The Black Lives Matter global movement, which was founded after the death of African-American teenager Trayvon Martin, who was fatally shot in 2012, has steadily been gaining momentum, particularly of recent.
Following the circulation of a harrowing video, showing a policeman kneeling on the neck of a Black-American, George Floyd, which eventually led to his death, celebrities around the world, including stars of Nigerian origin, have spoken out against racism.
Amongst the Nigerian celebrities are -Actor and producer John Boyega, actress and singer Cynthia Erivo, actress Rachael Adedeji, and boxer Anthony Joshua.
Star Wars actor John Boyega said “f*** you racist white people” after joining growing international outrage over the death of Floyd who was held down for almost ten minutes as a white American police officer knelt on his neck.
“I really f— hate racists,” Boyega, who was born in London to parents of Nigerian descent, wrote, going on to succinctly explain that he was specifically talking about “WHITE on BLACK racism. The kind that has ruined the world.”
British-Nigerian actress, Rachael Adedeji called it a quit with Hollyoaks, a British soap opera, as racism row rages. The 28-year-old had jumped on social media to accuse the show producers of racism, as she angrily reacted to Hollyoaks‘ underwhelming stance on the Black Lives Matter movement, after which her resignation from the show came to fore.
2012 Olympic gold medallist, Anthony Joshua, who regained his heavyweight belts against Andy Ruiz Jr in December last year (2019), joined protesters at a Black Lives Matter rally at Watford, an English town northwest of London.
The WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO world heavyweight champion, who was born to a Nigerian mother, and Irish ancestry father, delivered a powerful speech to the protesters, comparing racism to a virus and suggesting that people are the vaccine.
As protests and rallies against racial injustice and the killing of black people continue, English actress Cynthia Erivo joined other celebrities to sign an open letter, blasting theater industry’s racism.
Born to Nigerian immigrants, Erivo, in the open letter addressed to ‘White American Theater’, was filled with ugly truths that those who have worked in the theater industry have experienced for decades.
Who do you think is missing from this list?