republican’s habitation of power mean neglect of Nigeria by America. Right from the time Nigeria has sealed diplomatic cord with the U.S. in 1960, both countries have recognised the fact that they need each other irrespective of the party in power. That is why, save the period of Abacha reign, when there was a marked change in US-Nigerian relations, both countries have been seeking out each other for mutual benefits. Even in the face of Nigeria’s fall for Chinese paycheque diplomacy, in matter of purchase of aircraft to fight Boko Haram insurgents, Republican Trump agreed to sell the aircraft to Nigeria, but which Obama declined. Yet, both countries have claimed mutual benefits. In the final analysis therefore, Nigerians who are expecting drastic foreign policy shifts under Biden should exercise some caution and realise that, America under Biden will not compromise America’s national interests and we may even meet disappointment in him just as we met in Democrat Obama when he held gay marriage in one hand and financial aid on the other hand for bargain.

• Dr. Adebisi writes from the Federal College of Agriculture, Akure.

The BBC has released its BBC 100 Women list for 2020, which celebrates 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world.

The 2020 list highlights women who are “leading change and making a difference during these turbulent times.” Also, “in an extraordinary year – when countless women around the world have made sacrifices to help others – one name on the 100 Women list has been left blank as a tribute.” according to BBC.

The BBC’s 100 Women team drew up a shortlist based on names gathered by them and suggested by the BBC’s network of World Service languages teams. We were looking for candidates who had made the headlines or influenced important stories over the past 12 months, as well as those who have inspiring stories to tell, achieved something significant or influenced their societies in ways that wouldn’t necessarily make the news. The pool of names was then assessed against this year’s theme – women who led change – and measured for regional representation and due impartiality, before the final names were chosen.

The list includes Nigeria’s Aisha Yesufu and Uyaiedu Ikpe-Etim, among other leaders, trailblazers and everyday heroes from over 60 countries.

Nigerians on the list include:

Aisha Yesufu – Activist, Nigerian

Aisha is an activist who is actively demanding good governance and accountability in her country. A co-convener of the Bring Back Our Girls campaign and a prominent participant in the #EndSars protests.

Uyaiedu is a feminist film-maker, director and LGBTQ+ activist, who has committed herself to creating stories about marginalised groups in Nigeria.

Her film “Ifẹ́” highlights the harsh, homophobic realities of her country.

Other Africans on the list include:

Angelique is a four-time Grammy award winner who advocates on behalf of children as a Unicef ambassador, and through her own charitable foundation, Batonga, which supports the education of young girls in Africa.

Jemimah is passionate about preventive medicine, especially in maternal and child health. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, she provided a solution to the delay of access to health care due to limited transport options – licensed vehicles, taking women from their homes to the hospital. This led to Wheels for Life – a free ambulance service.

Vanessa Nakate – Climate activist, Uganda.

Vanessa is the founder of the Africa-based Rise Up Movement where she campaigns internationally to highlight the effects of climate change in Africa.

Ethel Nakimuli-Mpungu – A psychiatrist and senior lecturer at Makerere University, Uganda.

Ethel works towards making therapy more culturally appropriate, particularly for people living with HIV and depression.

Douce is the founder of Uwezo Afrika Initiative, a non-profit venture promoting women’s empowerment through journalism, job training and social entrepreneurship.

Bulelwa has been showered with awards and is enjoying a successful career in the music industry – but she has also used her platform to speak out about violence against women in South Africa, something she revealed has happened to her.

Josina is a long-standing defender of human rights, born into a legacy of activism. She is fiercely passionate in her life’s calling to advance women’s rights.

Ishtar is a feminist, activist and self-proclaimed “troublemaker”. who collaborates with social-justice organisations, movements and networks around the world, providing the support needed to strengthen their approaches to human rights-advocacy.

Ishtar  also played a major role in the Free the Vaccine campaign, engineered by the Center for Artistic Activism and Universities Allied for Essential Medicines (UAEM) this year.

Mulenga co-founded the Zambian Women’s History Museum, lauded in 2020 for marking Zambian women’s contribution to their nation.