The annual ‘Warri Again Concert’, organized by the Brownhill Event Centre has come and gone, but the controversy generated by this year’s concert following the absence of pop star Davido still lingers. The ‘Unavailable’ crooner was supposed to headline the show, which also featured some of Nigeria’s finest singers, including Flavour, Fireboy, Spyro, Pheelz among others. The concert was heavily promoted on different local broadcast stations ahead of the show and everyone was looking forward to see Davido perform on the stage and mesmerize them with his energetic performance.
On the day of the concert, the entire venue was filled to the brim, as the atmosphere was one of camaraderie and fun filled. The artists in their element took turns to thrill the large crowd with their stage craft and electrifying performances. But despite the breathtaking performances by some top artistes on the night, everyone was waiting patiently for Davido to step onto the stage and as usual charge the atmosphere. He’s known for his crowd pulling performances and his teeming Warri fans couldn’t wait to have a feel of his vibes on stage. But unfortunately, when it looked like Davido wouldn’t be performing on the night as the show headliner, the audience immediately became apprehensive and the atmosphere became charged. It took the timely intervention of the former President of the Nigeria Football Federation,NFF, Amaju Pinnick to save the situation when the pressure was mounting on the organizers.
Narrating the sad situation in a chat with our reporter during the week, the Project Director, Brownhill Events, Mr. Victor Wokocha said everyone felt disappointed when it was obvious that Davido was not around to perform.
His words: “Warri is a very sensitive environment, the people don’t like to be cheated. During the show, people were getting apprehensive and there was tension everywhere. So, my boss had to put out the contract and everything we did with Davido on the screen to save the day. While tension was building on the night, people were scared because Warri is known to be a very sensitive city, and if the situation was not properly handled, it would have degenerated into pandemonium and catastrophe.
“We would not have been able to talk and it may turn out to be another Mohbad story. Davido should be thankful that the event didn’t degenerate into pandemonium that could lead to death. He should have come out to thank us, apologize, and refund the money paid to him, instead of abusing and levelling allegations against us. If somebody did not show up for an event he’s paid for, the police would invite him, and if there’s no good reason for his action, he should be prosecuted. In Nigeria, nobody is above the law. “Recall back in time, when the late Fela Kuti came to perform in Warri. He climbed the stage around 12 am and after performing for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, he wanted to stop. But the Warri people wouldn’t allow him to do so. And when he sensed danger, the Afrobeats king continued to perform till daybreak to satisfy his audience before closing the show. That’s how sensitive the Warri people are”.
Following the failure of Davido to perform at this year’s concert after allegedly being paid a huge sum of $94,600, the organizers said they had briefed their legal team and were waiting for the next steps to take.
