King Sunny Ade’s US Show Cancelled Over Band Members Nonchalant Attitude

IN Africa, he is known as pioneer of world music-as his native, electrifying juju music mixes with modern eclectic rhythm, danceable and enjoyable. He is godfather of juju music in Africa. King Sunday Adeniyi, whose sobriquet goes by KSA on stage is a phenomenon in Nigerian arts/culture being classed all around the world as one of the most influential musicians of all time.

This Nigerian music-legend, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist disappointed his United States fan when words reached his music-lovers in Dallas, Texas less than 48 hours to his live performance at Annette Strauss Square of AT &T Performing Arts Center earlier slated for June 18, 2015 that KSA and his African Beats would no longer be able to honor their show. Tickets for the show was pegged at $25 per person.

Everyone with passion for African music in Dallas were surprised, but wondered what could have kept this Nigerian music icon away from the much-publicized show? Investigation by CNN iReport revealed that the African Beats band members did not yield their international traveling passports over to the juju maestro early against his repeated warnings to them, as they felt since KSA is a global name, at their own time they could always hand-over their passports and be sure of having Visa emblazoned on their passport pages. This time around, they were disappointed, since United States Embassy follow its policies and bureaucracies to the letters in issuance of Visa to people. By the time the Visa procurement finally began at the US Embassy due to KSA’s band boys delay; it was crystal clear to them they would not be able to obtain their Visa at that point in other to play at the AT &T Dallas show.

KSA Face-saving courtesy visit to US Embassy in Lagos

When it dawned on KSA that the lackadaisical attitude of his band boys made him to miss the AT &T Dallas Show, CNN iReport gathered this Nigerian music impresario had to quickly ensure he had a word with the Consul-General in a face-saving move to cover the obvious delay-blunder orchestrated by his band boys. He was counseled that as an African music Ambassador , widely traveled and respected, he should always try to ensure traveling documents by his band members are always submitted on time, with earliest interview date fixed; to avert similar occurrences. He agreed.

Thereafter, it was clear that KSA was already angry with his band boys, as he held straight-face, without smiling when he departed the Consul-General office immediately after a group picture of KSA with US Embassy staff were taken. Even when his band boys were asking him the outcome of their Visa as they drove out of the premises, he refused to acknowledge their requests. It is unclear if KSA would ‘wield a big-stick’ against his band members or step-up more discipline among them to avoid same blunder in the future.

AT &T Reacts

When words reached AT &T Management in Dallas from US Embassy in Lagos on the situation, CNN iReport gathered their Media/Public Relations department sent out electronic mails and made phone calls to their Patrons on the true circumstance. They also issued statement purportedly saying: “Due to ongoing delays in the processing of International Visas, the arrival in the United States of King Sunny Ade and His African Beats has been delayed. They will be unable to appear Thursday night, June 18, 2015 at Annette Strauss Square of our AT &T Dallas Stadium by 8:00pm. Patrons with questions can call AT &T Performing Arts Center Box Office 214-880-0202. Tickets purchasers will automatically receive refund.”

Nigerians, African-Americans Disappointed in KSA

Obviously, some Nigerians and African-Americans have expressed disappointment in KSA for not turning up for the show. According to many of them, they had earlier made arrangements to ensuring that particular day fall on their off-days at work, while others flew into Dallas from other states in America purposely to watch KSA sing, play his guitar and dance on stage. For Tope Makinde, an undergraduate of University of Texas who had made up his mind to be at the show, he said: “This is the bad attitude Nigerians mostly display in foreign engagements. They are hardly prepare for anything, wants a fire-brigade approach. Even though I can understand that this kind of problem is already becoming our cultural attitude back home, how do you want an average American or African-American who had never ever visited Nigeria to feel about the image of Nigeria and Nigerians having had to witness this avoidable disappointment?”

Credit:  naijastandardnewspaper