By Stella Akuba Opare

Detty December 2022 in Ghana kicked off with several disappointments (such as the Wizkid concert), leaving many people skeptical about purchasing event tickets. Nonetheless, it appeared that the fear had subsided, with positivity and some hope in the air in the final days of the year. The Afronation festival was slated for the 29th and 30th at the Marine Drive, Black Star Square, with a huge line-up including Skepta, Meek Mill, Rema, Asake, Stonebwoy, Kidi, and the legendary P-Square. After a good show on day 1, many looked forward to having a memorable night on day 2.

The lighting and signage outside the event were poor. Event patrons kept asking others where the entrance to the main grounds was. I guess you could say the red flags were glaring, but everyone was just charged up and looking forward to having a good time. Even though organizers declared the show's tickets to be sold out, several people stood outside Black Star Square selling tickets. For ticket holders, getting access to the event grounds was an arduous task. Some ticket holders were denied entry; security personnel was overpowered by the uncontrollable crowd, and the barricades were tipped over. Some patrons were allegedly assaulted by security personnel for forcing their way into the venue. Amidst the chaos, there were arguments among the security personnel themselves, the organizers, and the crowd at the entrance. At some point, patrons were no longer given wristbands upon entry, which is usually the standard procedure. This could be attributed to poor organization and structuring, as one would naturally expect general admission, VIP, and Golden Circle ticket holders to have separate entry points, but that was not the case. It was disheartening for individuals to pay a premium for a better experience only to face a mediocre one. What was the point?

The show began with performances from Camidoh, Kidi, Black Sherif, and a thrilling performance by the Bhim Nation king himself, Stonebwoy. French singer Dadju also rocked the stage, receiving a good response from the crowd. For a good 30 minutes, nothing went on. No performances, no music, absolutely nothing. The crowd stood strong in anticipation of performances from Asake, Skepta, and Rema, for whom many ladies had donned yellow outfits. All hopes were eventually dashed when organizers ended the show prematurely, citing security and safety threats as reasons. At that point, security personnel gave up and put the barricades aside, giving patrons at the entrance access to the main grounds and causing a stampede.

A patron who was met leaving the event grounds shared, ‘‘I was so traumatized. It was such a struggle to get in, and I only got to see this French guy, whose name I don’t even know, perform, and that was it. We were told Rema was coming, but he never showed up. My Asake didn’t come. It’s a big no-no for me.’’

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