As Eurovision 2025 dey prepare for di grand finale wey go happun for May 17 for Basel, Switzerland, di world biggest televised music competition don enter wahala again — no be because of di performances, but because of di politics wey dey surround am.

Dis year competition, wey be di 69th edition, dey happun as people for di world dey criticize di European Broadcasting Union (EBU) decision to allow Israel participate, even though dem don accuse dem of war crimes for Gaza, di occupation wey still dey go on, and di calls wey international community dey make for accountability.

Di main wahala na di EBU selective neutrality. For 2022, dem quick quick comot Russia from di competition because of di military campaign wey dem carry go Ukraine. But, even as Israel dey continue di wahala for Gaza wey don kill tens of thousands of people and South Africa don call am genocide for di International Court of Justice, EBU still dey talk say Eurovision no be political event.

But for many artists and people wey dey watch di show, dis kain talk no follow again.

‘No clap for genocide’

Protests don already start for dis year opening ceremony wey dem do for May 11. As Israeli contestant Yuval Raphael waka for di turquoise carpet for Basel, protesters carry placards wey write “No clap for genocide” and “Singing while Gaza dey burn.”

People even dey boo am as di normal celebration dey go on.

One commentator for Eurovision, Dean Vuletic, talk say peaceful pro-Palestinian protests dey happun, including di one for di opening ceremony. “But di protests dey peaceful and di event still go as dem plan am, so di situation for Basel no strong reach wetin happun last year for Malmo,” he tell TRT World.

Dis year Eurovision even get one first time history: over 70 former contestants — including past winners like Charlie McGettigan and Salvador Sobral, plus French pop star La Zarra, and UK Jewish artist Mae Muller — sign open letter wey dey demand make dem disqualify Israel.

“KAN dey support Israel genocide against di Palestinians for Gaza and di long-time apartheid regime and military occupation wey dem dey do against di whole Palestinian people,” di letter talk.

Dem call di 2024 edition “di most politicised, chaotic, unpleasant for di competition history,” and dem accuse di EBU say dem dey support “Israel genocide.”

Dem still talk say di organisation dey “normalise and whitewash” Israel war crimes.

“We believe say music get power to bring people together, na why we no go allow dem use am take cover genocide,” di letter talk.

“Last year, we vex say EBU allow Israel participate even as dem dey continue di genocide for Gaza, wey dem dey show live make di world see. Di result no good at all… Silence no be option.”

Di letter compare di way dem allow Israel to di way dem comot Russia for 2022, and dem talk say di double standard no make sense: “EBU don already show say dem fit take action… We no go gree for dis double standard wey concern Israel.”

Even though di letter no fit change dis year show, Israel still dey plan to perform, but di message don spread go different parts of Europe.

Zionism behind di balcony

Israeli contestant Raphael go perform for di second semifinal for May 15 and people dey see am as person wey fit enter di finals.

But even di way she go take show and di stage plan dey based on Zionism.

After weeks of keeping di plan secret, Israel don finally show di details of her performance: she go stand alone, wear black, beside one climbable chandelier and one balcony — di balcony wey Israel broadcaster KAN describe as symbolic reference to di forefather of Zionism, Theodor Herzl, wey look out from balcony for Basel during di Fifth Zionist Congress for 1901.

As di calls for boycott dey increase and protests dey happun for Switzerland and other places, di question wey remain be: Music competition wey dem build on unity, peace, and inclusion fit ignore di things wey dey happun for di world?

Or as one protester placard for Basel talk: “You no fit dey sing while Gaza dey burn.”