BBC Pidgin of Friday, 16 December 2022

Source: BBC

Four pipo dey critical condition afta suspected crush for Asake concert for UK

Asake Asake

One suspected crush during one concert for di Brixton O2 Academy for south London don leave eight pipo for hospital, wit four for  critical condition.

Pipo bin call Police at about 21:35 GMT on Thursday, during di gig by afro-pop singer Asake.

Officers bin dey respond to reports of one big number of pipo wey dey try force dia way inside di venue.

One number of pipo injure and di believe be say believe na crushing cause di gebge, police tok.

Di gig, wey dey abandoned part-way through, be di third of three sold-out shows for di Academy by di Nigerian singer, wey pipo sometimes sabi as Mr Money.

Video for social media show one big crowd wey don gather outside di venue, wit one person claiming on Twitter say more dan 1,000 pipo don turn up without tickets.

For di video footage, di crowd bin dey stretch from di road outside to di venue doors, wit pipo screaming, shouting and struggling.

One video wey one pesin do outside di venue show crowd of pipo for di side street, wit one woman wey dey say pipo dey push one anoda.



One eyewitness Ruth say: "I dey live here and di crowd - E dey always get crowd wey dey come out of di Brixton Academy - but last night get more crowds dan I don ever see."

She say she bin look out of her window afta she see flashing blue lights, she add say: "Di entire intersection dey packed, and I know say something dey go on sake of say police normally no dey show up and dem just yarn me say pipo wound."

Bifor di gig, Asake bin post for Twitter say make fans no show up to di venue and try to gain entry unless dey get tickets.



Journalist and author Jason Okundaye, wey also dey outside di venue for di time, say "e bin get absolutely zero communication" from Academy staff.

E add say e bin go home afta e observe di dangerous conditions, e continue: "Outside di venue dey so unsafe, still slippery conditions sake of di earlier snowstorm, freezing cold, confused crowd and aggressive police dogs wey dey make di risk of one huge crush likely."

Di O2 Academy Brixton get standing capacity of up to almost 5,000 pipo, according to dia website.

Di venue dey opposite Brixton police station, wey partly explain di swift response on Thursday night. E still G get plenty of officers for di scene.

Underneath one "sold out" sign, di metal railings wey scatter across di pavement bear testament to wetin fit don be one chaotic scene.

Cdr Ade Adelekan from di Metropolitan Police say di scene go dey examined by specialist officers as part of investigation whey go be "as thorough and as forensic as necessary".

E say: "Dis be extremely upsetting incident wey don leave four pipo critically ill for hospital. My thoughts and prayers dey wit dem and dia families."

Di Met directorate of professional standards go look all material, including body-worn video footage from di officers for di scene, Scotland Yard tok.

One investigation don dey launched and cordons remain for place for di venue on Stockwell Road. No arrests don shelle.

Wetin to know about Asake

Asake, wey im real name be Ahmed Ololade, dey nominated for BBC Radio 1 Sound of 2023 award.

E dey described for di venue website as "one of di hottest breakout stars from Nigeria" and dey tour im debut album, Oga Money Wit di Vibe.

Born and raised for Lagos State, im songs be part of di Nigerian street-pop subgenre wey blend Afrobeats wit Amapiano, pop melodies and street-smart rap lyrics.

E bin get one break-out hit for 2020 wit im single Lady.

Asake tok sorry to fans

Meanhwile di popular singer don tok sorry to im fans.

For one post for im social media Ahmed Ololade say im heart dey wit all those wey wunjure for di incident.

"I also dey di process to reach out to individuals", e tok.

E add say im dey try get di brief of wetin really happun.

Di singer add say e dey sorry say di show dey cut short but dy look forward to see di London pipo again.