Nigeria-born American singer,Jidenna has finally apologised to Nigerians over statements regarding kidnapping which he made in a recent interview.
While speaking withVladtv, Jidenna, who just released a video with Kendrick Lamar, said he ‘brought in a lot ofAK47s and employed military commandos’ when he came to Nigeria to bury his father for fear of being kidnapped.
The most annoying part, as far as many Nigerians are concerned, is the point in which he said people who have ‘light-skin’ are more valuable and prone to being kidnapped than ‘dark-skinned’ people.
In the apology posted on his website, Jidenna said: ‘In this interview, I used the term “light-skinned.” When using this term, I was actually referring to my immediate family’s mixed or biracial appearance. See, no matter what language I use to describe my heritage, I’m certain that someone will feel some kind of way.’
Cc: Lalasticala Ishilove

Abeg. When fame comes, mouth runs.

Hmm

To all my Nigerian brothers and sisters…I am, always have been, and always will be proud of my Nigerian heritage. I understand the pain and anger caused by some of the comments I made in a recent interview, and I wanted to address you directly. Contraryto popular belief, this interview was not the first in which I mentioned Nigeria. In fact, I’m frequently bragging about how Nigerians attend the world’s most prestigious institutions, and how we are known to produce world classdoctors, entrepreneurs, innovators, lawyers, engineers, professors, athletes and artists. Unfortunately, people tend to leave these moments out, and, in this case, highlight stereotypes. I would never do or say anything to intentionally disgrace the legacy of my father nor my fatherland. But to not relay my own story, both the good times and the bad, would be adisservice
My name is Jidenna, which means “to hold or embrace the father” in Igbo. It was my father who gave me this nameand who taught me countless parables, proverbs, and principles that made me the man I am today. These same principles helped me to write the record “Classic Man.” When I brought home a 98 percent on a test, my father would say, “ah ah, where are the other two points? Go and get them, then bring them back.” My father and Nigerian culture has always stood for excellence. While the majorityof my childhood memories are beautiful, I also have experienced the challenges that Nigeria has faced since Independence.
When I was 5 years old, my family was robbed at gunpoint, my mother was beaten, family members werekidnapped, and I was shot in my foot. As is the case with allkidnapping, targeting those who are perceived to be wealthy is the objective. In this instance, my father was the target because of his prominence in the community. This was a traumatic experience for my family that would shape our entire lives and our experiences in both Nigeria and America. As a little boy, I swore that I would never let that happen to my family again. As my father often said, “Once you’re bitten by a snake, you‘ll be ready to shoota lizard!” At the time of my father’s burial 5 years ago, myfamily in the village was concerned about increased targeting for kidnapping sincethe rate of abductions had increased dramatically in the area we are from. We were traveling from America, whichalong with our biracial appearance, had the potentialto attract attention and pose athreat to our security. In light of what happened in the past and the tense climate at the time, my family took precautions to ensure our safety. This was not an uncommon protocol at the time. I recognize incidents such as these are not unique to Nigeria or the African continent, and there have been significant improvements in the region since this period.