Professor Peter Twumasi, the Director General of the National Sports Authority has responded to claims by Shatta Wale that he has been unfairly treated by the authorities of the Accra Sports Stadium with regards to his forthcoming Freedom Wave Concert.
Shatta Wale in Facebook Live video on Tuesday, September 19, 2023, alleged that the authorities of the stadium had been influenced by external forces to allow his arch-rival Stonebwoy hold his Bhim Concert three days before from his.
According to Shatta Wale who has scheduled 25th December, 2023 for his Freedom Wave Festival with Medikal, he cannot use less than three days to set up his things at the stadium considering the fact that Stonebwoy’s show slated for 22nd December will run into the following day, leaving him with less time to prepare for his show.
“You told my team that to do a show at the stadium one needs three days to set up. So if you are doing your show on 25th, you need three says ahead tp set up – 22nd, 23rd, 24th. That is what you told my team,” he said.
“He [Stonebwoy] could have done his maybe 10th December, or any other day in December. Why eat into our time. Why? And the Prof said they will look into it,” he further stated.
In an exclusive chat with Joy FM, the Director General of the National Sports Authority, mentioned that they had several meetings with both parties and they agreed to their conditions.
“We met with his team and agreed on these conditions. They’re ok,” he noted.
He has also indicated that at present, no one has prevented either party from holding their show on their respective dates.
“25th December booked for Shatta, 22nd for Stone, and others have different dates in December,” he added.
In the meantime, Chief Abiola, the road manager of Stonebwoy has said on Hitz FM that their team was ready to collaborate with Shatta Wale with regards to some logistics to ease drudgery on setting up for the Freedom Wave Concert but Shatta Wale was unyielding to that arrangement.
“I got feedback from Sammy Flex that Shatta Wale was not happy with the timing so we should push for more time for them to set up. So I also took it back to my team, had a back and forth with them and there okay.
We decided to shift the date from 23rd to 22nd which was giving Shatta’s team two or three days clear before their event, so it was enough time for them to do whatever set up they want to do,” he added.
In a recent Facebook live video, however, Shatta Wale has assured his fans that the festival will be held on 25th December, regardless of the challenges.
Shatta Wale and Medikal had earlier announced that the Freedom Wave Festival was slated for 20th-25th December, 2023.
As indicated on the promotional flyer of the event, the two artistes and their fans will pray for the industry on December 23, 2023 at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Other activities for the 5-day festival include arrival of regional fan bases, exhibition of Shatta Movement merchandise, pre-concert with new artistes, dress rehearsal for artiste and the main concert itself.
Previously known as the Freedom Wave Concert, the two artistes, with the addition of other activities and four more days to the event, have upgraded to a festival.
Shatta Wale and Medikal held the first edition of the Freedom Wave Concert in 2021 after both of had an encounter with the law which landed them in jail.
They followed it up with the second edition in 2022. The duo received plaudits from eventgoers for filling the 40,000 capacity stadium.
Shatta Wale and Medikal for the past few years have declared their undying support for each other and have in tandem with this, done joint projects including the ‘Cross Roads’ album.
