Nigerian singer, Divine Ikubor, popularly known as Rema, has praised Afrobeats veteran, D’banj for his contributions to the genre’s global recognition, especially in the UK.

D’banj’s 2012 hit ‘Oliver Twist’ was the first Nigerian song to enter the top 10 on the UK official chart, thereby paving the way for other Afrobeats songs on the chart.

Bringing the veteran on stage at his sold-out concert at London’s 02 Arena on Sunday, Rema noted that without D’banj’s crossover success in the UK, he wouldn’t have succeeded as an Afrobeats artist in the UK.

He noted that D’banj opened the doors for Afrobeats artists in the United Kingdom.

“First of all, I want to appreciate you for opening the doors. We [the new generational artists] do not do it alone.

“You were one of the first ones to bring Afrobeats to the UK. You and Don Jazzy held it down. Y’all open that door.

“I appreciate you for life. I love you from the bottom of my heart. If you never existed, I would have never existed,” he said.