The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has praised Afrobeats stars Wizkid and Tems, expressing surprise that their hit song Essence did not win a Grammy Award in 2022.
Onanuga made the remark while reacting to the buzz surrounding the duo’s performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival over the weekend.
“Still wondering why Essence did not win a Grammy. Great song, great rhythm!” he wrote on X, sharing a clip from their live performance.
During the show, Canadian pop star Justin Bieber made a surprise appearance, joining Wizkid and Tems on stage for a rendition of the remix.
Essence, originally released in 2020, is the 11th track on Wizkid’s album Made in Lagos. A remix featuring Bieber was later included in the deluxe version of the album in 2021.
The song was nominated for Best Global Music Performance at the 2022 Grammy Awards but lost to Pakistani singer-songwriter Arooj Aftab for her track “Mohabbat.” The album Made in Lagos also missed out on Best Global Music Album, losing to Beninese music icon Angélique Kidjo.
Despite the loss, both Wizkid and Tems have secured Grammy wins. Wizkid won Best Music Video in 2021 for his contribution to Beyoncé’s “Brown Skin Girl,” while Tems has earned multiple awards, including Best Melodic Rap Performance in 2023 for “Wait for U” and Best African Music Performance in 2025 for “Love Me Jeje.”
