The 17th Headies Award was held on April 27, 2025, and it wasn't without what has now become a typical technical and professional failure.
I had the privilege of attending the ceremony and seeing these failures in person. However, I have elected to shake off the temptation of diving into the details of these recurring shortcomings because let us face it, there's nothing new to say.
Perhaps the travesty of having the mother of Nigerian global star Tems present an award that her daughter won. There's also the utter lack of professionalism from the several, I dare say, undeserving personalities who presented awards. Or the inexplicable 5 - 10 minute pause that punctuated every agenda.
For the most part, it was a case of predictable failures that the Headies organisers seem incapable of fixing, and an industry that appears to be settling for what is now the new order.
Or how else should one interpret the words of one of the night's presenters movie star Kunle Afolayan who compared the Headies Awards to a child that must be loved by the parent comes what may.
His position isn't without reason. It's likely inspired by patriotism for the Nigerian cause and maybe a resignation that just won't get better.
When I consider the excellence Mr. Afolayan has shown in his works as a filmmaker, I wonder if he would tolerate a similar level of mediocrity if displayed by the African Magic Viewers' Choice Award, which is the leading prize for movies.
So while I might not agree entirely with the somewhat defeatist remarks of Kunle Afolayan, I appreciate the fact that Headies Award represents a lot to Nigerians who need to find ways to support the organisers while demanding for better performance.
It's this call for better performance that will form the basis of this write-up.
What The Headies Must Do To Regain its Status As A Prestigious Award Ceremony
After another poor outing at the 17th Headies where there's yet to be a full list of winners hours after the ceremony, where there was a shortage of plaques, presenters incapable of handling the task they were saddled with, and disinterested artists performing to a tired audience (the show started past 11 PM and ran into 4 AM), the Academy's reputation is at an all time low.
Although things look really bad for the award ceremony, the situation can be remedied. Here's how.
It's time for the old guard to go
I will keep it a buck. The old guard who has so far taken the Headies Academy this far has lost the command of the stakeholders at the forefront of the industry and is doing itself no favours in retaining the patronage of those who still reckon with the award.
There simply needs to be an overhaul in approach and this cannot be limited to the delectable designs of Landmark Event Centre or the applaudible pre-award summits that brought together professionals within the industry.
A new order must start from the planning process down to the execution.
The current structure that has resulted in questionable nominations, utterly ridiculous presenters (what's with the obsession with Big Brother Naija stars, Instagram celebrities, and friends of the brand?), poor production, and general unprofessionalism must be jettisoned for a new one that understands and reflects the yearning of a new generation.
Rebranding isn't the award ceremony vacationing for two years in Atlanta, or returning to Lagos as a flashy I just got back (IJGB). It's not putting old wine in new bottles. Rebranding requires an honest overhaul of all the factors responsible for the current outcome.
The Headies Academy needs to go back to the drawing board to analyse where it all went wrong, what it will take to fix it, and identify the private and public partners needed to get the award back on track.
Connect with a new generation
There's no need to continue pretending the Headies still commands the respect of the biggest stars in the industry.
Most no longer want to associate with the award ceremony and it's pointless reaching out at the expense of a new generation who still cares.
Awards are prestigious if only the artists aspire to win them. The Headies need to identify and build with artists that still aspire to the award rather than going out of their way to compromise the integrity of the entire establishment just to accomodate the big names.
Awards shows shouldn't be built on the profile of stars who grace the red carpet, but on the aspiration it inspires from the stars.
A collection of stars across different generations who have a genuine desire to be a part of the rebuild process is better than a fancy list with disgruntled stars who believe they are doing everyone a favour by showing up.
Balancing Capitalism with an Altruistic Vision
An award body is not a business organisation run for profit. This makes it a largely altruistic endeavour.
Running an Award Academy is a very expensive affair, especially considering the scale at which the Headies is operating.
Kudos to the Academy for consistently finding ways to offset this cost, although it remains a challenge.
The Headies Academy must figure out a way to raise fund without necessarily having to strecyh itself thin to accomodate everyone willing to write a cheque.
In this writer's opinion, one way to go about this is by creating an appealing product around the award. An example of such a product would be a music festival that attracts exciting music stars and thousands of fans.
Tems won the award for “Best Recording Of The Year” for Burning at the #17thheadies 🏆
— tems 𝖘z𝖓 (@temsszn) April 27, 2025
Her gorgeous mom & Seyi Sodimu accept the award on her behalf ! pic.twitter.com/c1TU2ZKYEb
The music festival can span multiple days, with the award ceremony wrapping up the festivities.
The music festival and award ceremony will also be better suited for December when the huge diasporan community will be visiting the country with interest and pockets to seek some fun.
Bottom Line
At the moment, things look bleak for the Headies Academy. However, there's still hope.
The Headies can still get it right. There only needs to be an honest approach to get this done.
A better structure that delivers a reliable award season, a credible nomination process, embraces the new generation of stars and produces a quality award show will reposition the Headies as a prestigious award body.
The Headies organisers need not look at the 62 year old Grammy award for inspiration. They can look at the relatively young South Korean Music Awards which defied challenges to become a key structure of a fast growing industry.
Inspiration can also be found at home in the form of the African Magic Viewers' Choice Award, whose stellar organisation has conveyed a professionalism that demands reciprocity from an industry where stakeholders continue to show up and cover themselves in grace.
There's a lot to be done and little room for further compromise. The Headies must act now.
