Saturday, September 6, 2008 Printer Friendly Version
[size=14pt]Why Anita Baker refused to rock Lagos[/size]

By Nonye Iwuagwu


She may be 50 but the international act, Anita Baker, is a crowd-puller. Baker has a great fan base in Nigeria and many had looked forward to watching her perform live after it was announced last week that the US singer was going to perform in Nigeria.


Anita Baker




The event, which was organised by events firm, Kilimanjaro, had a N50,000 ticket. But not even that was enough to deter Baker’s Nigerian fans. Lots of people still stormed the Expo Hall, Lagos venue of the concert to catch some fun with Baker’s melodies.

But they were in for a shock: the singer simply refused to perform!

Many thought it was a huge joke. How could people have paid such an exorbitant fee to watch Anita Baker and yet the lady refused to perform?

EVen when Basket Mouth, the comedian, took to the stage and cracked some ribs with his jokes, many guest still sat, waiting for Anita baker.

Nikky, the new kid of soul music, also came on stage and sang her heart out; still they waited for Anita baker.

And they waited and waited until it finally dawned on the guests that the American singer was not ready to play.

Efforts to find out from the organisers, the reasons for Baker’s act proved abortive.

But some sources alleged that Baker insisted that she would only perform in a hall that had a theatre setting. Since the Expo Hall, Lagos had a banquet setting the singer allegedly refused to perform.

Nawa o.
How embarrassing!


_{lady got some ugly toes sha}

But why did she refuse to perform?

Will they refund them their money? Who pays that much to watch them in America? Why do we appropriate our money into something that is not resourceful? I heard Nigerians paid N100K to watch Beyonce perform, what nonsense? Will her American people pay $1000 per ticket to watch her perform? Didn't Anita Baker know about the whole before she collected her pay? Nigerians are treated the way they want to be treated because if it were in America, the organizers will vomit all the money they collected for the tickets. If you ask them to pay that much to watch superb musicians like Femi Kuti or lagbaja, they'll start squealing like pigs but they'll pay that to watch an outdated musician like Anita Baker.

But why did she refuse to perform?

Her Reason: Baker insisted that she would only perform in a hall that had a theatre setting. Since the Expo Hall, Lagos had a banquet setting the singer allegedly refused to perform.


My reason: She thinks we are bunch of monkeys that could be treated anyhow but our money is tasty, she can grab it and bail without any questions asked. You remember 3 years ago when the Donald Duke used state's money to invite R Kelly and his publicists told the Cross river govt that they should be paid $50K and expenses AND if he happens to go to jail because of his pending case that time, the money will not be refunded and those morons almost agreed to such a deal. Why are we so gullible for these people?

First of all the organisers were silly for not clarifying all the terms in the agreement before signing on.

Secondly, Nigerians have an unhealthy craze for foreign artistes - its the 'in thing' to pay through the nose to watch these performances, even if they are washed up.

You get what you pay for - unfortunately Kilimanjaro's reputation would have been soiled by this nonsense.

Do they get refund?

First of all the organisers were silly for not clarifying all the terms in the agreement before signing on.

Secondly, Nigerians have an unhealthy craze for foreign artistes - its the 'in thing' to pay through the nose to watch these performances, even if they are washed up.

You get what you pay for - unfortunately Kilimanjaro's reputation would have been soiled by this nonsense.

I don't know what is wrong with my people. I bet you, Kilimanjaro will still organize another show and sell tickets.

Do they get refund?

Which refund? Even if EFCC gets involved, you are not getting nada.

But why? I don't understand Nigeria o

The only artist i can pay ANY AMOUNT ON EARTH 2 watch is EMIN3M .other r WACK!! :p

But why? I don't understand Nigeria o

Because the citizens are not paying enough taxes according to how much they earn. So, the rich can afford to be irresponsible with his wealth.

DeepZone:

Which refund? Even if EFCC gets involved, you are not getting nada.

who says? EFCC got the Africa for Obama people back their money from that thieving Prof Okereke, so they should petition EFCC - this is a crime against Nigerians!

who says? EFCC got the Africa for Obama people back their money from that thieving Prof Okereke, so they should petition EFCC - this is a crime against Nigerians!

may be but i doubt if any of them will do that, after all they'll call 50K a chicken feed.

I say kill the bitch!! . . .and what does this have to do with Nigerians being stupid?

I say kill the bitch!! Angry . . .and what does this have to do with Nigerians being stupid?

Paying 50k to watch a woman sing on stage is outrageous for a country that boasts of over 70M of it's citizen making less than $5 per day.

What people do with their money is their business not yours. . .

What people do with their money is their business not yours. . .

Did you pay?

and if i did it's my bloody money isn't it? just because you may not be able to afford it doesn't mean everyone shouldn't!

Anita who?? Don't even know her.

As for me, I can't even pay $10 to go see Beyonce. tsk!! some Americans do pay $500 and even more to see celebs.

Very stupid, if you ask me.

What I don't understand is why people living in a third-world country like Nigeria would pay such to see some old-school american singer.

Later, they say the government is corrupt. These rich folks too need to start helping the country instead of always blaming the government.

Afterall, Bush didn't build all these "stop & shop" stores but people like Bill Gates, Oprah, etc. Rubbish!!!

[b]What I don't understand is why people living in a third-world country like Nigeria would pay such to see some old-school american singer.[/b]

I wonder.

dats sick
but why is it onli dat kinda settin she can perform in ?, psh* rubbish

[size=13pt]You have no right calling anyone stupid, it their money and they can do whateva they like with it.
Will I pay that much more for a ticket? Well yea only someone else was paying. Funny enough that was the same price they charged last xmas when i was in Naija and yes my guy was paying for the ticket without any problem, hmmmmm forgot what artists where coming then

50 thousands Naira might sound like a lot of money but just a chicken change, anyone can get that type of money in just a day in Naija.
To people converting Naira to foreign money, 50 K might sound a lot which it isn’t

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tRoOE:

[size=13pt]it their money and they can do whateva they like with it.
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That's right, i wonder why some people can't mind their own damn business.

tsk tsk tsk, make I never start to pick issues with anybody's opinion.

I also wanna know: Will they get refunds? That's where kasala kan burst o
N50,000 and no show! Part of the money must be refunded.

@ OP,

You could have used another topic headliner rather than the otiose and annoying topic starter you have up here.

@ Topic,
It is their money, and they are at liberty to spend it how they want. The issue should not be addressed to Nigerians, but rather the organizers who were deficient in making proper arrangements before bringing her down.

Deepzone i have to agree with you
these artists can do that here because they know TIA ( this is Africa ) everything goes,
if she does that in teh states she will be find her ass in court

The money is theirs. okay. But the fact is that they are stupid. I'm sure 90% of them will feel used,raped and stupid afterwards. 50 grand is not cheap for anybody,however rich or poor u may be.

Personally,i'm not really pissd about d cash that as been wasted. Anita Baker must be a pompous old hag for giving such reasons. So she thinks she can come here sh!t on our heads .
If a local artiste had done the same,he or she might have been beaten up. The nigerian is sufferin from complex problems.

50 thousands Naira might sound like a lot of money but just a chicken change, anyone can get that type of money in just a day in Naija.
To people converting Naira to foreign money, 50 K might sound a lot which it isn’t

50k is a lot of money both in Nigeria and USA just to go and watch a washed up artiste. It's almost $500 which can pay a month's house rent in most cities in America. I, for sure do not see it as a chicken change.

tRoOE:


50 thousands Naira might sound like a lot of money but just a chicken change, anyone can get that type of money in just a day in Naija. To people converting Naira to foreign money, 50 K might sound a lot which it isn’t

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Anyone like who??
in just a day? after doing what kind of job? protitution? ( how many men pay girls 50K per session ? ) armed robbery ( yes probably )
but with a dignified job it will be very difficult unless you are a Singer who makes a concert in one night for 2million Naira

Anyone like who??
in just a day? after doing what kind of job? protitution? ( how many men pay girls 50K per session ? ) armed robbery ( yes probably )
but with a dignified job it will be very difficult unless you are a Singer who makes a concert in one night for 2million Naira

Even a Nigerian musician will not smile to the bank with 2M from one show because he/she will have to pay his staff, manager, taxes, bureaucracy, running expenditure etc and may end up with 500K after taking care of these things and how many times a year will he/she hold those concerts?

50 thousand naira is not a small money whether it's in Nigeria, UK, US, japan , Australia or even in heaven.

50k is a lot of money but certainly, it is up to the owner to spend it however they please.

Someone said earlier that they would never spend that kind of money to watch Anita Baker but they would rather watch Eminem (for the same amount) in concert. I think that is stupid because I hate Eminem but who am I to say how or where they should spend their hard earned (or otherwise) money?

Because one spends money on things that may seem trivial to others doesnt justify the "Nigeria is a third world nation and hence you should direct your money towards other goals" speech that is always and endlessly thrown in their faces.

50k is a lot of money but certainly, it is up to the owner to spend it however they please.

Someone said earlier that they would never spend that kind of money to watch Anita Baker but they would rather watch Eminem (for the same amount) in concert. I think that is stupid because I hate Eminem but who am I to say how or where they should spend their hard earned (or otherwise) money?

Because one spends money on things that may seem trivial to others doesnt justify the "Nigeria is a third world nation and hence you should direct your money towards other goals" speech that is always and endlessly thrown in their faces.

True.