Entertainment of Thursday, 12 October 2023

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Are you jealous or what? – CEO of GMA UK 'punches' Kwasi Aboagye over £80,000 performance fee claim

CEO of Ghana Music Awards UK, Eric Nii Tetteh CEO of Ghana Music Awards UK, Eric Nii Tetteh

The Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Music Awards UK (GMA-UK), Eric Nii Tetteh, who is popularly known as Alordia, has strongly criticized Kwasi Aboagye, a host of Peace FM's Entertainment Review show. This rebuke came after Aboagye claimed that it was untrue that Shatta Wale was paid an amount of £80,000 for his performance.

According to him, Kwasi Aboagye’s claim came as a surprise to him because the broadcaster was not present when the contract was signed. He said he finds it bewildering why the presenter would make such uncouth claims about the award scheme.

Alordia questioned whether Kwasi Aboagye was motivated by jealousy saying: "If presenters will talk, they should do their research before they come and talk. As a presenter, you don't sit on the radio and say because you're trying to damage other people as well. Do you know how many screenshots I've had? And people asking me, have you got a problem with this guy [Kwasi Aboagye]?

Alordia continued: "I don't even have a problem with him. I'm asking if he was there when the contract was signed. Does he know how much the person gets paid? You can't just sit on the radio and just run your mouth just like that. Listen, I'm not telling you [ the amount paid] it's private."

The event promoter and organiser made these remarks during a discussion on Joy Entertainment's podcast on X, formerly Twitter.

Alordia further lambasted Kwasi Aboagye for his spurious claims and admonished him to desist from making such remarks because it hampers the progress of the Ghana music industry.

“If we sign a contract with artiste and we want everybody to know, we'll bring it out. if it's mentioned, they find he wants to mention and he has mentioned. So what has he [Shatta Wale] got to do with you? Is that money going into your pocket? Is it jealousy or it's what?

“Trust me, if we want our musicians to go far, we need to support them. We should stop saying certain things. Do you know how it affects musicians? Some of the things that we say, but people don't know. Sometimes you go to places, try to strike a deal for a musician, and one single layoff that a presenter or a blogger has said will kill the deal. It shouldn't be like that. And most of these things are not even true.”

Background

Kwasi Aboagye labeled Shatta Wale’s claims that he (Shatta Wale) was paid a whopping £80,000 for performing at the Ghana Music Awards UK 2023 as false.

Earlier in a Twitter post, the Dancehall musician, while appreciating the organizers and fans for a successful event, bragged about being honored with such an amount.

In what seemed like a jab at event organizers in Ghana, Shatta said:
“Thank you, London, #GMAUK You did what Ghana music in Ghana couldn’t do 80k pounds for performance Artiste of the year 2023 (Icing on the cake) Shatta Wale is a London boy now !!!”

But Kwasi Aboagye insisted that Shatta's statements were mere lies.

The popular broadcaster said on his Peace FM Entertainment Review that it is impossible for the organizers to pay him such an amount after incurring other huge costs for his trip.

He said the organizers would not be able to afford such an amount after incurring visa expenses, first flight tickets, accommodation, and others for him and his team.

“Shatta Wale said he was paid 80,000 pounds as a performance fee and the ultimate ‘Artiste of the Year’ award. He was never paid 80,000 pounds for his performance. It is a huge lie! Do the organizers even have that 80,000 pounds to give Shatta Wale? He is lying.

"It is never true. 80,000 pounds. You were given a heroic welcome at the airport, given a royalty treat. You, your girlfriend, and your entire team were given visas. You guys flew first class. I am not sure you were even given 10,000 pounds.

“The organizers cannot speak on it but listeners, I want you to know that it is not true. They cannot give him that kind of money. Which Ghanaian living in the UK, Which promoter can give that amount?” he retorted.

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