Ghanaian dancehall artist, Stonebwoy will not be performing today (January 5, 2025) at the National Democratic Congress (NDC) victory concert, which will take place at the forecourt of Legon Stadium in Accra.
After sharing promotional materials of the artist performing at the event, the organizers later issued a statement to announce the dancehall ‘torcher’ exclusion from the lineup.
“The organizers of the Ghana Victory Concert, responding to public sentiment and concerns from the party’s grassroots regarding Stonebwoy’s inclusion, have decided to remove the artiste from the concert lineup.
“We sincerely apologize to all members of the National Democratic Congress, particularly the grassroots, for what may have appeared to be a lack of discretion on the part of the organizers. We also apologize to Stonebwoy and his team for this unfortunate outcome.”
The statement
Prior to this, some NDC supporters who believed Stonebwoy didn’t support the party during last December’s general election started a # DropStonebwoy # campaign on social media.
They said they rather wanted to see artists like Mzbel and Nacee on the bill. Some of them even suggested Stonebwoy’s arch-rival, Shatta Wale, be put on the bill, too.
During the period of the December election, Stonebwoy said in an interview that the NDC was in talks with his management for him to perform at one of the campaign events.
Stonebwoy said he was ready to take up the gig if the money was good. However, he wasn’t seen on any NDC platform until the announcement that he would be performing at their victory concert.
Even though Stonebwoy has not publicly endorsed any political party, some have suggested his supposed relationship with one of NPP’s leading members, Gabby Asare Otchere Darko, and the daughter of the President, Gyankromah Akufo-Addo, may have precipitated this action by the organizers of NDC victory concert.
In the meantime, Stonebwoy is yet to make an official statement on this development.
Some musicians performing at the concert are Edem, D-Flex, Jack Alolomi, Bernice Ansah, Rex Omar, Nero X, and Ohemaa Mercy.
Bridget Otoo on Stonebwoy’s Drop Affecting NDC
Amid growing concerns that dropping Stonebwoy from the NDC’s Ghana Victory Concert could negatively impact the party’s future electoral chances as some fear his massive fanbase might withdraw support from the party, Bridget Otoo thinks otherwise.
Stonebwoy’s fans, particularly from areas like Ashaiman, have already expressed their dissatisfaction on social media, threatening to withhold their votes from the NDC in future elections.
This has sparked concern among some Ghanaians, with calls for the NDC to reinstate Stonebwoy, arguing that his absences could hurt the party’s chances in upcoming elections.
Many believe his fanbase plays a role in shaping opinion and losing their support could have consequences.
However, amidst the debate, media personality, Bridget Otoo weighed in, stating that creatives do not massively influence election outcomes.
To her, if creatives did have that kind of influence, the United States Democrats, who frequently recruit stars like Beyonce, Cardi B, Lady Gaga, and others for their campaigns, would never have lost an election. “People vote based on their pockets, not because of Azonto,” Bridget Otoo argued.
Bridget Otoo added that she hopes creatives can make enough money from their work so they no longer need to rely on political parties for financial support.
Moreover, there was speculation that Baba Sadiq, Stonebwoy’s rival, may have played a role in the decision of [Stonebwoy’s] removal from the concert.
Baba Sadiq, an influential figure in the entertainment industry and the NDC’s parliamentary candidate for Okaikoi Central, has been involved in a public feud with Stonebwoy throughout 2024, leading to suspicions that his rivalry could have influenced the move.
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