Mrs. Bose Ogulu, popularly known as Mama Burna, remains one of the most memorable figures in African entertainment after delivering a powerful acceptance speech on behalf of her son, Burna Boy, at the 2019 BET Awards.
Mama Burna accepted the Best International Act award for Burna Boy during the ceremony held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles after the singer was temporarily absent from the auditorium. Her brief but impactful speech quickly went viral, earning widespread praise and a standing ovation from the audience.
Addressing the crowd, she thanked BET and Africa for supporting Burna Boy’s rise to global recognition.
“Thank you very much, BET. Thank you, Africa, because that is the constituency for which we got noticed in the first place,” she said.
She then delivered a message she attributed to Burna Boy, saying: “Every Black person should please remember that you were Africans before you were anything else.”
The speech struck a chord with audiences worldwide, sparking conversations about African identity, heritage and cultural pride.
The award was presented by Chrissy Teigen and Ne-Yo.
Beyond her role as Burna Boy’s mother, Mrs. Ogulu is widely recognised as his talent manager and co-founder of the Spaceship Collective. Over the years, she has earned a reputation as a formidable force in the music industry, frequently drawing attention at major international events with her confident presence and advocacy for African excellence.
Her 2019 BET Awards appearance remains one of the defining moments of Burna Boy’s global journey and a celebrated symbol of African pride on the world stage.
