RAPPER AKA, real name Kiernan Forbes on Wednesday clarified the public misrepresentation of his football tweet, as a xenophobic attack. The rapper is also saddened by the notion that he dislikes or hates Nigeria/Nigerians and he does NOT.
“At NO point do I say anything negative about Nigeria. If anything I’m saying the opposite – Nigeria is good at so many things, they’re winning! My frustration was in South Africa losing the football match,” says AKA.
The rapper has received numerous threats from people assumed to be from Nigeria saying they will “kill” him if he goes to that country.
AKA is an avid sports fan, importantly a passionate football fan, who gets involved in social media engagements in expressing his disappointment and happiness in relation to his team’s performance.
“Kiernan takes his support of his football teams so seriously that he walks around with a huge Manchester United tattoo on his left arm. To those who know him, personally and through social media, his passion for any topic is no surprise,” says a statement released by his management team.
His team explains that a month ago, after South Africa’s Bafana Bafana bruising exit from the AFCON 2019 tournament, losing their quarter-final match to the Super Eagles of Nigeria, Kiernan tweeted what any normal football fan would say in relation to the loss. Everyone who knows the history of these two teams since South Africa’s re-admittance into the international sport back in 1992, SA and Nigeria have always had a rivalry, and have enjoyed a friendly banter. AKA fully captured this mood in a light and fun way through his tweets.
They continue to explain that on Monday there has been an unfortunate uprising relating to xenophobic attacks, in one part of Johannesburg, and the uproar on social media regarding the killings and rapes of women and children.
As one of the most prominent voices on social media, AKA tweeted his disappointment at these events and expressed his fears of raising his four-year-old daughter, Kairo, in such an unsafe and volatile environment. One person from twitter, deliberately misrepresented his football-related tweets, from a month ago and made it seem like it was his general and overall sentiments on African foreign nationals, particularly, Nigerians.
His management team says that whereby AKA responded in the user’s typical sarcastic banter, and this too was still taken out of context and the misrepresentation of his words and intentions grew even further. This led to attacks and threats that were not just confined to AKA, but extended to his mother, daughter, brother and girlfriend, DJ Zinhle.
“I am unsure how innocent tweets over football have been taken so greatly out of context. I am saddened by the notion that I, Kiernan Jarred Forbes, dislike or hate Nigeria/Nigerians – I do not. These words never came from me. I am disheartened that anyone would believe I have negative feelings towards Nigeria and her citizens, as nothing could be further from the truth,” says Super-Mega.
“My frustration was in South Africa losing the football match. Thinking ‘now we lose a rivalry football match as well, it’s just too much.’ It was a laughable moment with reference to the spirit of rivalry. Family rivalry – as we are all of the same, the same continent. We are all Africans,” says AKA.
We (his management) have noted tweets made by Nigerian artist Burnaboy, alongside AKA’s music agency, Vth Season (Raphael Benza), we have and continue to be in engagement with his team, both in the US and Nigeria.
MGOSI.co.za