Burna boy’s mum is increasingly becoming more popular. Indeed, behind every star child, they say, is a superstar mum.
Well, it’s no different for the self-acclaimed African Giant, Burna Boy who recently brought home a Grammy award.
A close observation of Burna boy’s career exposes his famous manager, his own mother.
In the music space, her popular name is ‘Mama Burna’.
You probably know that mama Burna manages the musical careers of her son Damini, who performs as Burna Boy, and daughter Nissi, who performs under her own name.
Burna Boy’s mum was his manager until 2014 and then again, from 2017 onwards, where she gained the nickname Mama Burna.
Also, she has collected several awards for Burna Boy at various events. Some of them are the All Africa Music Awards, The Headies and the MTV Europe Music Award.
Burna Boy’s mum also picked up his award at the 2019 MTV award for Best African Act, where she interrupted Burna’s show to tell him.
When Burna Boy won four prizes at the 2018 Soundcity MVP Awards Festival, she was his representative.
At that event, she caused a social media sensation by saying “Expect more madness”.
At the 2019 BET Awards in California, Burna Boy’s mum stood in for her son yet again, to collect the award for Best International Act and gave a speech reminding African-Americans to remember “you were Africans before you became anything else” which resulted in a standing ovation.
10 Things You Don’t Know About Burna Boy’s Mum
Some of the things you probably didn’t know about Burna boy’s mum include:
1. Bose Ogulu has got a Bachelor of Arts degree in foreign languages, and she speaks French, Italian, German, English, and Yoruba).
2. She holds a Masters of Arts in translation and had a successful career as a translator for the Federation of West African Chambers of Commerce for a number of years.
Have you read: Right Nutrition For Smarter, Stronger Child In 2021
3. Mama Burna is the founder & CEO of Spaceship Collective, the holding company to Spaceship Records (an entertainment label) and Spaceship Publishing (a publishing outfit).
4. Also, she once ran a language school called Language Bridges. At the school, she organised cultural immersion trips for over 1,800 young people.
5. She taught French for a decade at the University of Education in Port Harcourt. Burna Boy’s mum retired 2018.
6. Burna boy’s mum is the daughter of Nigerian music critic Benson Idonije, who was the manager of Fela Kuti.
Thoughts About Kids And Career
7. She is married to Samuel Ogulu and they have been together in marriage for 31 years. Damini, Ronami, and Nissi Ogulu are their three children.
8. She’s an alumnus of Queens College, and the University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria
9. She is an advocate for giving children permission and support so that they are confident to chase their dreams.
From a woman whose Dad used to drop off and pick up from parties, it’s clear that her parenting style draws a parallel with her own upbringing.
She advocates allowing youth and kids to follow their passions.
10. Furthermore, the rumour that she used to be one of Fela’s dancers, is grossly incorrect. Burna’s mum was only a child at the time her father worked for Fela.
She, however, admits that Fela was the closest thing she had to a godfather.
Find more resources on parenting and motherhood here.
